Ok, someone reminded me that I don't post that often here.  So this is for you Valerie! 

I know I'm a bit lazy when it comes to my blogging.  It's been awhile since I last posted, so I'd best get my rear in gear.

Keith and Nathan went camping with the boy scouts this weekend and they just got back this morning.  We are also leaving for Nashville early, early, early tomorrow morning.  Did I say early?  Ok, yeah I did.

Keith is recording another song for his CD while we are there.  Kristin, Nathan and I will go to the Opry Mills mall while he's doing that.  That mall is so huge!  I love the Pro-Bass Shop out there.  Makes me wish I had more money to spend.

On our way back, we'll be meandering through the Smokies, and maybe Cherokee and Chimney Rock.  Keith's ancestors founded Edneyville, NC which is right there near Chimney Rock.  Kristin hasn't seen the gravestones yet, so he can show her.   There are several family  members there dating back to the 1700's who are buried there.

Nathan earned his first merit badge this weekend doing a Ham Radio session.  He enjoyed it and has a good time with the other scouts.  We think it's good for him to be socialized a bit with other boys who are normal, but when you get them together, you can see the vast difference between Nathan and the other boys.

We are planning a trip to Disney for Christmas this year.  I've never been around that time.  Usually we've been in the spring and summer.  My dad is going with us too so I'm hoping he'll have a good time with us.  I can feel as time gets nearer to Christmas that my heart isn't quite as into it as usual.  I guess with time it will get better though.  Knowing that my mom is with the Lord really makes it so much easier to bear the loss of her.  I know one day I will see her again.  (soon I hope as I believe the Rapture will take place soon).  Yeah, I'm one of those nuts.  In fact, on the side of my posts is a list of some of my favorite websites and there's a Rapture Bulletin board that I frequent.

Oops, gotta run take care of some laundry.  God bless!

I haven't been on here since I don't know when.  But it's been quite some time.

Things are going alright for us.  We have adjusted to our older son being in a group home.  He is doing wonderfully though and seems very happy there.  We are able to get him and bring him home often since he doesn't live far away from us.  He starts a new school though, next month and might cause some complications with his autism.  We are already praying about that. 

On the homefront, our daughter is going to be working in a beauty salon as an apprentice.  She's been wanting to go to beauty school for awhile now, but the cost is more than she or we can afford so this apprenticeship will really be something doable for her.  Ahhh, we will miss the Starbucks coffee she brings home for her rent.

We will be starting school up next week.  I'd like to try and do a year 'round type school since he needs extra practice in certain areas such as reading comprehension.  He's doing well. He's got an excellent memory on things that he 'wants to remember' that is.  He just celebrated his 11th birthday last month and will be going into 5th grade.  I get a bit more nervous the higher grades we go since things like math get more complicated.  Hey, I'm just trying to remember how to do the fractions and whatnot, it had been so long and we all know math is probably my most hated subject.

We've had a nice summer so far.  My dad came down for a visit and spent Father's day with us, which was nice.  We had a good time with him coming down.  Nathan sure liked his visiting with Papa.  In fact, he got a little something in the mail yesterday from Papa, and he immediately wrote him a short note back.  He sent a magazine page of presidential facts.  Nathan loves facts about the presidents, who was the tallest, who was the oldest elected, who had the most kids, who was the largest, etc.  In fact, he already knew over half of the facts.

We joined a new church as well, a few weeks ago.  It's like going back to our grass roots.  It's a Baptist church and it feels good to sing the hymns that most churches don't sing now.  Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy praise music the upbeat and uplifting kind, but there's just something about a hymn that really makes your heart joyful.  The most important thing about the church is the pastor unabashedly preaches and teaches repentance and about Jesus Christ being the only way to the Father.  Again, alot of churches nowadays are pulling away from this sort of thing, adopting an almost new age philosophy of God being in everyone. 

I've been doing alot of research the past year on various things relating to the end times, which I believe are here.  I've been looking up information on just about everything relating to the end times and getting into the Word more.  The Bible is so fascinating and the more I read, the more I get to know the Lord and His ways.  My bible is starting to get all highlighted and underlined now with verses that I remember my mom reciting to me all the time.

Time this year has gone by faster than any time I can remember.  It seems the older I get, the faster it goes.  And that old question, where does the time go, really applies.  Once it's gone, it's gone. I and think, what have I done for Him today?

God bless!

I was going through some of my blogs and realized just what a goofball I really am!  Ha! I think I am an interesting character and I don't even show all of my ummm, uniqueness in my writings.  Pretty scary huh.

I keep forgetting this is a 'homeschool' blog and should talk at least a little about it dont ya think.  We are doing fairly well.  Nathan is in 4th grade and talk about 4th grade math.  OY!  I hated math when I was in school and I still hate it!  Teaching fractions is ooooh sooo fun.  But I AM making myself learn, so now I know how to turn an improper fraction into a mixed fraction and visa versa.  Still trying to figure out how to add fractions with unlike denominators.  I know I can figure it out, but it's like my ADD kicks in and I can't focus on how to do it.  No, I have not been officially diagnosed with it, but I tell ya, sometimes.........how many things can a person think of at one time, eh?

Oops, this is turning into a thing about me, not homeschooling.  Mybad as Nathan would say.  And he says it alot!  Ah, TV commercials, gotta love 'em.

We are going over the American Revolution again which is ok.  Also practicing reading a book (2 chapters at a time) and writing or telling what he's just read about.  I'm surprised I haven't pulled all my hair out yet.  He's just having a hard time with it.  Autism's so fun sometimes.  sigh

Gotta run, but will write later.

God bless!

Well, hard to believe it's February already!  I've been very busy researching online and in my bible about some things that have been bothering me lately and I've had no time for blogging.  I know I always have excuses for not blogging much, but I think that delving into the bible is a pretty good 'reason'. 

I've been loooking up things like the 'Emergent Church', the 'Seeker Friendly Church' as well as Contemplative prayer and Centering prayer.  What I am reading really disturbs me.  I have a new book called Faith Undone by Roger Oakland.  Very good book that gives some good info on the Emergent Church and where and how it got its start.  I am also learning to read and then go to the bible to see if it lines up with scripture.  Right now I see this world as slipping away from Christ and satan is decieving as many people as he can, even Christians.  I feel that we are near the end of times and that Christ is coming back soon for His bride.  I eagerly await His coming, for He is my Blessed Hope.

God bless you who read this!

I know, it's been ages since last posted.  Just so many things going on with my daughter moving back in, my 18 year old son moving out and my husband retiring from the military.  I'll try to get back to blogging here shortly.

11 days ago on December 17th, my mom passed away.  The timing was unexpected, but we knew that she didn't have much time left.  She was on dialysis and she had stage 4 lung cancer, getting that from having cancer on her kidneys about 6 years ago.  She was in stage 4 when they caught it because she hadn't had any symptoms with it.

We had made plans to spend Christmas with my parents and were eagerly looking forward to seeing them just 5 days away.  We left on a Tuesday and they had her funeral on Thursday.  Hers was one of the best funerals I've been to.  I know that sounds odd to you, but truly, it was the way she wanted it.  Our family had a private burial at the gravesite and then we had a memorial celebration, as they called it.  The theme they wanted was "It's Not About Us, It's All About Him".  My mom was a strong and true follower of Christ and she always put Him first in her life.  There were many people who attended who were there because of her witness, her teaching and caring about them.  In fact 5 people were saved during her funeral!!!  We found that awesome and truly wonderful!

I know she is in heaven now, enjoying her well earned time with her Lord and Savior and probably just chatting away with her parents and everyone else who's lives she touched.  Someone sang the song Thank You at the funeral and that truly, truly was exactly what she was like.

I'm so thankful that she is in heaven and spared a long and painful time with her cancer.  I grieve greatly, for I miss her alot.  Every time I want to pick up the phone and tell mom something that's happened, I won't be able to.  Death IS sad and painful, but I think more so for those who don't know Christ.  If one does not know Christ as their personal Savior, they are doomed eternally.  I need to focus on that when I go out and ask God to give me the courage and the words to say so that I can be a witness like my mom was.  She meant so much to me and what she did for me after her death was precious in itself.

My dad gave me every card I had ever sent or given to them.  She had written on each of them about what was going on in our lives, and their lives at the time.  She also said she was praying for us and how proud she was of the kids and of me.  THAT was what I needed to hear, that I wasn't a disappointment to her and that she WAS proud of me.

We spent Christmas with my dad and my brother and his family.  Although we grieved together, we were able to have a good time together.  I am now starting to heal, but I think it will be awhile before I truly can be ok with it all.

Well, it's been awhile since I've updated and I've got alot to say.

We put our son Marcus into a group home on the 10th of this month.  He had some minor medical problems and he's been put on some extra medications and has not been to school in over a week.  He is adjusting to life over there alright.  He only lives 4 miles from us and we go see him a couple of times a week.

We are going to NC for the weekend.  This will be my first outing in 16 months.  I haven't been anywhere except to Atlanta to help my daughter move back here.  That wasn't the funnest day I've had.

Waiting word on my mom.  She has some nodules on her lungs which they believe is cancerous, because she's had cancer on her kidneys before and had them removed.  She is on dialysis because of that.  We are planning to go up to see them for Christmas and will be able to now that Marcus is in his new home.

Have had an emotional week.  Had a prophet in our church last Sunday and he spoke to me, then later came back to my husband and our daughter throughout the church service.  He said some pretty weird stuff and even offended us with something that wasn't true about my husband.  We were upset about it and couldn't figure out what to make of it and we get a call on Tuesday that he had passed away the previous evening.  We knew that in church he wasn't feeling all that great, but he kept pushing himself and prophesied to a good bit of the congregation. (we are a smallish church) And he came back that night and did the same thing (although we didn't go that night).  We felt really bad about it and we are praying for his family, especially his wife who is on dialysis and was the love of his life.

Oh, and I won't say what he told about me, unless it comes true and that would really have to be a miracle from God. 

God bless!

Just wanted to pop in.  I am starting another blog on blogspot though.  I'd like to get a feel for it before I totally turn over to it.  I still like this blog alot, more of a homey, Christian-type feel to it.

It's been a year since the world lost an outstanding person, Steve Irwin.  I still mourn his loss, I guess mainly because I wish I knew beyond any doubt that he would be in heaven.  I don't believe there was another person quite like him.  I believe he did exactly what he was put on this earth to do.  And I pray that the Lord rewards his efforts and I pray I can see him in heaven one day.  God bless Steve's family and their efforts to keep on with his dream of animal conservation. You are missed tremendously!  May God hear my prayers regarding you.

Ahhh, it's August already.  Good ol' August.  Wonderfully hot, and humid August.  My birthday is on Sunday the 5th.  I'll be 41.  Not doing anything special other than church (which IS special in itself).

Got our daughter moved back home safe and sound after a 20 hour day.  We got to Atlanta, had some lunch and went to get the U-Haul truck.  Kristin missed the exit (wasn't sure on directions) soooooo, we ended up driving ALL the way around Atlanta!  So we get the truck (finally) and get her stuff loaded.  And my child, I swear.  She left that apartment looking awful.  Food in the cabinets, the fridge, nothing was cleaned.  Uggghhh! 

Left around 7 that evening and on the way home it stormed.  So we're driving about 35 mph in the blinding rain.  My knuckles turning white gripping the steering wheel, me leaning forward, eyes trying to see the truck in front of me.  Oh yeah, it was fun!!  Got home at 1:30 that morning and crashed.  Then our wonderful stinkin' son Marcus decided he wanted to get me up at 6 o'clock!!!!  Whut!!!!  Anyway, glad we are done with that.

Next I will be taking him to see a doctor so that they (the infamous they) can determine if our son really deserves to be on disability.  lol  Don't ya just love the government.

School starts here on the 20th and we are sending Marcus.  Nathan will continue to be homeschooled and is in 4th grade.  We've been lazy this summer regarding school and need to catch up on reading and a bit of math.  I would like to start school next week maybe. 

Marcus should be moving this month as well.  His home is about 4 miles away so that's a relief to us.  I'll miss my boy, but hopefully the stress I deal with will lessen somewhat.  There are just some days when I am surprised that I made it through another day.

Anyway, he's quiet so I need to see what he's up to.  God bless!

I can't remember the last time I checked and wrote something on here, but I know it's been a long time.  Ok, so I'm a bit lazy and should look, but I'll do that later.  So much has happened in the meantime, besides life just passing me by and I'm just standing there going, huh?  My husband is home from Washington and is now retired from the Air Force.  He works for his own pest control company and he is still playing the guitar (as beautifully as ever) and we are praying for some more doors to be open for that.

Our daughter who lives in Atlanta at present, is moving back in with us.  We are helping her move this Saturday so it's going to be a very loooooong day, considering we have to drive 5 hours to Atlanta, move all her stuff (oh and she gets this truck that does NOT have a ramp on it, what's up with that?) then come back home, all the while trying to keep an 18 year old non verbal autistic  young man happy.

But, at least by going and doing all that on Saturday, I can enjoy watching Shark Week on Sunday evening.  Ok, I was going to put a smiley face here, but my freakin' computer won't let me!  I'll blame it on dh since it's his laptop I'm on.  Ha!  Anyway, looking so forward to Shark Week, oh yeah and having my daughter home too.  Yeah, that too. 

Starting to get ready for school again.  The kids here don't start until August 20th, but I am wanting to start this next week (I'll call that my birthday week)  I'll be getting much,  much older on the 5th of August.  So guess what our first thing in science is going to be about?  Oh I dunno, maybe about sharks! lol

Anyway, more news.....our 18 year old autistic son Marcus is moving out.  He is going to a group home sometime in August.  While this news is wonderful and much, much awaited for, it will be sad not having the 'boo' under the roof at night.  Believe me, I've been through so many emotions since this all started.  Happiness, sadness, etc.  He's just a big part of my life and now it's going to be gone.  I am hoping that this will give me and Nathan a chance to do more things together without having to worry about being home at a particular time waiting for Marc to come home. 

I have been busy refurbishing his furniture.  It was looking pretty bad, so I repainted it.  About killed us with the fumes too.  But hey, we're alive!  And I did ventilate, but dh didn't agree.    Ok, so I probably killed some of my brain cells that are desperately needed. 

Also got Marcus signed up for disability since he's 18 and it will help pay for the home he's going into.  I have to take him to another doctor for more medical proof of his disability. (yet I couldn't bring him into the social security office because he literally screamed his head off as he didn't want to be there--yeah, that's another story in itself).  But, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

My main point to all this is that we've waited, having been waiting for some years for a residential home for him and we've prayed and prayed and now it's happening.  Autism awareness is on the rise and that is opening more doors for various homes to open up.  I told the director that it was a God thing, because in the past, there has just flat out been no money for these types of things and now the fountain is just flowing.  So we are praising God in all things big and small.  Every time my husband sells a new account, or gets an extra gig, or something, we are always thanking the Lord.  He has been blessing us, even in the midst of the stress of Keith leaving the military and venturing into the 'real' world, us making alot less money and with all this stuff in our lives coming up.  HE is the one to be thanked, and glorified and praised!  God bless you all, and I'll try to be better about writing.  Either that or I may have to move to blogspot as well.  lol  Lots of people on there I know.

Now I haven't been to my ATM in a few months, but I was just thinking the other day about drive up ATM machines.  Now, can somebody please explain to me WHY they have braille on the little buttons?  I mean, HELLO??  You're blind, ya can't drive!   I can see them having braille on ATM's that are in the malls or other places, you know, OTHER than a DRIVE THROUGH.  What brilliant person thought that one up?? 

You may now continue back to your regular random searching now.  I'm done spouting.  :-)   Maybe next time I'll have something intellectual and inspiring for you.  But don't hold your breath.