Feb. 2, 2010 -
xx
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jul. 13, 2007 - Discovery Store is Having a Great Sale!
This is a fantastic time to stock up on DVD's. This is a huge sale that Discovery Store does only twice a year. You won't want to miss it! We've been anxiously waiting for its arrival and are planning on buying several to go along with this years teaching. Enjoy!
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jul. 16, 2006 - Ashlee
Ashlee,
You will be missed more than you could ever know. Your family is now "crushed", but your spirit lives on. You were such an amazing girl, beautiful! I love that smile and wish it hadn't dimmed. I know your pain seemed too much, I've been there....I am there.
I pray for your family, especially your mother and ask God to be with them and give them peace. The days to come are going to be difficult. I'm going to try to get back to Minnesota to be with your mom and have one of our "talks".
Love you & Miss you! 
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jul. 14, 2006 - Teen Suicide
It's another sad day in our home. The 19 year old daughter of my long time friend (35 years!) just committed suicide. I can't even imagine what could be so horribly wrong in a young persons life that would bring them to the point of taking their own life.
Witnesses say they saw her car parked by the train tracks. She waited until the warning lights came on and the safety gate started to come down and then she pulled out onto the tracks and stopped her car. She was apparently on her cell phone at the time. What a violent and tragic ending to a beautiful young life.
Ashlee must have felt desperate. Please listen to your kids, give them a hug and be there for them. Ashlee left behind her infant son, sister, parents, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Please pray for the family as they struggle to cope.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jul. 4, 2006 - Happy 4th!!!
Today is a day for family and fun. I hope everyone has a great 4th and enjoys their time spent with loved ones. My kids won't be with me today, but I will have them on my heart. I will miss them so much! I'm not really sure how they feel about the change in our routine and tradition for the 4th, but I hope they enjoy the day anyway.
Today typically has very special meaning for us. Four of my children were born in Vietnam and it was a long hard struggle to get them to this country. We were so happy the day they received their US visas and especially the day they walked through immigration in LA. That was the point where they became US citizens! Thank you God for bringing us together and for your perfect plan for our lives.
I'm going to post a couple of verses that were part of my Bible reading this morning:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 NIV
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
And we know that in all things God works, for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 NIV
My children and I continue to struggle, but we know that God has a plan. These verses remind me that our suffering is for a purpose. I pray constantly and guard my heart in my response to all things. We must always be ready to watch our hearts and remember to respond to our adversaries in a way that would be pleasing to our Lord.
A Happy & Blessed 4th of July to Everyone!
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jul. 1, 2006 - Time for a New Year!
Well, it's almost time for the new school year to begin. Our school district is on a year round schedule, so we like to place our "official" start date of the new school year to coincide with the public schools. We actually homeschool year round anyway, but we have to have some place to cut it off.
It's been a long and busy day. I've been trying to catch up on some much needed housework after being sick for the past several weeks. Ryan has been sick with some stomach virus which has kept the whole family pretty close to home this past week. Everyone is getting tired of being cooped up and they're all starting to act cranky and whiney.... not a good scenario! 
And tomorrow I need to figure out how to keep them "sane" in church. Eeeeeks!
I'm going to spend the rest of the evening putting some finishing touches on our school schedule for the coming year and figuring out what to do with the younger ones. Nicholas is still so immature in some ways, he's just not ready to participate at the same level as the girls. I'll have to find something that will keep his little fingers occupied. He has a tendancy to want to mess with the other kids and their things. His way of getting attention from them.
Sometimes I feel sorry for Nicholas. He's not officially my middle child, but it seems like he is. Sarah is 3 months older than Nicholas and Allena is 1 month younger, and of course Ryan and Jacob are (almost 9!!!) and 5 years. Anyway, Sarah turned 4 last month and thinks she's all grown up. Her and Allena are VERY close and are always playing Barbie and tea party, coloring, cutting, pasting papers together and other pretty tame stuff. Nicholas wants to be in on the action with the big boys... Light Sabres, Darda cars, swimming, running, wrestling basketball and other physical, testosterone kinds of things.
The big boys don't always want to include Nicholas because he has a tendancy to cause problems and they think he's too young to play with them all the time. The girls are way too tame for his liking, but he does find it fun to get them riled up. He seems to wander around getting into trouble trying to occupy himself. I'm working on some of his behavioral issues, but it's a struggle!. Anyone have any suggestions? He'll be 4 in August.
I've got to pack an activity bag for church and start pulling out books. Time for a "special moment" and a quiet cup of coffee. My favorite time of the evening.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jun. 25, 2006 - Sunday
I almost didn't take the kids to church today. We got up and I was so tired and everyone seemed to be extra cranky. Must be from the big day we had yesterday. I guess it didn't help that we got home late and still had to do baths and get everything organized for church. I NEVER go to bed Saturday night without having all of the kids clothes set out, including shoes, socks and underwear! We also make sure to have our snacks, activities, etc. all ready to go. It's much too hectic and stressful in the morning to try and get the kids ready while looking for shoes or clothes. It has to be done the night before!
We got home just before the rain came. We're going to spend a quiet afternoon in the house and hopefully I can get some work done (and maybe a itsy bitsy nap :O)!
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jun. 24, 2006 - St. Pete
We spent the day at Mai-Ly's house in St. Pete. It was a suprprise birthday party for Dave! There were a lot of people there and we had a great time. I couldn't believe how much food they had. There was definitely a fantastic layout and they even had a caterer bring in BBQ in the afternoon. A big storm came up suddenly and drove everyone inside for awhile. It got pretty bad out for awhile, very windy and lots of rain. Luckily it cleared up before we had to head home.
Mai-Ly's mom was visiting from Vietnam and it was great to get a chance to spend some time with her. She invited me and the kids to come and stay with her in Vietnam for a while. I would really like that. If Bruce doesn't have a problem with it, I would love to take the kids over there for a year or two. I can't believe it's been over 3 years since we were there. I guess everything has changed quite a bit. Time to go back for some good food and relaxation!
I took this picture of Ryan and Mai-Cal out on the dock. Mai-Cal was catching fish with a net....very little fish . 
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jun. 23, 2006 - Cars
Today I took the kids to see the movie Cars. We're not big movie people, but it was OK. There were definitely some scenes and language that I wouldn't want to hear repeated from my kids. Some mild inuendos and such. It's almost impossible to find a good clean movie for the kids. This movie was rated G and for the most part I would not hesitate to let the young ones see it. It seemed like it went on far too long, but then I'm the mother of several small and impatient children.
Nicholas Allena Jacob Sarah Ryan
**********************************
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jun. 22, 2006 - God's Plan
As we do God's work and move closer to Christ, Satan loves to bring the family under attack. My family has been experiencing this attack for the past year and we ask for your prayers as we struggle through this painful period. God is working wonderful things in my life....even if I don't understand it yet! I keep myself in His Word and in prayer and know His blessings will come.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
