Mom of 7

Christmas Morning

Mark(ie) gave everyone a nice (not so) wake up call......

Christmas Eve

Same kind of Different as me.

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscaleart dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel. A gusty woman with a stubborn dream. A story so incredible no novelist would dare to dream it.

It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana.... and an East Texas honky- tonk.... and without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda..... an upscale New Your gallery..... a downtown dumpster... a Texas ranch.

Gritty with pain and betrayaland brutality, it also sines with an unexpected, life-changing love.

Found this book on a blog I read. They are going to read it for their book club starting Jan.1..... I finished it Sunday night. If you want to see a short video with the authors go over to Angies blog at http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Mandies family came last night...... and loved it. Her  step-dad told me he hasn't been to church in 30 years .... and he thinks he will come back.....Little Bobbi J looked downright adorable in his little 3 piece suit! I am going to be  watching him every Tuesday now starting next week. The boys are so excited!

winter is here.......

snow, snow ,snow..... kinda ruined the weekend. At least we have Mon. and Tues. to move the Christmas Eve services to.... so tonight it starts. All Mandies family are coming tonight. Neighbors tomorrow night. I have to go to school with Lilah today. Jess only saw the paper in her backpack last night that she needed a "parent" to be with her today..... so sure. I'llbe her parent:) I've been pretending that for years anyway:)

Ash and I went shopping on friday. She's a bad influence on me.....bought lots of cute stuff.....:) She kept telling me that I "had to have this or that". She says she needs to keep me up with the styles. I'm up now! All good deals, of course. It really was lots of fun. We met up with my Aunt Connie and Kelley for  a little break in the food court. When we parted ways we all hopped on the escalator- only it wasn't moving, so we had to walk. It was getting a little backed up and we realized that some poor old guy was just standing there, thinking we were moving because the other side was and it did kinda throw you off.... anyway, I gently told him that we wern't moving and that he's have to walk up, that was  a news flash to him.

Well, I  must get going.My list is loooong today, it's looonnnng all week. Lilah is serenading me with her rendidtion of the ABC song.... very interesting.

Tomorrow I will share a book with you that I read this past weekend.....

Mandie....

So many people have been asking so I thought I should do a quick update. She is doing remarkably well. Everyone is just amazed! She was back at church last week with crutches and this week without!!!.She had xrays last Friday which showed healing was taking place but not back to normal yet and probably won't be for  a year , they said. They said if she feels like she can walk without the crutches, then she can....

Devan is now wrestling with Mt. Calvarys free wrestling program. He practices 2x a week. He seems to like it. We are finishing up school this week, then off for awhile. I don't know who is more ready for a break, them or me.... I am reading  a GREAT book to them that was referred  t me by a bunch of different people. " The Best Christmas Pagent Ever. It really is good. A very easy read.

Had  a phone call last night from Jonnies parents (foster child we had for 3 years) They are such lost,poor souls.....it's a shame. I wish they were closer. They said they are going to come up for  a weekend in January. Jon is in a "school" for boys, has 4 or 5 diaognosis and is on as many meds. Not really doing that well. Paul and Deb had a court hearing in Oct. where they were told the goal for Jon had been changed to adoption because they don't hink Paul and Deb can handle him- and they are right, they can't. He should have been put to adoption right away when he went into care the very first time. Then maybe he would have had a chance.

Well, it's windy and COLD.... my favorite weather:) Got alot to do today before it's over.....

So.... I was missed:)

Had a couple people wondering why the lack of blogging this past week. Sometimes I feel like there isin't anything worthy of writing down. But it is nice to know that people are checking:)

This is how the weekend started at our house. Apparently working out in  the freezing cold on the roof of Reeces wasn't enough to wear the two of these guys out. This was quite  a scuffle.... Guess who won? and guess who wasn't really  too happy about losing????

I convinced Mark to let me have a little holiday gathering. I really wanted Mandies family to come over so we could get to know them a little better. I felt kinda bad that I hadn't really reached out to her Mom prior to the accident. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to get our attention. So, they came as well as a few others. It was a really nice evening- even Mark said so:) ( I told him he would, I know him better than he knows himself!) To top it all off, I was able to give out 16 tickets for the Christmas Eve services. Madies whole family, sblings and significant others all want to come..... all things work together, even accidents..... AND another neighbor whom I have been inviting for over a year now is also coming with her husband and kids... so......YEAH God! Found out Sunday that over 17,000 tickets have gone out. I cannot wait to vol. these services.

This punch was .......very good:)

Very small and simple.....

Saturday we spent running errands and getting last min. Christmas stuff done. Vol. both Sat. night. Incidentially, Tim had to leave 30 people standing on the streets of Lancaster city Sat. night....30 people.... He said he's willing to GIVE a 15 passenger van to anyone who will help  go get these people Sat. nights.....

Sunday was ......well, nervewracking. I was up at 5:15 am to fullfill a commitment. Was worried about the freezing rain we were to be getting. As it turned out, it was all dry driving  to my destination. THEN it began.... I was chomping at the bit to get going because of the weather and I wanted to get back to church for 2nd service. I made it, had to park 3 miles away. I think I missed the1st song. Came home and burnt the cresent rolls we were having with lunch, listened to alot of complaining that we weren't having the "regular" Sunday lunch, and decided to go back to bed! Got up a couple hours later to get ready for our lifegroup Christmas dinner. Mark asked what time it started, I looked at our schedule and it didn't have a time so I asssumed - WRONGLY- that it was our normal time.....At 5:20, while I was killing time before warming up the bread I was taking, Jeanette called and asked it we were coming....it had started at 5. Great. I HATE to be late. We were late, I had to warm the bread at Stacys. It all turned out ok.It was a fun night.

PS. Devan' s 56 group of kids shot hoops last weekend in hopes to raise $ 120,000 to build a school for the delet kids ....... how's $175,000? They now have enough to get busses, drivers, teachers and I think he said desks.....way to go kids!

From the archives.....

• Oct. 3, 2007 - Great Article for anyone dealing with disappointments

Disappointments - we all have our fair share of them don't we? People let us down (sometimes the people we love the most). Finances get tight. The kids start grumbling. And then the appliances start breaking - or the car - or maybe both! I've learned over the years that homeschooling brings a very unique type of stress. To me it's like snowball stress. Since most of your life is focused around home, when things aren't going well at home, it feels like everything is out of whack. And then I don't know about you, but I feel guilty if I can't be Suzy Sunshine through it all. I mean, I KNOW the joy of the Lord is my strength. I KNOW He has a wonderful plan. He's proven Himself time and time again, but sometimes it's just a lot to handle. And then I struggle because I'm struggling. I just don't want God to be disappointed in how I'm handling things. A friend reminded me though of how Jesus wept with Mary and Martha when Lazarus died. He didn't ridicule them. He didn't question their faith. Our dear sweet Savior wept right alongside them. And then He did a miracle. (John 11) So if you're stuggling today or you're even struggling because you're stuggling, remember that God not only goes before us and behind us, but He also goes right through the trials with us. He weeps with us and He cheers for us. And while we may be disappointed with how things are going, we don't have to worry that He's going to leave us. In fact He may be planning something even bigger in our lives.

What you could ignore, but shouldn't......

...... new series at church. This week was "The voice in my head". What we are choosing not to ignore this week is the voice of God.

In Psalm 119:97 David says that throughout the day Gods instructions come to mind and he thinks about them...... What  am I thinking about all day???

119:98- They (instructions) have so saturated  my mind that they come to mind when making decisions...

119:99 David talks about having insight to see the "big" picture when others simply see "dots".

119:100 - Obedience brings insight- on the other side of obedience, there is clarity.

119:101-102- David says it's like God himself is personally teaching him.     Amazing that the God of the universe would take th etime to personally teach me.......

119:103-104- As David read Gods instructions , it shaped his values.

119:105- God knows the circumstances of our lives, that's why he gives us a lamp and a light to shine on our path.

There are going to be times when we don't know what God is doing....If He told us up front where He wanted to take us, we would choose not to walk the road. He just says follow. Clarity will come....

Full Attention - Jeremy Riddle

May your voice be louder, May your voice be clearer...than all the others

May your face be dearer, May our words be sweeter... than all the others

May your light be brighter, May your love grow deeper... than all the others

In my life,please keep my eyes fixed on you... keep me abiding that I might bear fruit...

Devan shot hoops all afternoon yesterday for "Hoops of Hope".... I went shopping:)  The kids are DONE.And when I got home, my big pile of wash was all folded in VERY neat piles (I looked around for my mil.... ) I really should have taken a picture of it. So who was the laundry fairy? My hubby!!Thankyou:)

What a way to start the day......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FObjd5wrgZ8

Added to
Quicklist 7:57

My baby.....

Not enjoying this blustery weather we are having. Didn't get to walk yesterday due to rain, hopefully we can go today. It's been a relaxing week with school, reviewing and playing some good educational games. Now Dillan is home , so we'll be back at it today.

Chris (far left). Tommy, Dillan and Tyler. Chris got the coyote, Dillan was with him. I love this picture of the boys. What great memories they will have. A big thankyou to the Polous' and Groves for allowing him to be up there with all of you!!

Steves biggest deer