• Sep. 21, 2007
Welcome back?

Ok, so it's been WAAAAAAAY too long for me to be getting back to blog-world, but here I am.  I've been thinking about what I want from this, so I maybe changing quite a few things.

But, first things first!  To get my back-to-work off with a bang, here's a contest for you!

Enter to win the complete set of
Terrestria Chronicles
on the HSB Company Porch!

I saw this and knew it was the jump I needed to get back to my blog.  I'll post more later!

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• Aug. 2, 2006
Amazing Discovery

I made an amazing discovery yesterday.  But, first some background.  My dh is a wonderful man.  I am truly blessed.  And he is some-what of a neat freak.  I am by nature...a slob.  So, he has had to give up a lot in what he expected and I have had to learn to CLEAN!  And to pick up after myself.  Now, I am not where I would like, but I am a work in progress.   Dh has always picked up after himself.  I've never had to worry about him, just myself and the kids.  But lately I have tried to do a lot of things for him.  And I've noticed that he's fallen out of the habit of picking up his clothes in the bathroom.  I haven't said anything to him because I figure, he's been at work all day and he's tired.

Now, to the amazing part...yesterday when I was picking up his clothes and putting them into the laundry basket, I realized I LIKED picking up after him!   That may sound strange and it felt strange to feel it.  I like, no make that LOVE, serving him.  It wasn't work.  It wasn't drudgery.  It was love.

Isn't God amazing.  When we do things His way, it truly is the best way.  He will bless our obedience.  I was amazed at this blessing.  It wasn't spectatular.  It wasn't fireworks.  It was just a simple shift.  But, it was fruit.  Sweet, beautiful fruit.

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• Jul. 24, 2006
First day of School!!

Today was our first day of school for 5th, 2nd, PreK and almost 2 year old.  I am worn out!  It also the first day of the new schedule.  I have some tweaking to do on the schedule, that's to be expected.  But, the kids just love it.  Me too.  I love the newness of it.  The un-sharpened pencils.  We're not yet tired of doing math drills or dictation.  We had some tears though.  She felt that she shouldn't be getting easy spelling words wrong.  I am in agreement with that, but after a 2 month break, there can be some cobwebs in the brain.  All in all, it went well.  And with our schedule taped to the fridge so much more around the house got done.  Dh will be pleased.

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• Jul. 21, 2006
I hate to admit it...

But, do have infertility.  I know it shouldn't matter.  God has seen fit to bless me 4 times with healthy children, and once with a baby waiting for me in heaven.  But, I so want more children.  I have something called PCOS.  I know a lot of women now suffer for it.  Why?  I don't know.  My issues didn't start until AFTER I went on the pill.  Boy, do I wish I hadn't gone down that road, but I didn't know any better then.  My youngest is almost 2.  I have always gotten pg when the baby turned 2.  Now, why am I stressing when I still have a few months to go?  Well, I've always stressed and it pushed me into action.  Meaning, losing weight, exercising, and often going on some sort of medication to "push" me into regular cycles.  I never took feritlity drugs (although I really wanted to) just meds that helped even me out.  So, I am now going through the same mental strain I have gone through 5 times before.  I keep trying to tell myself all the reasons, I am through having babies.  I am praying for another baby.  I am trying to let God have the control.  But, does that mean, not doing what I am doing (trying to lose weight, trying to get the PCOS under control, have regular periods) ?  I want to do what He wants me to do.  What would that look like?  I have a feeling I know. 

• Get healthy because this is His body and He has told me to treat it like a temple.  Although this scares me.  What if I fail...AGAIN?  I guess if I do, I won't be any worse off, right?
• Stop worrying about what He will and won't do.
• Stop treating Him like a genie--meaning that just because I did ABC before getting pg before doesn't mean I need to do it again.
• Pray for another baby and yet be satisfied with what He has given me.
• Relax.  Be still and know that He is who He says He is.
• Trust that what He is giving me is exactly what I need.

Thank you, Lord, for this neat way to journal and for speaking to me through the keyboard.  Please let this entry help another and bring You glory.

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• Jul. 19, 2006
Things I've learned from Older Women

I know according to Titus 2 that older women should teach younger women a few things.  And God is so gracious that He even listed them out for us.  So, we should be learning those things.  But, I have to admit, in these days I am learning a few things that aren't on that list.  So, I thought I would share them with the hopes that a wife and mother younger than myself would learn along with me.

• Men don't like to be yelled at.  I know this one should be "duh".  But, I have learned that it's not.  When a wife yells at her man, she makes him feel small.  God didn't make men small.  Our jobs as a wife is to build him up.  His job, his car, his boss, his drive home, etc all do the job of making him feel small.
• Men don't like to be treated like children.  For some women those two points are the same thing.  But, not all women.  Men do have their own plans.  Some women will have his day planned out from beginning to end.  Usually weekends.  (please forgive me, honey!)  The wife tells him what to do and where to go.  Sometimes even what to wear.  Maybe the wife should ask if he has any plans.  He might be planning a romantic evening away, but can't get it in with all he has to do.
• Men don't like to be talked down to.    Please read that one as verbal abuse.  Because that's what some women do to their husbands when he doesn't do as she things he should.  Some women talk about their "stupid" husbands on the phone, in emails, to their mothers, their friends, their children, the sacker at the grocery store.  Basically anyone who will listen...or not listen.  It doesn't matter because she is so bitter and trying to make him look worse than her self, she will do what ever it takes.
• Men can't read your mind.  Again, this one should be a no-brainer, but it's not.  I know a wife for over 30 years who recently started a giant fight with her peace-loving hubby because he didn't put the dishes in the dishwasher (everything else was done, just not the sink being cleaned out) while she was at the pool with the children.  In his defense, he never went into the kitchen.  He stayed in the family room with one of his adult children talking.  He didn't even know that there WERE dishes in the sink.  But the fight was began anyway.
• God created the man...we didn't.  Some women think that they can "change" their man's behaviors or beliefs.  And most can, but to do that they destroy that which God has created.  If a man has certain behaviors (ie--leaving the bed unmade) or beliefs (ie--you don't need to go to church) that you can't stand when you are courting--DON'T MARRY THE MAN!  Because it isn't the wife's job to change him.  It's God's.  And in my experience, God usually changes me first.

I don't know everything about men.  But, do know what not to do.  How?  I asked my husband.  I watch women and men.  I see how they react to each other.  I want so much to glorify God through loving my husband.  I don't want to get to heaven and have the Almighty ask why I wasted so much time with my husband.  If marriage is God's visual of His love for the church, I sure don't want to screw that up.

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• Jul. 19, 2006
We are home!

We are finally home!  All I want to do is clean my house.  I haven't found the time yet, but I am working on it.  I had to run to the grocery store for lunch and dinner.  I hope that one of these days I will remember to stock up some emergency meals for that.  Maybe when I get my deep freezer next month I will be better about it.

The kids traveled great.  I am so impressed by their ability to sit for so long.  The little one didn't sleep until we got about 20 minutes from home.  Go figure.  And today we are having to do a lot of retraining.  I just don't discipline the same at other's homes as I do at mine.  So, today, he isn't able to leave my side and gets a swat everytime he tells me "no".  You can guess, that he has had a few swats.  He keeps telling me "I done" and giving me a forced smile that always makes me laugh.  Nap time is only 2 hours away.  We can make it.

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• Jul. 17, 2006
What a weekend!

My garage sale victory of the day....I found a wooden train set, fully loaded, with a plastic storage box with lid...for $5!!  I am pumped.  I am going to wash it up and save it for Christmas.  I also found a Thomas the Tank Engine leap pad book for my son.  I think I will also hold that back until his birthday.  It was a lot of fun.  My girls all got stuff and I only spent $16.  You just can't beat that.


Today I am washing laundry, cleaning out the car, and loading it back up for my drive home tomorrow.  The drive home is never as good as the drive there.  Everyone's tired from not sleeping well and not eating like we are used to, and there's not as much to look forward to.  However, getting to see my husband after 6 days will be a joy.  Boy, I miss that man of mine!


Emily

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• Jul. 15, 2006
The smell of garage sales in the morning

I love the "hunt" of garage sales.  I always have.  Here in Canyon, a small town south of Amarillo, going garage sale shopping is easy.  In the bi-weekly newspaper on Thursdays, they list all the garage sales for the weekend.  So, on Thursday or Friday (depending on if you are a Friday or Saturday shopper) night you go through the list and map out your route.  Then, you get up early and get to it!  In Houston, you just drive around looking for signs.  That seems terribly disorganized and haphazard.  So, I don't do it.  If a subdivison is having a big garage sale, I will plan for that.  But, on to the Hunt.  I am not looking for anything in particular.  And I don't have a lot of cash this trip.  But, just the looking and buying books for $.25 and clothes for the kids for $1 are enough to have this girl up at 6:15 on a Saturday morning.  I even bought our piano at a garage sale for $50 here once.  My dh and I had to rent a trailer and drive 10 hours one way to come up here and get it.  I have been told I am not allowed to buy any more furniture in the Panhandle of Texas.

I am taking the 2 oldest girls, my 3 sisters, newest baby neice, and my mom.  I am so excited.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Emily

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• Jul. 13, 2006
We made it!

Ok, so I CAN drive 10 hours with four children, one of whom is under 2, by myself.  We made it in less than 10 hours.  We even packed a picnic lunch.  I got up at 5, showered then got the kids up.  We ate cereal, finished packing the car and were on the road by 6!  Now, I know that sounds flat-out amazing(I'm even impressed reading it), but I left my house in less than magazine beautiful.  Sorry dh! 

During the drive, we didn't have any fights...not one.  That probably means I am due one on the way home.  And, I must admit that we have a DVD player in the van.  What did my parents do with 5 of us without video players in the car?  Oh yeah, drove at night or not more than 3 hours.  Got it.  The baby did fuss and told me several times he was "all done".  That's what he has to say when he's having to sit at my feet for throwing a fit.  I'm trying to "tomato stake" but that the topic for another blog.

Well, it's late and I've had a big day.  Off to try and sleep in someone else's bed (my little sisters) and sleep in the same room with kids on paletts on the floor (which means they won't be sleeping well either).

Emily

PS--the newest neice is just the cutest!  She's really little, though.  She only weighed in at 6 lbs.  I know that's not THAT small, but my babies were 8 and 9 lbs!  I am loving being and aunt again, though.

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• Jul. 12, 2006
If a mountain of laundry falls in the wild...

and there is no around to hear it, does it make a sound?  I ask this because in my house when it falls, I hear it!!  Too bad it has to be a mountain!  I am trying to train my 10 dd to take over the laundry.  As with any other household chore training, I know that it will be about 6 months before she can do it alone without any instruction.  And for the job to meet my approval.  Which, I have lowered.  I mean, she's 10.  But, for those 6 months, the laundry is going to have issues. 

We are trying to pack to spend 6 days with my family.  Just me and the 4 kids...alone in the car...for 10 hours!  Please be praying.  I am looking forward to seeing my family.  My sister just had her first baby.  I love newborns.  They give you an excuse for doing nothing all day but rocking.  But, how many new mothers know that?  I didn't.  I spent way too much time with my first trying to "get things done".  Those things still aren't done and she won't let me rock her anymore.

What a neat way to get out the rambling thoughts in my head.

Emily

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• Jul. 11, 2006
Are you ready?

I can't believe I started a blog!!  Please bear with me as I learn what I am doing.  That's a great fear of mine, that people will figure out I don't  know what I am doing!  I wonder if that's a common fear...

So, a little about my self...I am the joyful wife of almost 12 years.  We currently have 4 children.  I say it like that because I am praying that God will bless with more children.  The girls are praying for twin baby boys.  Wouldn't that be fun?  We have 3 daughters (10, 7, 4) and one son (21 months).  They are the light of my day!  I am amazed at how angry and happy they can make me (in about 10 minutes!!)

We are a homeschooling family.  For us it's just a way of life.  I no longer feel the need to defend it or justify WHY we are doing it.  It's simple, we homeschool because God told us to. 

I have WAY too many hobbies!  This blog being the newest one.  I LOVE knitting.  I like making baby things because there is a feeling of instant gradification.  Well, as much as you get knitting!  I also love sewing although I have had a hard time finding the time since Tom was born.  I read like crazy!  Just about anything I can get my hands on.  Often 3-4 books at a time.  I love studying homeopathy and nutrition. 

I'm not thin...but I think about getting that way a lot.  I like walking, but I find a whole lot of excuses to get out of it!  I am active with the local homeschool group and I am the director of our homeschool co-op.  I'm sure that will come up in future posts!

Well, there you have it!  I've made my first entry.  I guess we will move from here.

Emily

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