Things have been quite difficult here, James had lots of seizures in December, went in hospital several times, and has just had an MRI brain scan this week.

He has been seizure free now for just over 3 weeks, so we are hoping that the medication is now working.

All the stress and strain is made teaching the children really difficult, and also we have hardly been out of the house for the last couple of months.

Not sure when things will be back to normal again, if they ever will be, so we thought long and hard as a family, prayed alot, and decided to send the children to school until the summer term (well, maybe longer if they like it). The main reason is not because of the lack of teaching, as I have always been pretty autonomous in my approach to HE, but because of the strain and worry they have all day and every day about their little brother. Seeing him have seizures is terrifying for me, so for them it must be 10 times worse. Funny to think that school will actually be a break for them.

They have visited two schools and both decided they like the same one (thankfully) and they start on Monday.

This has been such a difficult decision for us, but the children are  so excited about it, and they have friends there.

I will be able to concentrate and care for James, which at the moment is hard work, but SO worth it.

God has helped us so much, it has been so difficult, and if someone told me 6 months ago that I would have to go through all of this with James and send my children to school, I would have probably had a nervous breakdown.  He has got me through all of this, and I know He will continue to do so.

I have had my moments though, and been very angry with him, especially when I have seen my little boy lying on a stretcher in an ambulance with an oxygen mask on his face, and wondered why why why!

But he is ok, he has Epilepsy, but he is still here.  I am so thankful to God for my family.

Unfortunately my parents have been very distant lately, and my mother has been a right pain, so we have not seen my parents for a month, not even heard from my brother or sister.  I have been in touch with other parents with children with Epilepsy, and apparantly this is quite common.  But where they have been lacking, God has provided us with caring neighbours and loyal and loving friends, good doctors and nurses and brilliant paramedics.

So my life is changing, and sometimes I find it very hard, but my husband read an article in a Christian magazine about a woman who had a disabled child - she said it was like planning a holiday to Italy, buying the clothes, planning tours etc then getting off the plane and discovering you are in Holland. She said you can either go around Holland moaning that you were not in Italy, and thinking of all the things you could be doing in Italy, or you could stop and think, well, this isnt what I planned, or expected, but if you take the time, you can discover that Holland is also a nice place to visit too.

I know James isnt disabled, but it is different for us with him now, and things are not how I planned - like NEVER sending my children to school, but since this has happened with James we have beccome closer as a family, spent more quality time together and now our lives take a different course, but one thing remains the same - God - my ever loving Father, who will ALWAYS be there for all of us.

Take Care and God Bless

Louise

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 FOR YOUR TOMORROW WE GAVE OUR TODAY

 "In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."

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Full English

Vegetable Soup

Chicken and Lime Stir Fry

Cheesecake 

Toast and fruit.

Toasted Cheese Sandwiches

Home made burgers and beer chips

Cake

Cereal and Yoghurt

Cream Cheese and Hummus Sandwiches

Chunky Beef Casserole

Baked Bananas with Chocolate Filling

Toast and fruit.

Hummus and cream cheese sandwiches

Coley Fish Pie

Stewed Fruit and Cream

Cereal and yoghurt

Cheese, apple and chutney sandwiches

Roast Chicken

Ice cream

Toast and fruit

Beans on Toast

Jacket Potatoes with Tuna and cheese

Fruit Salad

Cereal, yoghurt and fruit juice.

Egg Sandwiches - peanut butter for Daniel

Orange and Apricot Pork

Fruit and cream

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This week’s theme is going to be on unit studies. Some people are really big on unit studies, others aren’t, and some use them as their primary learning tool. I think they’re great a fun way to encompass everything in what you’re studying. please share your favourite unit study and if you’ve never done one before share one you’d like to do.

Our unit study, which we will be starting next week is Johnny Appleseed.

In the UK it is Bramley Apple Week from 1st - 8th February, and we have been studying American History, so I thought this topic would be a good idea.

Links

http://www.appleseed.net/About_Johnny.htm

http://www.thevirtualvine.com/johnny.html

http://homeschooling.about.com/cs/unitssubjhol/qt/mar11a.htm

http://www.tooter4kids.com/Apples/johnny_appleseed.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/school/usa/people/Appleseedindex.shtml

Apple Links

http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch39.html

http://www.michiganapples.com/index.asp?Loc=4&Loc2=15

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/apple044.html

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/after-apple-picking-2/

Recipes we will be trying out:

Apple Spread

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions: Blend all ingredients together on whip in a blender. Use the spread on bagels or bread

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	1/3 cup butter
	1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
	1 egg
	1/8 tsp. salt
	1-1/3 cups flour
	2 tart apples
	4 tsp. sugar
	4 tsp. orange marmalade, melted

1. Beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and salt. Gradually stir in flour until a soft dough is formed. Cover tightly and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface, to a 10 x 10 inch square. Cut this square into four smaller squares (5 x 5 inches each). Turn up 1/4 inch edge all around each square and place them on a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. Peel, core and slice the apples. Arrange apple slices over pastry and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden.

4. Remove from oven and brush apples with melted marmalade. Return to oven for 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Apple Experiments

http://www.sunkist.com/kids/experiments/exp-apple.asp

Found this at   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SmallWorld/208857/   which has some good ideas.

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I have joined Suzy in Read The Bible In One Year

Part of Wednesdays reading was Mathew 18:21-35

From Susan Pendelton Jones from an article in The Christian Century.

Forgiveness must become a practice -- a commitment -- that is to be sustained and renewed each day throughout our lives. It is not a single action, feeling or thought. Forgiveness must become an embodied way of life in an ever-deepening friendship with God and with others. Peter asks how generous he should be, yet he is still asking about limits. He's thinking quantitatively while Jesus answers qualitatively -- with the offer of limitless forgiveness. This is what God is like.

Because we have been abundantly forgiven by God, we are able to forgive others in turn. There is a direct connection between forgiving others and being forgiven. Therefore, in the Lord's Prayer we pray "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

The parable of the unforgiving servant, which follows the exchange between Peter and Jesus, focuses on those who are willing to receive God's forgiveness but are unwilling to offer it to others. The servant has been forgiven a huge debt and yet is unwilling to forgive even a small debt owed to him. Such unwillingness shows, though, that he really is not able to receive God's forgiveness. For truly to receive forgiveness is to recognize how extravagant God's gracious forgiving love is and, in response, to offer it to others.

Yet if we are honest, there are times when we find ourselves behaving like that unforgiving servant. We are pleased with the idea of a forgiving God, but not if it would require us to change our lives. Forgiveness becomes something we claim but fail to proclaim in our living. We too often sound like George Eliot's description in Adam Bede: "We hand folks over to God's mercy, and show none ourselves."

Yet it is difficult to be forgiven and forgiving people. It takes time and involves struggle.

 Forgiveness must be prayed for and struggled for and won.

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Please Wear A Poppy
Don Crawford

“Please wear a poppy,” the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
“Lady,” said he, “may I have one?”
When she’s pinned it on he turned to say,
“Why do we wear a poppy today?”

The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, “This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free -
That’s why we wear a poppy, you see.

“I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
and became a man - as you will, too.

“He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he’d seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I’ll be back soon, Mom, so please don’t cry.

“But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.

“Till at last, at last, the war was won-
And that’s why we wear a poppy son.”
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, “Thanks, lady, I’m glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son - did he come back all right?”

A tear rolled down each faded check;
She shook her head, but didn’t speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you’d have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Though our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!

And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country’s call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!

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F A M I L Y
I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
'Oh excuse me please' was my reply.

He said, 'Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you.'

We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,

'While dealing with a stranger,
Common courtesy you use,
But the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'

By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.

'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'
He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'

I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'
He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway.'

I said, 'Son, I love you too,
And I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'

FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
That we are working for could easily replace us in
A matter of days.
But the famiy we left behind will feel the loss
For the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more
Into work than into our own family,
An unwise investment indeed,
Don't you think?
So what is behind the story?

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

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