Aug. 31, 2009 - We had a great weekend!

It is so nice when you can have a pretty simple (inexpensive) weekend, and your kids feel like you have given them the world....ahhh what a feeling!

Friday night we went out to dinner with my mom in law for Sonny's birthday, then went to the mall just to walk around, then to the Petco, because we told the kids we would get a fish. Picked out a fish, came home and got "Grover" all situated in his new home. Sat morning I had plans to go to some yard sales with my mom; Logan and Savannah wanted to go with me and Wilson and Sonny went on an ALL DAY FISHING TRIP! We hung out with my mom for the day, after the sales, stopped to see my Mema (g'ma) and got to visit my cousin who has recently moved back here (I haven't seen him for years).  We got home and the kids were thrilled to help go through the yard sale stuff, and did a lot to help me around the house, sonny and Wilson got home a bit sun burnt, but WoW, they were a couple of happy, happy guys!  I believe Wilson really enjoyed his alone time with Dad (usually both boys go fishing) I know they have a good time when it is all 3 of them, but once in a while it is nice to have the one on one time. We even heard the kids saying later that night that their weekend was like having a birthday!!  That was awesome to hear!!! We didn't do anything major, but just hung out and did something "different" and for not being major, it seemed to have major impact. Especially for Wilson, who got some good building memories time in with Dad. 

Sunday we had an awesome worship time and sermon, went to lunch with some friends from church and came home to just relax.

Now here we are Monday....and getting back into routine, but so thankful for these simple weekends with beautiful weather and just some time to hang out!!! Hope everyone is having a blessed week!

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Aug. 24, 2009 - First day down....

Today was our first day of school and it went great! As I stated in my last entry we are starting out a bit different this year, but as of next week my kids all have an assignment from dad!  I love it when he gets "hands on " involved in school with us. He told the kids that since we are holding off on some of our subjects for the first couple of mo. that he had something they could work on. Tonight he blindfolded them and turned them in circles and then sent them towards the world map on the wall. It was quite funny to watch! Anyway the place that their finger landed is the place they have to research and tell him about in a couple of weeks.  This week we will get back in the swing of school, and get some books ordered from the library and then they will start their "projects" next week, they are soooo excited! They can't wait to impress daddy. Obviously what is expected of each will vary with their ages, but he still made sure everyone has something to study.  So here is the list: Savannah ~ Vietnam, Wilson~ Somalia, and Logan~Turkey.
I think we have also decided that in Jan. when a very sweet young lady from our church leaves on a mission trip we are going to study the areas she will be in.

On to other news, tomorrow my dear, sweet, wonderful hubby will be 34!  He really doesn't care much about birthdays, and since we are limited till the weekend on finances his gift will have to wait, but the kids and I do plan to do our best to make it a special day for him anyway. Hard to believe I have known him for 22 years!  So thankful for this wonderful blessing God has given me!

Speaking of blessings and birthdays, Sonny shares his with my dear step momma, Cathy.  For the second year in a row, Cathy is out of town on their b-day.  So I am sending her long distance love and hoping she realizes how important she is to my life.  Feeling overwhelmed with blessings this evening and WOW, it's a good feeling to have!!

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Aug. 18, 2009 - Wow....summer is over!

Oh my ....last time I blogged was before summer really hit and now here we are at the end of it. So much has happened since then.
Our move was first, we moved at the beginning of June and absolutely love it! We love our new house, we are only about 15 min. from our church, this is so much better than 45!! And still only about 3 min. from my mom and mom in law, and maybe 10-15 from my dad and stepmom. We are walking distance (bike ride for the kiddos) from dear friends which is nice to be so close to homeschooling families with my kids the same age!  All the kids are thrilled with that, and it's pretty nice for us moms too.
At the end of June my baby boys turned 7! Don't know how that happened but it did and he is crazy thrilled about it! I love seeing the changes in my kids as they grow and mature in everything, but WOW, I miss my little babies and toddlers!!! The kids really don't get that though.  Since we gave up the big birthday parties, which really just boil down to being headaches and lots of money out the window.  Logan picked a friend to stay over and we took Wilson, Logan and their friend Jarrett out for pizza and bowling.  Savannah was gone for the evening and the boys loved it! They stayed up late crashed in the living room floor and had some fun "boy time". On his actual birthday we went swimming with friends and had a quiet dinner here with other friends it was so much better than the big party where you don't even get to speak to everyone and everything gets trashed!! LOL

July around here was mostly quiet....and now here we are in August.  I am planning to start school next Monday, Savannah is excited and ready to get started, Wilson would like to pick out just a couple of things he "wants" to do and skip the rest (lol), and Logan really sees no need to start at all!!!! So we'll see how it goes.  I am ready to get started, ready to have a schedule again!!! We are doing things a bit different this year. I have really prayed about how we "always do things" and am realizing that part of homeschooling is being able to do what works for us, not what we have "always done". So when we start on the 24th, we will be working on our Bible, Math, Reading, Grammar (Spelling/Phonics), and in October we will add in our History and Science. I am very excited about the History and Science this year, but feel like we need to spend some time REALLY WORKING on the basics before we go in head first into everything else!  Sonny and I discussed this a couple of times and we both feel like this is where we are being led, and the best decision for our kiddos at this time. Very excited to have had these talks with hubby and feeling confident in what we have decided as a team!!! What a feeling!
So now that summer has flown by, I am really planning on keeping up on this blog with some type of consistency....we'll see how that works out as well.
Hope everyone is off to a great new year of school !

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May. 21, 2009 - Happy Birthday to my mom...

Yes, today is my mom's birthday, and it was a good day.  Obviously with the move and trying to get ready for all of that there isn't a whole lot of "extra funds" floating around.  Not that she expects anything, but my kids were so sweet, in the last 2 days they have spent all of "their own earned money" on other people and for very good reasons!!! Yesterday the boys bought flowers for my stepmom, they said Grandma would need cheered up, since the funeral and all that, and they also bought a flower for their Aunt Mel, since she was in the hospital last week, then this morning they spent the 3 of them spent the rest of their money to buy flowers for mom for her birthday.  Such proud mommy moments....they are thinking of others.  It is so cool to see their excitement to be doing for others. So anyway our day today, we ran a couple of errands, then over to wish my mom a happy birthday with cupcakes, and the flowers from the kids.  We had lunch there and sat outside to visit while the kids played in the sprinklers.  It was a great day!
In other news, my dad had his 5th surgery on his thumb today!!!! I am so hoping that this is finally the last one!! He always says it's no big deal, but surgery is surgery!!! And when they keep doing the same one over and over something just  doesn't seem right, but I am still praying that this time the surgery did it's job!!

I did manage to get a few things done around the house today too, so all in all it was a good day hope everyone else had the same!!

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May. 18, 2009 - To much going on....

It has only been a few weeks since I last blogged, yet it feels like forever!!! I am guessing because things have been absolutely CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!  So where to begin, we are all so excited about the upcoming move we have 18 days till we are officially moved! But with moving as we all know comes packing, going through stuff, extra cleaning and MORE PACKING!  Not so much on the fun side, but we are slowly getting there. With the decision to move, came the decision of how long to do school up till the move. I had the best of intentions to school till Memorial Day; and with the "fun" of packing and doing school my husband came home to find me,  a little crazy!  So he made the call that it was time to concentrate on the move, and get back into lessons after the move, then we will school till the end of June.  At first I felt pretty guilty not getting all of our lessons done, and only reading library books, but looking around my house and what we have accomplished, I will say Sonny made the best call possible! Funny how when I give up the control things work out!
Savannah also had her dance recital last weekend, yea another busy weekend, with rehearsal and recital and all the fun that comes with that, but it was so much fun to watch her.  She has been in dance for 8 years now, and was acknowledged on stage for that; along with a personalized t-shirt...pretty cool for her!  She is growing into such a young lady, I miss my little girl, but so pleased with the young lady taking her place!
So now I guess we are up to this last week, my dearest, bestest friend gave us all a HUGE scare this week passing out at work and ending up in the hospital for 2 days.  Through all the tests they have found some type of mass on her brain, more tests are required to find out what it is, so obviously much prayer going up for Mel!! The Dr. called it a coincidnence that they she fell and had to have the tests that found the mass, we have decided God knocked her on her butt, so it could be found.  A week ago today I went with my stepmom to check out possible nursing homes for my Grandma to go to in order to finish her recovery before she went home.  This wonderful dear woman went into the hospital in Jan. for surgery (which went very well) and all sorts of other things started going wrong with her after the surgery.  She was on a roller coaster of better, worse and back & forth.  The nursing home day was rough to think about, because you see my Grandma is the one who took care of things, not had people waiting on her! I think the most I ever seen, was her letting someone get her a cup of coffee.  But Cathy and I did it, and we leaned on each other, and went in knowing it would be temporary.  After Monday, Grandma took a turn for the worse, and on Friday morning she went home to dance with Jesus!  Oh, the mixture of sadness and joy....so much to try to balence! I just knew a nursing home wasn't the place for Grandma, but sure wasn't ready for her to go either. Sad because we won't have her with us anymore, and so VERY VERY SAD for my Grandpa.  But so happy for my Grandma and what she is experiencing right now.....Wow, just trying to imagine, it is simply impossible!  Our family has had huge support from our friends, church family and just each other through all of this. My dear cousin spoke at Grandma's funeral today and did a wonderful job, it is so great to see her at 18 get up there with such love and faith in the Lord and KNOW where Grandma is and be happy for that.
So my prayers are, and I ask that you reading pray with me, for Mel and her tests as well as for Grandpa who has lost his beautiful wife of almost 55 years, as well as my stepmom, Uncle and the rest of the family.
So that about sums up the last couple of weeks, school around here has been our Bibles, a bit of library and a whole lot of "real life"!
Blessings to all!

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May. 5, 2009 - We are moving!!!!!!

I am so excited.....we went and looked at another house last weekend, and at the beginning of June we will be moving!!! I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We will actually be renting the house for about a year and then have the opportunity to buy it, which in the long run works out better for us anyway....hmmm....think that is the message I was supposed to be getting all along?  Funny, how once we stopped stressing about it, OK I was mostly the one stressing....but anyway that stopped and we really went into prayer with thanksgiving...you know praying knowing that God knows best and WILL  provide, and in one week, we find a house, meet the owners (who by the way are sooooo nice), look at and agree on the house, and have furniture given to us by a GREAT family at church!!!!  My kids are so excited about the move, they can't wait to pack and move, we are taking them on Saturday to see the house, and take some measurements.  We are going to sell a few items we have that won't work at the new house, it is like anything else, there are alway a few things that you wish were different, but over all it is just what we have been waiting for!
The living room will be a bit smaller, and the kitchen a bit bigger, big plus is the bedrooms are all bigger, and there is an extra bathroom....wooooo hooooooo!!!!! Fenced in yard...loving this!!! And Sonny's dream of a garage comes true at last!  We will be about 30 min. from my mom and mom in law, and about 15 from my dad/stepmom and church.  So all in all the location will be great for us. Besides a few other home school families already in the area. So with all the excitement we are doing our best to get some school work done as well, the last 2 days have only consisted of reading and Math.  My plan is to continue school up to Memorial Day take a week off since Sonny is going to be on vacation, and we will be moving, then pick back up the 2nd week of June till the end of June.  The break will probably do us all some good, because I am having a very hard time getting motivated these days, and as you know if mom can't get motivated, it really carries through to the kids.  So that is my update/blessing report for the day!!!
Blessings to all!

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Apr. 14, 2009 - Prayer...

First of all we had a wonderful Easter, the service at church was great! And then we had a great day with family...although a bit sad since my grandma is still in the hospital and was very missed by all.  School is going great, we took off Thursday, Friday and Monday for Easter, so back to work tomorrow.  We are all ready to get back into our routine....to many days off and we have a very hard time getting back into everything.

So as for my title "prayer', I am feeling like I need some lately.  I find myself really struggling with just "letting go", I have been really trying to not "be anxious" and let God take care of things, knowing full well that he can do SO MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD EVER DREAM OF!  So why do I let myself stress about "stuff" and get so anxious?  I keep giving these unspoken requests to God, then I am taking them back, by lettin myself worry about whatever the issue is.  So that is my request tonight, please pray with/for me as I work on this.  Without going into details, I just have so much on my mind lately and it really is ridiculous, knowing that there is NOTHING I can do, besides give these things to God, and wait. 

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Apr. 8, 2009 - Catching up...my little girl is 12!

I haven't kept up on this blog like planned...but I am here now so what's new? 

Last Wednesday (April 1st) my dear, sweet beautiful little girl turned 12!  She was so excited.  While part of me can't help but be sad at her getting older and growing up, another part of m is just as excited as her to see the young lady she is becoming!  My Savannah is such a sweet, giving, person!   I am so proud to be her mom.  So on her birthday she picked out her menu for "birthday lunch"  which consisted of Chicken Alfredo, Baked potato, corn and rolls, with a surprise ice cream cake!  After Sonny got home, she opened her gifts...a Nintendo DS, and this SUPER COOL NEW BIBLE for teen girls, it is so cool, we have been going through it reading all the "love notes" from God.  She also had a new purse and t-shirt from her brothers, which they actually picked out and bought with their own money....ok yes another proud mommy moment, they spent their own money on their sister!!!!!  Sweet boys.  We usually go to church on Wed. nights for dinner and then classes for the whole family. We love it, lots of fun! Savannah was given the choice last week, if she would like to go, or have an evening at home with the family.  She picked going to church so she wouldn't miss out on the monthly service project her youth group does!  YAY!!! She didn't think of herself, but of going to volunteer her time for someone else's needs.  I am so thankful to God for the wonderful blessing Savannah is to our lives, as well as everyone else who gets to know her!  I am so happy that I have the chance to homeschool my kids, and teach them what should come first, and to see them "getting it" and wanting to go out and share the love of Jesus with others!

As for school stuff....our year is moving along pretty well, with all that happened with Sonny's injury it did have an impact of how much we got done at the beginning of the year, so we will be doing school through June, taking July off and hopefully starting around the 3rd week of August.  I am pretty happy with everything we are using this year and plan to continue with most (maybe all) of it, with just a few possible changes.  I will definately continue with My Father's World for Bibe, History, Science.  I am going to use Easy Grammar again with Savannah, along with Spelling Power, she will continue her Spanish with The Learnables, I think I am going to keep using Saxon for her, but not definate on that yet? I will also add in Apologia Science for her along with what is offered by MFW.   Wilson loves the MFW as well, and will continue with Singapore Math, and probably continue with the Explode the Code, still trying to decide if I am going to add in a Grammar for him??? As for Logan, he also does well with MFW, obviously what is at his level, he also will continue with the Code books, and probably with Happy Phonics as well.  He is having some struggles with some of the phonics right now, as of right now the Saxon Math seems to fit him pretty good.  So that is my list for now, I really need to actually do some purchasing, but that is still on hold!  Luckily everyone ships pretty quick so it isn't going to hurt for me to order a little later this year....or at least that is what I keep telling myself!

As for the hope and plans of moving....we are still waiting...praying....waiting....praying!  Hopefully something will come along and we'll get to be in the area we really want to be and my hope and prayer is soon, but I am so trying not to be anxious about all of this! Not always an easy task, but still really trying!

So that is my update for now, hope all are doing well, and getting ready to celebrate OUR LIVING LORD in just a few more days!!!!

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Mar. 16, 2009 - Wilson's decision!

Ok, not much time to blog this morning...we all kinda slept in a little!  But I just had to get on and share my news from Sunday!! Wilson made his decision yesterday morning and Sonny baptized him at the beginning of church service!! What a moment...I remember when Savannah made the same decision, and now to add one more of my kiddos to the kingdom....wow my heart is full!!  He was kinda nervous about all the people watching, but told me later that he really only seen a couple of faces in the crowd, he was listening to Mr. Steve (our youth minister) and concentrating on his dad!   I was so proud of both of them, to watch Sonny holding our son right before and after his baptizim was such a beautiful moment; wouldn't trade it for the world!  The funny part is that Wilson is my quiet one (usually because he is planning something..lol) but doesn't like a lot of attention on himself, so he was a little overwhelmed by all of his hugs and well wishes after church!  Also mentioning my day and it's events on my facebook page gave me the chance to "talk" with an old friend about church and God and she is searching and not finding any place for her family to feel connected.  She was asking me many questions, and it sounds like she may be interested in visiting our church!!! I am sooooo EXCITED by this, we probably haven't really talked for 15 years....I ran into her once when Savannah was a baby just enough to say hi, but we were so close when we were very young, I would love to stay in touch with her, and love even more to be a part in helping her reconnect with God! So praying for wisdom in how to minister to her and her family!!

After church we had a baby shower to throw...there are usually 4 of us that head up the shower ministry but this time we had 1 out of town with some well deserved husband time, and 1 down sick! So it was just 2 of us and probably the biggest shower we have ever had!!!!  Little overwhelming at times...but it turned out great and mom & baby got lots of cool stuff! And WOW we were soooo tired after this was all over!  Now a comment for our ladies who were missing at the shower...Shari and I totally understood, and missed you both very much....but WE EXPECT TO SEE YOU BOTH IN APRIL FOR THE NEXT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So those are my wonderful and busy updates from yesterday...and I am expecting a wonderful week of school this week! Hope everyone is having a great Monday!!

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Mar. 7, 2009 - A good day with my boys & a big step for Savannah!

Every year the high school kids from our church go "Inner City Mission" it is a Christian Homeless shelter, there is an amazing group of adults who go with the kids every year and they spend the first day working on things, fixing, painting whatever they need help with, then they spend the night and get up and worship with everyone before coming home!  Sonny has gone for the past 3 years and loves it, he always comes back recharged and "on fire" it is so cool to see.  Well this year he decided that he thought Savannah should go with him, she isn't actually old enough it is supposed to be only for the high school kids, but since Sonny always goes, and got permission ahead of time she was able to go.  I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first, I kept thinking she is Jr. High age, why throw her in with a bunch of high schoolers???? (even though we have a great group of kids)  Sonny's response was I will be there with her and after experiencing this myself I think it is something that she should experience, regardless of age, to see this group of people who live there and have barely a thing, but are so thankful and in love with the Lord NO MATTER WHAT!!  As we are seeing our little girl become a young lady (she'll be 12 in a little over 3 weeks) we are seeing so many changes in her already and yes they are pretty much all positive, but it never hurts to be sure your kids have some perspective!  And the fact that she was so excited to get to go with her daddy and help other people!!  Priceless!! Besides she told me this morning before they left that she thought she should go and watch out that dad doesn't "do to much with his bad hand"  So even with my reservations in the beginning I understood what Sonny was saying and stood back (where I should be more often than I am) and followed his lead on the decision to take her.  This meant a day for me and the boys after we dropped them off at church EARLY THIS MORNING, we came home and got the bikes out and they were riding like crazy all morning!! They came in and helped me do some organizing (all there idea) .  After lunch outside we did a bit of running around.  We took the dog for a walk, and now tonight it is movie/popcorn time and they get to "camp out" in the living room!!  Pretty simple, but all in all a great day with my little men!  And I can't wait to hear about Sonny and Savannah's day tomorrow.

I'm off to get the snacks out!

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Mar. 6, 2009 - Calling a short day...

yes, a very short day in terms of school! It is only 10:40 am and we have finished our lessons planned for the day.  I did have much more planned, but WOW it is beautiful outside and we have all been feeling some cabin fever around here.  So we did our Bible reading, memory verse and Math and called school over!!  The kids were so excited to get outside for the day!  We do have just a few errands to run that they are less than excited about, but have been reminded that they will have the rest of the afternoon to enjoy the sunshine; so the complaints seem to have stopped!   It also doesn't hurt to remind them that they could be stuck in a class room for 5 more hours if they were in public school!!  Talk about putting things into perspective. 

Now I am off the computer and off to enjoy the sunshine with my kiddos!

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Mar. 4, 2009 - "I am desperate for you"

This is a line from a song we sing at church "This is the air I breath" , another line says "I am lost without you" .  This song really touches me, and this last week at church the words just really hit me!  What if we lived this way all the time?? I know I love the Lord and I am so unworthy and grateful for the mercy given to me by our savior.  But why don't I ALWAYS remember how lost I was without him, and how desperate I was for him on that morning when I made my decision to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior?  No, I have absolutely no desire to have that "lost feeling" again, but I don't think it is something we should ever let ourselves forget!  I think that being "desperate for him" is something we should always strive to do, none of us "have arrived" therefore shouldn't we always be desperate for MORE, more of Jesus in our lives!! This is what I want in my life and the lives of my family, desperation for MORE JESUS!!!  I am seeing that in my son, Wilson; he has been asking and talking over the last few mo. with Sonny and I about wanting to be baptized and we weren't sure at first if this was something he was really ready to understand and make a decision on, after all this is something they need to really "get".  I remember when my daughter started thinking about it, and our minister at the time, told me that she would probably go through a time she was interested and have many questions then she would drop it for a time and we should wait for her to bring it up again, and we would "know" that she was ready.  So that is what we did, and he was right she was baptized at 8 years old after bringing it up for the first time at 7.  Wilson has pretty much followed the same pattern it was probably 6 mo. ago, when the talking started and then was dropped, and now he is really asking!! We have spent quite a bit of time discussing this with him and plan to talk to our youth minister about it as well, but I can see it in him, that desperation he has for Jesus; and my heart is full!  Sonny is going to spend some time talking with him, and as I said we are going to talk with our youth minister on the subject, but it really looks to me like my little man is ready!!  Oh the joy and thanksgiving I feel for so many things right now, one of the main ones being the chance to home school, the chance to be the biggest influence in the lives of my children; and to have that Bible lesson EVERY MORNING, and to see them getting the scriptures, it isn't meant to be just on Sundays, and I am confident that if we left it to 1 day a week, our kids would be in great danger of never really "getting it".  God is FIRST in everything!  First day of the week set aside to worship, first of our finances to him, first a relationship with him, then all others fall into place, therefore first thing in the school lessons comes Bible lesson and prayer!

I have another blessing to share, I have a dear, sweet, amazing friend who is desperate to be a mommy!! And is beyond deserving of this privledge, she has recently gotten news that she can begin meds that may help them conceive, and I am ECSTATIC for her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am only mentioning this because I would love to ask all reading to please lift this couple up in your prayers that they may be blessed with the baby they so desperately want!!!!  You know who you are.....and I love you and am praying for your blessing!!

So there are my thoughts and ramblings for this morning, hope everyone is having a great week!

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Mar. 2, 2009 - It's been a while....

As Mel has called to my attention...it has been a while since I have been on here. Thanks to discovering FaceBook, along with trying to keep up on everything else it just seems that finding time to put things into words on here has been lacking!

So the catch up...my mom is healing beautifully, the Dr. told her Wed. that once we get her a good pair of shoes she can just wear her a brace on her ankle for a few weeks and she is good to go; which means she can drive and all on her own.  It has been a busy couple of mo. trying to keep up on both houses and shopping and everything, but no time wasted some good times just me and my mom; wouldn't trade it for a thing.  As for Sonny he is doing pretty good, he goes back to the Dr on Wed. and is still going to therapy 3 times a week but is making great progress.  Slowly but progress! His employer isn't always being so great about things but he is standing firm on Dr.'s orders and we are in constant prayer about the whole situation.

As for school it is going pretty good, the kids are really enjoying the MFW curriculum, I know I want to use it again next year, although I am feeling like I should have plans made for next year already and not even close!!  Right now I just can't get focused into thinking about it and getting it all figured out, so for now I am just going to have to put it to the side.

We did find out about the house we went and looked at, and it doesn't look like it is going to happen for us, at least not this house.  We were really disappointed, but just figure it isn't the right time or the right house for us, so still looking but remembering that we really can't do anything right now with the shape Sonny is in with his hand!  So we continue to pray and wait....and doing my best to live out Philippians 4:6  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  Also the end of Philippians 4:11 "be content whatever the circumstances."  These verses really speak to me lately, not being anxious (worried) but no matter what the circumstance pray and pray being already thankful because whatever God has in store for us is so much more than we could ever begin to understand!!! What an amazing thought...why is it so easily forgotten when we think we can handle it ourselves faster or better! And "be content whatever the circumstances" WOW that is tough, but who am I that I shouldn't be able to be content with all the obvious things we have to be thankful for?  Anyway so we will stay where we are till the right home comes along, and work on being content no matter what!!!!

In other news, I turned 33 last week, my kids were so cute, they get excited over everyone's birthday, so my boys had a gift they made with their grandpa (thanks dad) it is a big wooden cross they painted and wrote Jesus across the front of it; it is very cool!  My dear little lady made me a scrap book, she gathered pictures from my mom and stepmom from all different times of my life and made me a book, with her own captions; it is so nice!  They all made me great cards too!  My dear sweet husband bought me "Fireproof" and the Love Dare journal, everyone should watch this movie!!!!!!  We didn't really do anthing, went and visited my mom and talked to my dad on the phone. It was a nice day with my kiddos and evening with my honey! 

So that is my update and planning to not stay away so long.

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Feb. 4, 2009 - Just ramblings

Ramblings, that is really all I have to post right now.  Things have been very hectic around here.  It seems as though as soon as I get a schedule nailed down and "know" what we are going to do for a week or even a day something changes it! 

Sonny went back to the Dr. on Monday and they removed his stitches, he is still in his splint and on one hand work, therapy 3 times a week and goes back in a month.  I know he is so uncomfortable and gets sick of asking for help, (he isn't all that great using his left hand) but he has been a trooper and the kids are really jumping in and helping!  Yesterday we did a bunch of cleaning and I had kids doing things before I could get to them, and not having to go behind them and re-do....woo hooo!! 

With all that has been going on, I feel like we have really slacked on some of the school work and like we are behind where we should be this time of year...not a good feeling! On the upside, we home school so we can go as long as needed and we will be doing just that this year.  The way I am looking at things right now, it looks like we will be doing at least the basic subjects through the end of June.  That is also with allowing for days off here and there. I feel like I should be ordering or at least checking out curriculum for next year, last year I had it all picked out by now.  But for some reason I just really can't focus on that right now!  Besides with us hoping and praying to make a move sometime in the Spring or summer I am thinking that maybe ordering or shopping AFTER moving may be easier!

Speaking of moving, we went and looked at a house last week and LOVED IT!!  It is a bit higher than we were planning on looking at, but with all it offers it is reasonably priced, we aren't sure if we could qualify for financing, but may also have the option of doing a lease to purchase agreement with the sellers.  It is a big house with tons of updates; it would put us at least 30 min. closer to church, and my dad, Sonny would be about 15 min. closer to work and I would still only be about 30 min. from both of our moms and the kids' Dr.  We loved the people who showed us the house, they were very open about their faith and they used to home school as well!   The mom and I spent 20 min. before we left discussing curriculum!  It was great. Anyway as much as I fell in love with the house, I need to keep things in perspective...Sonny and I as well as the sellers have all agreed to put this into God's hands and pray about what he would have us do!  Just to know that the sellers are willing to join us in prayer about the situation is encouraging. 

Those are my ramblings for this very early morning now I am off to get something accomplished!!

Blessings!

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Jan. 19, 2009 - So many things to be in prayer about...

I have been thinking about posting for a few days now, and just haven't been able to find the time, so here I am I have been CRAZY busy and some days wonder if I am teaching my kids anything!  I don't in any way doubt our decision to home school and LOVE having the chance to do this BUT lately it just seems so many things are being thrown at us, am I really getting through??

So the updates which also are biggies on my prayer list right now! First the continued recovery of my mom, she is doing pretty good, the Dr. is happy with her progress.  Then Thursday afternoon I got a phone call that Sonny had been hurt at work!  I couldn't get any details and had no way of knowing where they took him, so I had to sit here and wait for phone calls to update me.  He finally got home and I find out he has cut his arm deep enough to cut the tendons working his ring and pinky finger. So that meant surgery on Friday.  Surgery went well, and with all the meds he felt no pain till Sat., we went to the Dr. today and he has a custom formed splint and sling, he can return to work to only do left handed work, as long as he is in therapy 2-3 times a week, missed work is SUPPOSED to be covered by workman's comp. (we are dealing with a lawyer to protect his rights on this).  All in all he is glad to return to work, while he doesn't like his company, he told me he would rather be there doing "whatever" and making full wages than sitting at home for less. He says that just doesn't "feel" right!  What a guy, I am so proud of him, but of course I can't help but worry, my prayer is that his full function will return in his hand/fingers once all is healed and that his employer will treat him kindly through this whole process. Another huge deal around here is that a dear family in our church has had a horrible tragedy and lost their home and all in a house fire, please lift the Herman family up, as they begin the long process of dealing with insurance and all that goes with this, the blessings being that all got our safely, they have wonderful friends (Laurie your awesome) who were there to support them and the outpouring of love from the rest of the church has been overwhelming!  It is a sad situation but so AMAZING to watch and hear of God working through this church family to lift these great people up.  Not to mention all the calls and emails we have had from the church family to check in on Sonny.  Sometimes when I catch myself stressin over the little stuff, then I look at what God will do if we just let him and can't help but feel anything but praise!

I am off to bed now, and hoping that MAYBE we'll get through some school tomorrow.

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Jan. 7, 2009 - Hoping to get something done tomorrow!!!!

We started back to school on Monday, which went really well!! I was so excited for our week, first day back went well so I am thinking we are off to a great start! Well....yesterday we had ice so the schools were canceled which meant the girls that I would normally take to school were here all day, plus another friend's kids with 5 extra there wasn't going to be any school happening around here yesterday!  Which also meant rescheduling Wilson's Dr. appointment till today.  With the rescheduling that of course messed up today, so we turned it into library day.  After Wilson's appointment, we headed over to my mom's to check in on her and do a bit of cleaning, then home for lunch, clean lunch up, back over to mom's and then to the library! We had kind of a rough morning around here with some behaviors, but the afternoon was much better, the kids got their library books and we came home and read till Sonny got home and it was time for church!

We started new classes tonight, after dinner and visiting with our church family, we are taking the class "Growing Kids God's Way"  I think it is going to be a very good class!  I am excited about it...but you know how when your working on making things better in your life, Satan finds away to attack it and cause you to doubt yourself.  On the way home from our introduction class my kids went crazy in the car,OK maybe not crazy but they were arguing almost all the way home (it is a 45 min. drive) and just plain not listening!!!  UGH, don't know what has gotten into them, but we had a nice little chat right before everyone headed to bed, and I am headed for some prayer time and looking forward to (please) having a better day tomorrow!!!!!!!!!  But I really am looking forward to this class, I mean come on Growing them in God's Way, no better answer out there!!  Our class leaders are a husband and wife who have taken this class before, and Felicia made the point tonight that we need to be aware that Satan WANTS our kids, I am comitted to not giving them up to him, he's got a fight on his hands where these kiddos are concerned!!

Good night all!

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Jan. 5, 2009 - Back to school...

That is today, back to school, back to some kind of routine!! This has its ups and downs.  The kids and I are all actually pretty ready to get back into the books, back into our "normal" schedule.  But it is sad to see Sonny have to go back to work today, he has been home for 2 and a half weeks; we have all been staying up late, hanging out, watching movies, just relaxing and sleeping in almost every morning, with no schedule to our days at all!  We have really enjoyed this time, and somehow have managed to get most things that were needed done, but I must admit I am a creature of habit, so it does seem like there are things that have been lacking around here, things I should have done, but just seem to run out of time for, when I don't have a plan.  With all that being said, I do feel like we are going back into school REFRESHED!  That is what is supposed to happen after a break, and we had some wonderful family time, so I guess we're all better off for it.  We are still going over to my mom's daily, but usually only once a day now (2 at the most) she has a LITTLE more independence with her ankle, she is supposed to be partial weight bearing now, with a removable boot that comes up to her knee on, which means with my help she can take it off for a little while and shower.  She is having some rough days though, feeling down, from being stuck in the house, looking at her ankle and feeling like it will never be better, if you think of it please say a little prayer for my mom!!

Our New Year's was pretty plain around here, Sonny ended up staying up with the kids and bringing in the New Year, while I laid in bed with a HORRIBLE MIGRANE, I have only had a few of these and only over the las year or so, but WOW, the pain is unreal, I just absolutely couldn't handle any light or noise and was in my dark bedroom by 8:30 and then still felt pretty rough the next day, just drained and still with a dull head ache!   I was bummed not staying up with the kids, they were really looking forward to it, but Sonny came through and they all had a good time anyway!

That is my update for now, we go back to school in about an hour, and it is almost time for my morning call from hubby, so here is hoping everyone has a GREAT MONDAY!!

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Dec. 31, 2008 - Almost New Years

So anyone have BIG plans for New Year's Eve??  None here.  During the day tomorrow I will be taking my mom to the Dr. More x-rays, and a new cast.  Hoping that everthing is healing up OK.  We have had a busy couple of days, our sweet little Gracie is in town.  This is a little girl who became like our own when her and Wilson were just babies together, she started as just one of my day care kids, but became one who was instantly part of the family.  Due to her mom's interest in doing "other things" we had Grace at our house all of the time, she truely became like one of our own, to us and all extended family as well.  Then when she was getting ready to turn 3 they up and moved to Alaska, her dad has since moved back here, and is only a few minutes across town, so when he gets her for Christmas and summer visits we all get a little fun Gracie time!! We LOVE IT, except that is seems to end so quickly!!  We went over for a visit on Sunday evening and Savannah ended up staying the night, and spending the day with them on Monday then Monday night we got to have her over for a sleep over and keep her most of today, we had a couple of strangley warm days here, so it meant a trip to the park and fun pictures of all the kids, and then out to eat with grandma, and then over to visit another grandma, it was a fun, but busy day!!   We are hoping to get to see her at least 1 more time before she goes, and may go visit them for a little while on New Years Eve, but that is about as exciting as it gets around here!  And I am perfectly fine with that.  Sonny has been off of work since the 23rd, and really enjoying doing pretty much nothin, we have just been hangin out, and it has been nice, but I will say I think the kids and I are ready for some routine back.  He goes back to work on the 5th, so we will start school back up then too!

We had a nice Christmas here, going to the Christmas Eve service at our church (you HAVE to go next year Laurie, it was awesome), then to my dad and Cathy's, we always love that night, snacks and the kids opening gifts and visiting!! So much fun!!! Then Christmas morning the kids were up before early if you can even imagine that time, I actually sent them back to bed twice, making them wait until it was at least 6:00 am.  Then we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and opened gifts and had Birthday cake for breakfast!!  After just relaxing for a while it was time to go to my mom's with her ankle being broken most of dinner preperations were up to Bob and I, and whatever mom could do from her wheel chair, because you know there was NO WAY she wasn't going to be in that kitchen!!!!  It all turned out really good, and we had a good day! Christmas night I was taking down the tree and cleaning my house, time to get things back into order!! I know others leave it up till New Year's but by Christmas I am ready for the giant tree out of my living room and to have my house back!!!  With this all done that night, I felt much better and able to kick back and just relax, which is pretty much what I have been doing ever since,  well with the exception of going over and taking care of mom's house and things like that, but around here I feel like I have really been lazy!! Guess I better kick it into gear!!

Those are the happenings around here lately, not much really!! But we like it that way!!

Hope everyone had a Blessed CHRISTmas!!

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Dec. 19, 2008 - Mom's house is festive!!

Since my mom is down with her broken ankle, the kids and I went over today and got all of her Christmas decorations out and set up!!  I am not really sure if this is going to help or hurt her mood, I am hoping it will lift her spirits!  She has been very down with us all having to do pretty much everything for her, she hates depending on people!  Yesterday at her first Dr. appointment he said she hasn't spent enough time with it elevated, there is still more swelling than they want!  Her pain does seem a little better and she is still determined to have Christmas dinner at her house this year, wouldn't dream of taking that from her, so today I went shopping for all her groceries and the fixins for dinner, Bob (my stepdad) and I are going to take care of dinner, but with mom's instructions on what she wanted us to make!

The kids loved getting all her decorations out and setting them all over the house, and helping Grandma out in general!!  I know so many people question home schooling and the "socialization issue" but watching my kids jump in there and willingly want to help someone, and be so excited to do it, just affirms my decision that this is the best thing for us.  The "lessons" they are getting this Christmas break are far more important to who they will be once they are grown, than any thing they will ever learn from a school book! 

Last week was our Christmas party with our home school group, it was lots of fun!! (Thanks to Laurie for all her planning)  It is so nice to go to these functions with families that I feel like we just "click" with!! It is an awesome bunch of moms, and kids!!! 

So that has been our last week or so, busy, helpful, and full of blessings!!

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Dec. 10, 2008 - Update on my mom...Christmas break

OK the decision has been made:  WE ARE ON CHRISTMAS BREAK!!!!  Well mostly...still reading !  We went to the library today and all the kids picked out a stack of books, we'll be reading some every day.  The rest of our school wlll be getting ready for Christmas and taking care of my mom.  Right now we are going over 3 or 4 times a day and doing various things...laundry, getting some meals, cleaning, doing her errands, taking care of the dog!  I have an aunt who lives close that has been able to help some, and my Mema (grandma) has been over a couple of times.  The kids are doing great at helping out with what they can, and grandma has received more homeade get well gifts than she knows what to do with!  Loving every one of them though!! We are going to concentrate on reading and maybe some Math drills online and do some baking for Christmas...we'll get back to the books after New Year's.  With all my mom needs right now, it just didn't seem to be working to being stressing about if we were doing enough book work, when I know there are many other lessons just as valuable for them to learn right now!!  They are excited about the baking coming up, they all love to help in the kitchen.

As for how my mom is actually doing, today was probably the best day she has had since the fall, her pain was less today and we now have a wheel chair besides her walker.  She is pretty good at getting around with the walker, but in the mornings she just doesn't have the strength for it, she has fallen twice using it in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!  Talk about sending me into a panic!!  Luckily with the wheel chair she can function in the mornings much easier!!!  She has a very long recovery ahead of her, and right before Christmas of course really stinks, but there never really is a good time for these things!!!  So with much prayer and patience we'll make it through...and CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR!!!!

Hope everyone is having a WONDERFUL WEEK!!

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