Journal of a Hearth Keeper in Training - Homeschool Blogger

I got a new car!!!

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:33:00 -0600

Well....I thought I would just come and blog about the CUTE new car I got a couple of weeks ago!!! I really, really, really, really like it A LOT!! I have had a few cars in the past, but none of them have been really nice and it's such a blessing to have a nice car that is reliable and, well, did I mention that it's cute?! I will have to put pictures on here soon and then you will see what I mean and why I like my car so much! Jules says it's like candy on the inside and with the black and red interior and leather seats it's so true. We looked and looked for a car--for THE car. Julie and her husband, Anthony, were SUCH a help and it was truly such a blessing even if I thought they were too picky at times.;) We looked at and test drove SEVERAL cars and many of them were nice, but none of them were really great, which would have been fine. I would have been content with anything that was decent. We were just looking for something with as few miles as possible in our price range that didn't look like a granny car (no offense against granny cars, but that's just not what I was looking for) and didn't have any problems. It had to be reliable. One day Julie and I were out almost all day looking at cars. It was getting dark and we were getting ready to head home and we decided to have one last quick stop at a used car lot. They had a couple of cars that were close to our price range. One of them was a sweet red Daewoo Lanos with the cutest interior I've ever seen in a car. It was black and red with black and red leather seats and the paint job was so nice and shiny. And to top it off it had less than 46,000 miles on it. I fell in love. I heard music when I sat in it. I saw stars. It was sweet. I didn't really want to look at the other car they showed me. But I did. ;) We didn't get to drive it then because there were several cars around it they were going to be taking to an auction the next day so we decided to go back the next day to look at it again and to test drive it. I should also mention that I couldn't actually test drive any of the cars that day because, ummm, my driver's license had expired. So the next day we went and we looked at the Daewoo again and Jules took it for a spin. She said it was good! That evening I had to study for my driving test to take it the next day before we picked up the car. I HAD to pass. Thankfully I did pass and we picked up the Daewoo! Unfortunately Anthony had not been able to even see the car yet because of his work schedule, but he liked it! All the kids liked it as well and they were so cute ooohing and aaaahing over it. It's a car to ooh and aah over! We were all so amazed that God provided so wonderfully and we were celebrating! I am so grateful that the Lord provided and I am also so grateful for Julie and Anthony's help! Julie was such a blessing! She knows how to buy a car! The original pricetag on this car was $4999 and we paid $3700! She also got them to change the oil and get it inspected. And another extra blessing is that when we went to get it, it had 4 brand new tires! Praise God! We will try to get pictures of my little shiny red Daewoo soon and I will put them on here!

Happy Birthday to me!

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:57:00 -0600

As I posted in my "8 things about myself" entry, my birthday was yesterday (Nov. 18) and I turned 26 years old! Julie and another friend, Susan, took me to Red Lobster and we had such a wonderful time! We talked and laughed lots. They didn't talk too much about their kids...at least not TOO much. LOL. I ate way too much, but the food was SO good! Lobster tail, shrimp, crab legs....yum! AND after that we all split a HUGE piece of delicious chocolate cake and a scoop of ice cream. They even asked the waiter to put a candle on it for me and they sang happy birthday (I wasn't too embarrassed;))!! It was a lot of fun! Also yesterday...my driver's license expired. Less fun and exciting. It is SO HARD to get it renewed here in WV. OK, OK. I should not have procrastinated when I was in IL and went to try to renew it the day before I left not knowing they are CLOSED on Mondays. That was my fault. Prayerfully we can get it all worked out and I will be able to get a driver's license when I get a car. Julie has "sources" (whatever that means) and she may be able to get me a loan with low interest so I can buy a vehicle. Julie got me some good books for my birthday which I cannot wait to read (so many books, so little time) and my friend, Wendy, got me......*drumroll*............a plane ticket to go to England with their family in August!! I really have been unsure about if I will be able to save enough to go and it is just such a blessing that they did that for me! The Lord has truly blessed me with such wonderful friends! Also, I wanted to post about the study we are going to do. Julie, Susan, Susan's daughter, another single gal named Heather, and I are going to do it. There is one other lady who might join us as well. I read chapter 1 the first day I got the book and it is SOOOOOOO good! SO convicting for me. I'm going to re-read that first chapter again next week sometime. We are going to all meet for the first time on the 30th. I'm really looking forward to it and praying it will be a blessing for us all.

I think I'm supposed to post 8 things about myself...

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:51:00 -0600

I was tagged by Melissa---http://weblog.xanga.com/RoysWife Sooooooooo, 8 things about myself.........hmmmmmmm... 1) I rec'd the book I ordered from monergism.com today! 2) There are 2 more books I want to order from there in the future. 3) I haven't done any knitting for probably about a week. 4) I sometimes wish I didn't have to sleep so I would have more time to do things like knitting and reading. 5) But I realize that God made our bodies to need sleep so I know sleep is a good thing. 6) My new job is going very well and I think it's going to be a blessing! 7) My driver's license expired yesterday on my birthday. 8) I turned 26 yesterday and though I was a little afraid I was "crossing over" and getting closer to the late 20's my sister told me she doesn't think you're in the late 20's until you're about 28...and someone told me last night that while she and her daughters were guessing how old I was they guessed 22 or 23 so that made me feel better, too.

What's Going On With Me

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:45:00 -0600

I have been here with Julie and her family in WV for a little over a week now and things are going very well! The kids were so excited to see me and it was so cute! The baby has gotten so big since I saw her last, but that is no surprise because babies grow! She is as adorable as ever! I do miss Wendy and my knitting has really slowed down quite a bit, but I still try to do a little each day if I can. There is one gal who has shown interest in learning to knit and I think I'm going to teach her so that will be fun! Maybe I will have a knitting friend here afterall! I didn't even try to convert her (I told Julie I am not one of those knitters), she just expressed an interest in learning. Really. She brought it up, not me. Seriously. ;) Lord willing, I will be starting my job doing respite care for a family with two special needs children next week. I think that this job will be a good experience for me and that the Lord will use it to stretch me. The family I'll be working for are believers which will be a blessing, too. Also, I should be starting the computer courses pretty soon. I am thankful that my job will be flexible enough that I can do the classes and the classes will be flexible enough for other things, too. Julie came up with a neat idea and I would really love to do it, Lord willing. She was thinking that as I learn skills at the computer classes I can then use it to tutor homeschooling families. It would really be a blessing to be able to that! We'll see where the Lord leads. I met a neat lady at church the other day. She is a knitter and a spinner (and a believer, too!) and she is involved in a homeschool co-op that just sounds SO NEAT! Anyway, they are going to do spinning classes starting in January and I can go! For free! FOR FREE! Oh, I hope I can go! It would be so fun to be able to go and I would also LOVE to get to know her and the people in her homescool co-op as well. Julie, at least one other woman, and I are going to be doing a book study and I am really looking forward to it. We are planning to read Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide To Contentment by Linda Dillow. We're thinking we'll read a chapter a week and then meet on Fridays to discuss it. We plan to start on Nov. 30 and I am really looking forward to it! I think it will be a blessing for us all. Anyhow, that's just a little update on what's going on with me right now for the 3 or 4 people who read my blog!;) I really am so blessed to have been able to do all that I have done and to be doing what I am doing. I know that the Lord's hand has continually been upon me leading me and He is so worthy of far more praise that I give Him. P.S. Just so you know, I did actually type this out in paragraphs, but this computer is putting it all together for some reason. ARG! Whatever...

More on knitting and needles

Fri, 2 Nov 2007 07:16:00 -0500

I have quite a story to tell. This is almost unbelievable, but it really did happen. It is really a true story.

On Tuesday evening Wendy realized she was missing one of her size 5 knitting needles she needs to knit the lovely sweaters she is making for her sister-in-law's children. She is working on a deadline (she actually has it written on what she now calls her "knitting calendar") and was supposed to have the back of one of the sweaters finished on Wednesday. All day Wednesday she looked for it. She looked EVERYWHERE. I felt bad for her. I tried to suggest places it might be. In her knitting bag? In the diaper bag? In the freezer? It was nowhere to be found. We made plans to go to the yarn shop on Friday and if she didn't find it by then she would get a new set. I needed more yarn to finish Nathanael's sock so we would get that, too. Yesterday we were on our way to the yarn store when I thought I would do some knitting. I went to take my knitting out of my knitting bag and what should I find there? Wendy's size 5 knitting needle! In MY knitting bag - the one place we didn't think to look because WHY would it be in MY knitting bag?!?! Wendy is such a good friend. She thought about leaving me at the side of the road, but she didn't. She actually laughed. I think she went into hysteria. We both laughed. We were rolling. It was too funny. I promise you, I have NO IDEA how that knitting needle made its way into my knitting bag.

Anyway, we still went to the yarn shop and I got more yarn so I can finish Nathanael's sock. I think I'll also knit some socks for my little nephew with it as well. Oh, and on the fingerless glove that is blocking in the picture in my previous entry. Somehow the left one is BIGGER than the right one. I cannot figure out how. I checked and they are both knit at the same gauge and I casted on the same amount of stitches. It's weird. So I'm reknitting the left one. The right one looks so much better anyway. Somehow it just looks like I did a better job on it. I also went ahead and picked up the stitches and knitted on the ribbing I had forgotten to do and it looks much better now. I'm just babbling on and on. Does anyone even read this? LOL.

Anyway, my friend Heidi (the one who lives in ID) that I stayed with the year before last during HKU called the other day and it was so nice to chat with her. I took a peek at her blog and she has such beautiful hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn. I want some!

In Knitting World

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:07:00 -0500

Yesterday Wendy took some pictures of what she and I have been working on.

Here are the socks I'm making for my little brother, Nathanael. I'm going to run out of yarn and need to order some more.

The back of my cardigan. Don't you like the ruffle? Now it's just stocking stitch on and on and on. I see why people like to do sweaters with cables and such. But I'm enjoying it nonetheless.

Here is one of the fingerless gloves I made for my sister blocking. The other one is done and has already been blocked. I LOVE these. I forgot the ribbing on the edge by the fingers, but they are still pretty IMO. I plan to also make a pair for me and for my mom. I found this pattern online and would link to it, but I can't find it now.

And I'm going to share what Wendy has been working on, too.

A cardigan for her 5yo daughter. This is the lace edge that goes around the bottom. Pretty, huh?

And she's making 3 sweaters like this for her SIL's children. It's just beautiful!

Sometimes while I'm knitting I think about what I would like to knit. If only my hands would knit as quickly as my mind! LOL! Well, I'll be working on the cardigan for a few more weeks at least. I'm not sure how much time I'll have for knitting in WV, but I'd like to get some in most days at least. Anyway, I'm planning to make a pair of fingerless gloves for my mom and a pair for me. Here is a list of things I would like to knit sometime:

~matching sweaters for my little brother and nephew
~one of those pretty sweaters in Wendy's knitting book - one with more changing colors
~a shawl
~something lace (could be the shawl or something else)
~sweaters for my mom, my sister, and I - the ones I have a pattern for that are a pretty cable pattern
~mittens
~something for every child I know...and every adult I know

Anyway, I'm trying to keep it at 2 projects at a time. At least for now.

Self-pity

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:57:00 -0500

Last night I read a quote by Amy Carmichael that I am still mulling over:

"If I make much of anything appointed, magnify it secretly to myself or insidiously to others; if I let them think it 'hard,' if I look back longingly upon what used to be, and linger among the byways of memory, so that my power to help is weakened, then I know nothing of Calvary love."

I feel rather convicted by this. Now, while I may not necessarily go around telling everyone about all my troubles, I do have a few close friends that, much to my shame, at times I tell them of difficult things in my life wanting them to "feel my pain" and feel sorry for me. (And, btw, my "troubles" are extremely small compared to most. I have much to be thankful for.) How selfish I have been in this! How self-focused!
Not that I think it's always wrong to share our struggles with brothers and sisters in Christ. But I know that my heart has at times not been in the right place in it. I am ashamed to admit that at times I have crossed the line of just desiring prayer and/or encouragement to feeling sorry for myself and wanting others to join me in it. I pray the Lord would help me to focus more on others, to be more compassionate, to strive to share the burdens of others. I pray He will change me because I cannot change myself.

Having a nice visit

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:17:00 -0500

I am really enjoying being here at Wendy's. She is such a dear friend and can always make me laugh. Yesterday I was looking online for a sweater knitting pattern and came across this - a knitting pattern for an Elvis wig. Is that not the most hilarious thing ever?! I showed Wendy yesterday evening and she and I were rolling on the floor laughing - almost literally. I have no desire to knit one, however. I do think one could perhaps make a ridiculous amount of money selling one on ebay. I am getting ready to start knitting my very first sweater once I can figure out my gauge. I'm excited about that.

I am planning to head to Julie's in WV on Nov. 5, Lord willing. I am so thankful that the Lord has already provided a job for me there! I will be helping a woman (a friend of Julie's) with her 2 special needs children. I pray the Lord would help me to be a blessing to their family.

I am anticipating the future, but at the same time I'm a bit anxious sometimes. I know that the Lord has been faithful and He will continue to be so. I really am looking forward to my time in WV. Julie is such a fun friend and we have a lot of good, interesting conversations. Plus her family is just wonderful and I know it will be a blessing.

Introducing Franklin Wayne!

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:07:00 -0500

First, let me say that I made it safely to Wendy's 2 days ago and am doing well. Just getting settled in and am enjoying it.

My sister did have her sweet little baby before I left! Franklin Wayne was born on Oct. 8 and weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz. He is doing well and he is just so cute and sweet! Here are a few (or more than a few) photos. They really just don't show how adorable he really is, though!

Didn't I say he was sweet?

First sponge bath...he cried and my sister felt so sorry for him she jokingly told him they would never do it again, LOL. He didn't cry as much for the next one, though.

With Grandma (my mom)

With Great-Grandpa (my Grandpa)

With Great-Grandma (my Grandma)

And of course with Auntie Kristy

A Little Update: Or, No I Haven't Disappeared From The Face of The Earth

Fri, 5 Oct 2007 10:36:00 -0500

Hi, it's me! You know, the gal who said she was going to start blogging again and then didn't write a thing for over 3 months. Yeah, that's me.

Right now I am once again visiting family in IL. My sister, Stefanie (who lives with her husband up in Northern IN) is about to have a baby any day! Her EDD was Oct. 3 so we are just waiting for them to call to let us know when the baby is on the way. Just waiting, waiting, waiting...;-) When they do, my mom, my sister Kelly, and I plan to head up there. I can't wait to meet my new little nephew! It's a boy btw. We went up to visit them a few weeks ago. Here is a photo from then. L to R is me, my mom, my sister Stefanie, my sister Kelly, and my little brother, Nathanael, in front. Nathanael wasn't being so cooperative...

Anyway, I will be here until Oct. 16 (I really hope my sister has her baby before I leave!) and then I will be flying to VA to spend a couple of weeks with my dear friend, Wendy, and her family. At the beginning of Nov. I'm planning to go to WV to stay with my friend, Julie (aka Jules) and her family. I stayed with then for a few months this year and they are a wonderful family. I really enjoyed staying with them before and I'm sure I'll be blessed staying with them again.

Lord willing, I'm planning to stay with Julie's family for about 6 months and take several computer courses at a computer learning center nearby while I'm there. The classes are for office management. I will likely work PT as well during that time.

After that (likely sometime in May) I plan to return to Wendy's in VA and stay with their family for a while. Lord willing, I'm hoping to be able to do some traveling next year in the summer. I hope to come to IL again for a couple of weeks in May to visit and Kelly and Amanda will graduate high school then. I'm also praying that I may be able go to CA to stay with my dear friend, Dawn. She is such a great friend and it would be wonderful to be able to visit her and her family. I'm praying I'll be able to do that, Lord willing. In August Wendy and her family are planning a trip to England (where she is from) and they have invited me to go with them! It will be my first trip overseas and I am super excited!

Anyhow, we went to a wedding last weekend which was fun. I got to meet my little second cousin, Savannah. She is just a doll! Here are a few pics of her:

Savannah and I

Kelly and Savannah (just look at her sweet smile!):

Mom and Savannah: