Spring is here.  I always imagined that Hawaii was the same year around.  Truly, it is not.  There are definite seasons.  Winter is a bit cooler, cloudy and more rainy.  Then one day the weather changed.  It is hard to explain, but suddenly spring was here. 

We are trying to get a garden going.  It is harder than I thought it would be.  Some veggies just don't grow well here.  We are working on building up a good soil base in our garden. then we will try again.  We do have bananas growing in our back yard.  The bloom has just come out. 

 I'm trying to figure out how to upload pictures, I'll get it sometime.

Aloha

It's been a while since I blogged, about 8 months or so.  A lot has happened since then.  The biggest thing is probably that  my corner of the world has changed.  We moved from the Georgia to Hawaii.  There's a saying that goes "Home is where the Army sends you."   The army has chosen to bless us with an assignment in Hawaii.  There are a lot of wonderful things here.  I'll share some as time goes on.  Some people say - wow - a 3 year vacation in Hawaii.  Well, while it is beautiful it is not exactly like a vacation.  In my experience, a vacation includes a maid coming into the hotel room to clean and make the beds.  I haven't seen a maid for nearly 4 months now.  My children have to get up and dressed, and clean their own rooms (again, no sign of a maid), and do their school work.  My husband has to get up and go to work every morning.

The difficult thing this year is the lack of snow for Christmas.  The weather is basically the same as it was 4 months ago when we moved here.  The grass is green, the weather is warm, everyone is going to the beach.  Christmas should include feet of snow, sleds, snowmen, and hot cocoa in front of a roaring fire. 

This year I will be content with sunshine and palm trees.  We are so blessed.  God has blessed us with wonderful Christian friends, a great home school group, health, and a nce place to live and many other things.

Home is where the Lord Jesus Christ is welcomed.  He is the center of our lives and that makes wherever we are home.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! (Mele Kalikimaka) 

Our first spring break, (see previous blog) was not really a break for the girls.  They had to bring school work along to do.  This was because we had a second week off coming.( Not because I am a mean mom.)  The local schools had a break.  During this time the youth group from our military post scheduled a missions trip to Enterprise Alabama to help with clean up from the Tornado that went through about a month ago.

My two 12 year olds were able to go on that missions trip.  They had the opportunity to meet some of the students who were in the school when the tornado hit and hear their testimonies.  These kids had lost friends in that storm.  They saw the school and heard their stories.  They helped to clean up the football field so the seniors could graduate on their own field. They walked thru the school and wept with these new friends. 

The girls who came home were quite different than when they left.  Some people say I'm sheltering my kids too much.  You know how we homeschoolers prevent our kids from socializing. The reality is I can't shelter my kids too much.  We are a military family.  We've lived places where we have to drive thru a gate surrounded by soldiers with machine guns pointed at our car.  That's just to go buy groceries. 

I want my daughters to learn a lot of things.  Two of those things are: To live in a way that honors God in all they do, and to know that God is with them and will protest them wherever they go. 

I'm so incredibly proud of them that my heart is overflowing. 

Many people ask me questions like, "Do you have spring break."  "Do you follow the local school schedule.  No, ...not really,... usually not, ...sometimes. That's the type of annoying questions all homeschoolers are used to.  This has been an intersting spring for us.  I may share my thoughts over several blogs. 

We went to Panama City Beach a few weeks ago.  Yes, I know what you are all thinking.  "What were you thinking???"  Yes, it is one of those places that is a mecca for "spring breakers".  We went because my husband was going to attend a conference.  The trip raised a lot of questions and teachable moments for our daughters (age 12, 12 and 10.).  Mom, why do they go into the stores in only their swimming suits?  Mom, why are they buying cases of beer?  Mom, what do they do while they are here?  Mom, why can't we go to the beach?

These questions brought a chance to discuss modesty, appropriate behavior and Godliness. 

Fortunately, we were able to stay away from the main strip at a close by military base.  We avoided much of the crazyness that goes on.   We also found that if you are not staying at the hotels on the beach you can't even get close. We went to pick up my husband one day and had a few extra minutes.  I suggested we walk down and see the beach.  We were stopped by guards at the hotel patio who asked for a tag. which, of course, we didn't have.  So, I had to explain to the girls that yes, they can buy the beach, and yes, they can keep people from getting close to the ocean because they bought the beach.  And, yes, it is unfair but it is reality.

We did get to see the beach, however.  There is a wonderful state park, right in Panama Beach.  IT is called St. Andrews state part.  It was very beautiful and had a great swimming beach, lagoon, and diving area.  It was only $5 for our whole family to get in. 

All in all we had a good time.  I wouldn't choose to go there during spring break just for a vacation, but I am glad we went. 

That is always an intimidating thought!  I have lots of them this year.  I guess there is always room for improvement.  I like to think of them as goals to strive for. I want to be a better mother/teacher to my girls.  I want to be a better wife to my husband.  I want to improve the way I keep my home.

Most importantly - in my opinion - I want to grow closer to my Lord and Savior.  I want to wake up each morning and give him my day and ask for His strength to do all I need to do.  I want everything I do to be for His glory.   I think if I keep that goal everything else will fall into place.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through him strengthens me."

Psalms 105:4 "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually."

May  God bless you in this new year as you seek him.

Karen

Do you ever have those weeks that don't go at all as planned?  I certainly do.  It was Thanksgiving week and I had a hard time giving thanks(at least the first part of the week).  My DH was sick all week.  We spent 4 hours at the clinic on Wednesday.  We were planning to have company on Thursday. 

God's plans and ways are not ours.  As it turned out we went to dinner at a friends on Thanksgiving day and had a wonderful time.  I did not have to do all the cooking or finish cleaning and getting ready after being gone half the day.

I am enjoying the Georgia weather.  The leaves are changing and falling off the trees.  The air is cool and crisp in the morning.  Today is rainy and cloudy - good curl up with a cup of coffee weather.

I have lots of praises this week.  We have been trying to sell a house in NY for 8 months.  It sat empty for 6 months.  (That is a big chunk of change out of each paycheck.)  We finally closed on the house this week. 

My husband had some medical tests done and had a good report. 

Although it is not always easy we are told to give thanks.

I Thessalonians 5 says: "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances," 

I am thankful that God is in control of all my circumstances. 

We are still facing some medical issues in our family.  My dh and dd3 are both having surgery in December.  We are taking most of the month off of school and focusing on taking care of us.  I know it is all in God's hands.

I am looking for suggestions.  My dd3 is turning 10 in December.  She will be in a long leg cast over her birthday.  I am planning a party for her and a few friends.  Does anyone have suggestions for games for 10 year old girls that don't include running, jumping or much moving around???

K

Last Saturday we had a yard sale.  We didn't sell much or make much money, but we cleared out a lot of junk from our house.  What was left was donated to a local charity.  I've never liked to admit I'm a pack rat but if you saw my house you might think otherwise.  We've moved 8 times in the past 9 years.  You would think we would have a lot less stuff.  I think I will say I'm a pack rat no longer.

I spent the past 3 years decluttering.  I've thrown away and given away.  Once I got started it became easier.  The more I get rid of the more I want to get rid of. 

I'm trying to teach my girls not to hold on to "things" too tightly.  We need to think about what is really important. 

We will only be in this corner of the world for one year.  It looks like the army will be sending us overseas for our next assignment.  I look at all the stuff I still have and think about what more I can part with.  After the move this spring I thought I had gotten rid of all I wanted to.  When we arrived and went thru boxes I took 3 large boxes of stuff to a thrift store.  Now another carload to the thrift store.  I have another carload of clothes to go to the local shelter. 

I still have a ways to go but I look at what I have already  gotten rid of and I feel much better.  I am encouraged to go on.  I have about 10 months to lighten my load even more.

I think I'll go find a trashbag.

Things are cooling down here in Georgia and I'm beginning to enjoy the south a bit more.  I haven't had to run the air conditioner for the past few days.  The changing season puts our back yard more in the shade.  We can actually sit outside on our patio and eat dinner without melting from the soaring temperatures.  It feels tood to put on a sweatshirt in the morning when I go out to walk. 

I'm a northern girl - Minnesota is home.  I'm also a military wife, so Minnesota cannot be home right now. 

I am learning to be content where I am.  It is an ongoing lesson God is teaching me.  Each place the army sends us is really a new mission for God.  I have not always wanted to go where I am sent but I am always blessed when I obey.  God always has a plan and purpose for where He sends us.  Even if it is the military that thinks they are sending us there. 

I'm beginning to see glimpses of one of those purposes.  It is the spiritual growth I am seeing in our daughters.  I am humbled and driven to my knees by their desire for knowledge of God.

One of my favorite verses is from Philippians 4:11  NKJV  "for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.."  (Yes, I realize this is pulled out of context in this case.  But, the whole passage fits different times in my life.  In the military my "state" changes often.  I can be content wherever God sends me, if I choose to be content in Him.)

It has been cooling down here in Georgia.  I'm wishfully thinking that it may be headed for fall.  Altho, those who have been here a while tell me fall doesn't come until end of October or November. "Don't put your shorts away yet."

We spent the Labor day weekend visiting friends in Florida.  We were actually in a relatively private campground area on the Gulf of Mexico. 

I have decided I am just not a big resort area fan.  We stayed in a fairly basic cabin, nothing fancy.  It was comfortable and enjoyable.  Then we went for a drive through a highly populated tourist area.  There are several miles of high rise condos, restaurants and shopping malls as far as the eye can see.  Of course, there is the necessary outlet mall. 

The traffic was awful. 

We did get to see some beautiful beach areas, but they were too crowded for my taste.  I much prefer a cabin in the woods, hiking trails and maybe a lake to fish in.  You can keep the condos and shopping malls.

We are about 2 weeks into our new school year.  Things are going quite well.  

The highlights:  Apologia General Science for 7th grade.  My older daughters are really enjoying this.  I feel like I have learned more in the past 2 weeks than I did in all my science classes in public school, and we are just beginning. 

We are also using Alpha Omega drawing with Thomas Kinkade.  My younger daughter really loves to draw.  This is a good program and it works for most any age.

"The grass is always greener..."  My daughters have friends nearby who are in the public schools.  We have heard quite often "Mom, dad, I want to just try public school for a while."  I  tell them it's not quite as easy as just dropping in to try for a while.  Interestingly enough, all their friends are begging their moms to homeschool them.

I think we'll stick to homeschooling.

Here is my first blog.  A friend encouraged me to do it.  Journaling has never been one of my strengths. 

This is a year of new things for us.  We just moved from the far northern US to southern Georgia.  That means new climate, new friends, new place to live, and new homeschool laws to figure out.  We are trying out some new curriculum this year also.

Our homeschool journey began over 5 years ago when our daughters were in 1st grade.  We were overseas and not happy with the school there.  We knew about homeschooling but I was convinced I was not capable of doing it.  After a few really bad incidents in the school year I decided I had to try - and we did.  The first year was hard.  Fortunately the girls were only 2nd grade so the work was not too hard.  I had a good friend nearby who was my support group.  I also had a friend on e-mail who encouraged me.  I found out I am very capable of teaching my children.

I think the most important thing I have learned is that homeschooling is not about just replacing the academic education that the public schools offer.  It is about training my children to be well rounded, functioning adults who will grow up to honor and glorify God with their lives.  (Something the public schools don't teach!)

Here we are starting year number 6.  After a minor setback with ordering the wrong textbook, we are under way.  I am excited and I think my girls are too.  We are doing some new and different things this year. 

What I am thankful for today: Georgia's homeschool laws.  The state we came from was much harder to deal with.