"Our God is an Awesome God He reigns from Heaven above, with Wisdom, Power and Love, Our God is an Awesome God"...

I am continually amazed and humbled by God's provision for our family as we make this transition into "Seminary Life".  We were facing three pretty big hurdles in preparation for moving to Decatur:

1) We  needed to find a home for our Lab, Dixie

2) My husband needed to sell his old truck

3)  Most importantly, we needed to sell our home

To make a somewhat long story somewhat short:  We found someone through a friend of mine at church to be the new owner of our dog...and get this...Dixie's new home/owner is an hydraulics specialist in Savannah, GA.  So, this sweet dog of ours is going from being kept in a kennel most of the day to checking water levels, riding around in a boat, living in an open back yard and mountain biking!!!!!!  He came and picked her up this past Saturday.  I am so happy for our Dixie...she is going to have a MUCH better life!!!!  Yes, God is good...even to dogs!!!!!!  Now, for the truck.  My husband was worried he couldn't sell it because it had been just "sitting there" for a year or so.  Well, he popped a battery in it, fired it up, and got it cleaned up for a guy to come look at it.  Yep...he wanted it, and came and purchased it two days later...on Saturday. So, this past Thursday we knew we had someone coming to pick up Dixie on Saturday...we knew the guy was coming to pick up the truck on Saturday...so I look at my husband, Richard, and say, "Wouldn't it be crazy if God sells our home on Saturday"?...GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!  He didn't sell it on Saturday.  He sold it the day before!!!!....YES....someone called about the house this past Friday, they came and looked at it immediately....we signed a contract a few hours later!!!!! 

The best part of this story is that I had been praying that our house would go to someone who needed to purchase it JUST as badly as we needed to sell it.  Well, the people who are purchasing our home lost their home to a fire just two weeks before Christmas.  They had lived there for 30 years and lost EVERYTHING!!! They have been looking for a new home since January and couldn't find ANYTHING!!!  They were at their wits end..then they saw our for sale sign!!!!  ...and you know the rest.

OUR GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD.  HIS PROVISIONS AND TIMING ARE ALWAYS PERFECT!!!!!

Growing In Christ,

Shay

When I tuck my four year old into bed at night we have a little ritual...this ritual ends with prayers, and the last thing I always say is..."and thank You Lord for filling Martha Bryan's heart with love and peace and grace."

Well, I've never really, truly defined the word "grace" for my four year old daughter.  Yesterday she asked me what "grace" meant.  But before I could give her an answer she said..."is it the niceness of Jesus"?

MAN...that just blew me away.  I said, "YES!!!  You're exactly right...it IS the niceness of Jesus"!!!!

Growing In Christ,

Shay

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Marilyn Moll or The Urban Homemaker, but she has been a source of much inspiration to me in the past three to five years.  Her husband, Duane, passed away Sunday...unexpectedly.  I simply cannot imagine what they are going through, and my heartfelt prayers go out for their family. 

Next to my Lord and Saviour, I love my husband with everything that I have.  I haven't been a very good wife here lately...we have sooooo much going on (who doesn't????) and I have been unloving, unattentive and controlling.  Wow...that doesn't sound like someone I would want to come home to after being at work for nine to ten hours!!!!

Not only does our home need to be a haven for my husband....*I* need to be a haven for my husband.  How sad that it takes news of someone's husband passing for me to acknowledge this.

Growing In Christ,

Shay

Dear Heavenly Father,

Remove the barrier of selfishness in my heart...open my eyes to the needs, wants and desires of my husband and give me the strength, compassion and understanding to fulfill those things in him.

In Jesus Christ's Most Precious name I pray,

Amen

Following is a link that will direct you to a letter from Marilyn.

www.marilynmoll.com

I love sunsets *sigh*...they do something to me that I can not explain.  As I look out every window of my home this evening I found colors changing from yellows to peaches to lavendars to pinks to hot pinks then pale blues. I had to go outside and just "be in it".  I couldn't help but sing a completely made up song of praise to God thanking Him for this miraculous though daily ocurring thing I was witnessing.  My goodness it was almost hard to contain myself while looking at His Beauty!!!

Thank you Lord for the miraculous wonders you give us everyday.  My heart overflows with joy!  You are so good to us!  I love You.

Amen.

...nope...I don't need immediate life saving aid...I simply have a curriculum question.

Has anyone out there had any experience with Alpha Omega's Switched On Schoolhouse????

I'm flip flopping between Math LifePac and Math SOS for my daughter...an upcoming "6th grader".

Any comments would be oh so helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On a pleasant note...this has been a wonderful homeschooling year for us.  I kept things pretty stress free.  We relaxed our learning, tried different schedules and have tweaked our independent and multi-age learning times.  Basically the children work on Reading, Writing and Math for their individual levels in the morning, then in the afternoon we work on Science and/or History together.  It's is amazing to watch my children learn together and work as a team.  My four year old knows more about the Solar System and the Heart than I ever did even as an adult!!!!  I think one of my top ten reasons for loving  homeschooling would be that I get to re-learn (or learn for the first time) many things I had forgotten (or just never knew).

We have about 30 days to go before our official 2007-2008 school year will come to a close.  We'll take June and July "off"...then start back up sometime early August.  With the move to Decatur, GA quickly approaching I need to turn my mind to packing instead of educating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any homeschoolers in Decatur out there??????????

Growing In Christ,

Shay

Well, our family has a lot going on...so I'm going to start blogging again as a way of getting some of my thoughts down...I'm pretty excited about it!!!!

My husband (Richard) and I, at 37 (me) and 38 (him), with three children, are preparing for a very exciting change in our family!  Richard has turned in  a required 90 day notice at work, we are putting our house on the market, finding homes for pets, selling/giving away some extra furniture, and moving to Decatur, Georgia in June.  Why?????  Because my husband is going to seminary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I can't believe it.....I'm so excited.........we have searched and searched for so many years wondering "where do we belong?"..."what is it that God wants us to do for Him?".  We've known for a while that He was going to ask us to do something pretty drastic, and we've been trying to prepare for that.  About six months ago, Richard had some kind of break through and decided... "You know what, God has been calling me...for a while now...and I'm going to answer and say Yes Lord...Use me....I'll be your servant.....I'll give up my job and my home and I'll study so I can spread Your Word and Your Love".  It was the most freeing thing that I have ever witnessed my husband go through...it is so beautiful to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I absolutely can not wait to see how the Lord is going to work in our lives over these next three years.  Money of course is the BIGGEST "leap of faith" issue we are facing right now.  We're in the midst of financial aid, grants, fundraising, etc.  The human nature side of me REALLY wants to freak out about the finances...but God just won't let me!!!!  It truly is amazing...He is very calmly letting us know that this is in His Hands...not ours.  I can't think of a safer place to be than in God's Hands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We will be living in apartment housing on campus (Columbia Theological Seminary),  I will continue to homeschool the children, and Richard is going to treat school like his job...leave the apartment in the morning...come home for lunch...go back to classes/study...then come home in the evening.  Well, that's the plan anyway...we'll see if it works out that way.

That's my thoughts for now!

Growing In Christ,

Shay

O.K., I'm confessing...this post is simply in the hopes of winning a Rosetta Stone Spanish program for my children!!!!  How cool would it be to win this...

Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE! 

This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.

This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program.  Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking.  Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included!  For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports. 

To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these (blue) paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/  and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it.  And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it.  And good luck!  The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg.   And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win.   Yay for free stuff!

And YAY for JenIgand her freebie stuff!!!!!

I'm not usually one to "poke fun" at the odd things that can go on in the public school system...because frankly...odd things happen everywhere...even in homeschools. 

But...around 4:00 p.m. my three children and I were driving to the bank and we saw a school bus, loaded with kids, parked in the middle of the road, with the hazard lights on.  I pulled over to ask the bus driver if she needed any assistance.  She FLUNG her little side window open and said...

"I don't need help.  They ain't actin' right so I told 'em we was just gonna sit here instead of me takin' 'em home!"

I thought THAT was interesting!

Growing In Christ,

Shay

I started "blogging" as a means of gathering information  for myself in this homeschooling endeavor...WOW...did I ever find what I was looking for!!!  So many people have answered my "newbie" questions, given suggestions, and most importantly just given wonderful, christian advice and encouragement.  I can't thank you all enough for all you have done to lift my "security" level in that I now know that YES...I CAN HOMESCHOOL!!!!!!!!!  I know we will have "rough" days, but...so what....there are "rough" days in everything.  Thank God for the rough days for they draw me ever closer to Him.

I also continued blogging as a way to document our "lives"...so I could get a perspective of exactly what our lives are like.  Blogging gave me an outsiders view of my family's life.  It allowed me to see our strengths and our weaknesses, and I really enjoyed that. 

However, time is ever so precious to me and I am finding that I have less and less of it.  I also am growing ever so weary of telling my children to "wait just a minute honey....let me finish typing this....", or "wait just a minute honey, let me finish reading this...".  THEY NEED ME...not a distracted Mommy which is what I become when I log onto Homeschool Blogger.  Also, in the quiet of the evenings, I need to be connecting with my wonderful husband...not "checking" my blog.

So, thank you to everyone who left me comments whether they were for prayer, encouragment, or just a good ol' belly laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!  Also, thank you to Homeschool Blogger for giving me a place to "look inside" my own family's life for these past few months.

Ever Growing In Christ,

Shay

I'm a tad smaller than I was before starting my Isagenix cleanse.  My ultimate goal was more energy and to just feel better which was definately accomplished...(but I'll admit I wish I'd lost more inches).  I try to cleanse two or three times a year and this one, by far, is the easiest one I've done.

I went from 128 pounds to 124 pounds, and I also lost 12 overall inches.

I am going to continue having 2 shakes a day and one small meal a day until I lose the last four pounds I had hoped to lose.

I also started working out again about a month and a half ago...my husband's encouragement and support in that has been wonderful!  He's the one that's got to get my grumpy self out of the bed every morning to go work out before he goes to work.  Emery (my 10 year old) goes with me and it's really been a wonderful Mommy/Daughter bonding time for us.  It's so great having her to work out with and gives us an even stronger bond!!!!!  NEVER, NEVER underestimate the power of spending one on one time with each of your children...even if it's a few stolen moments out of each day.

Growing In Christ,

Shay

PS - I tried to post my measurements but they kept on getting on mixed up on my post...I couldn't get the numbers to line up in columns and make it readable...sorry!!!

I would like for our Homeschool Fridays to be well, not so "academic".  So, what I'll be doing is letting that be their art, music, sports day and other "extra" stuff.

Since we will not be covering Reading, Writing, Math etc. can I still count that as a school day?????

Hope that's not too silly of a question!!!!!!

Growing In Christ,

Shay

*Jen, don't you dare make any "funny" comments about my record keeping question! (hehehehe) 

Ryann is one of the few people (probably) that I would answer two tags in a row for...what a splendid person she is!  Here ya go...my answers are.........

1. What state do you live in? South Cackilacky (South Carolina)


2. Do you have a pool? I do not.  But I do have the next best thing.  My mother has a pool and she lives three doors up!!!!!


3. Do you like animals? Sometimes


4. What is your favorite animal? I don't have one right now.  A favorite animal that is.  I have pets, but right now they're a little on my nerves.


5. Do you have siblings? Yes...I'm the baby of three.

6. Do you have an account on a animal site such as Virtual Horse Ranch or Virtual Pups? Nope

7. Which 10 people are you going to tag with this annoying quiz?  I'm refraining from tagging.

Ryann, do you feel as if you know me better now??????

Growing In Christ,

Shay

PS - I'm beginning to feel that homeschool panic again.  Somebody tell me to relax and have fun.  I know I can teach them to read, write, add, subtract, divide and multiply.  It's the history, social studies and science stuff that worries me so!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm lookin' for a co-op...PRONTO!!!!!!!!!

Miss Ryann Igarashi has tagged me...so here we go.  Let's see what kind of stuff I can come up with.

First of all here are the rules:

Players start with 8 random facts/habits about them selves. People who are tagged write there own facts in, and these rules. At the end, you need to choose 8 people to tag and don't forget to leave them a comment telling them to check out your blog. Also remember to write who tagged you.

1. I adore eating cake icing out of the tub...MAN that stuff is goooooooood!!!!!!!!!

2. When I get in bed at night I usually read.  However if I'm too tired to read I *still* have to lay a book on my chest in order to fall asleep.  My husband calls it my "bookie".  Ya know, like a child has a blankie...well, I have a "bookie".

3. My husband and I owe "someone" *over a million dollars* for storing a t-shirt for us. (ha-ha)

4. I look at most of what I have, and realize that I don't even need it.

5. I love smelling my children's breath in the morning (that is until they hit about age five).

6. I love listening to my children playing together.  They can be so creative!

7. My favorite times of day are dawn and dusk.

8.  I do not like *not* having a church home.  (We are currently visiting churches in our area)

Do you have any pets? Yes

What color shirt are you wearing? aqua tank top & green jacket

Name three things that are physically close to you: a comb, a calculator and a clothes pin

What is the last book you read? Ishmael

Are you or were you a good student? I was an AWESOME student until I hit 10th grade...it was all downhill from there.

What's your favorite sport? I don't have a clue

Do you enjoy sleeping late? No, unless is really needed

What's the weather like right now? VERY HUMID

Who tells the best jokes? Emery

What was the last thing you dreamed about? I've been havin' crazy dreams here lately...I can't remember one right now though.

Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed? yes and yes

Do you believe in luck? No

Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up? Hard scrambled

Do you collect anything? No

Are you reliable? I think so

Have you ever given money to a bum? yes

What's your favorite food? Too many to name...I LOVE FOOD!

Do you like the smell of gasoline? yes

Do like to draw? No

What's your favorite invention? Radio

Is your room messy? No

What do you like better: oranges or apples? Apples (granny smith)

Do you give in easily? Yes

Are you a good guesser? No

Can you read other people's expressions? I think I can

Are you a bully? No

Do you have a job? Yes. Stay at home mother, teacher, housekeeper, nurse, doctor, psychologist, chef, personal trainer, veterinarian, counselor, and many more.

What time did you wake up this morning? 6:30'ish

What did you eat for breakfast this morning? I don't usually eat breakfast

When was the last time you showered? Saturday

What do you plan on doing tomorrow? Clean house, exercise, cook, work in the garden, laundry

What's your favorite day of the week and why?Saturday and Sunday because my husband is home and we play and go to church (we're currently visiting different churches) and rest.

Do you have any nicknames? yes

Have you ever been scuba diving? No

What's your least favorite color? Teal

Would you ever go skydiving? No way Pedro!!!

What toothpaste do you use? Mint

Do you enjoy challenges? Yes

What's the worst injury you have had? Hard to say, I've been bitten by a chipmunk, I've been REALLY bitten by a cat, I've been shot with a b.b. gun, and run over by a moped.

What's the last movie you saw? Either Veggie Tales Jonah or The Little Shop Around The Corner.

What does your last text message say? I don't have a cell phone

Who was the last person you spoke over the phone to? My brother

What's your favorite school subject? I enjoyed math in school and I now enjoy teaching my children math.

What's your least favorite school subject? History/Geography/Social Studies

What is your dream vacation? Somewhere where it is 85 degrees during the day, 65 degrees at night, peaceful and very nature'ish.  There would have to be the sound of water involved.

What is your favorite animal? Horse, even though I'm a little afraid of them.

Do you miss anyone right now? Emery and Richard

Do you need to do laundry? absolutely.

Do you listen to the radio? All the time

Where were you when 9/11 happened? I had just dropped my daughter off and Mother's Day Out.  I was seven months pregnant.  I *totally* freaked out, went and picked my daughter up, called my husband (he was out of town).  I was a wreck and didn't know what in the world might happen next.  What a horrible, tragic day that was for so many people.  I can't imagine what it must have been like for those who were really directely affected.

What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Walk away.

Have you ever caught a butterfly? No, but I've had them land on me before.

What color are your bed sheets? Tan

What's your ringtone? rrrrrrriiiiiiiiinnnnnggg, rrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnngg

Who was the last person to make you laugh? Ryann, due to her answer to the ring tone question

Have you ever sat on a roof? yes

Have you ever been to a different country? yes

Name three things in the world you dislike: Sin, parasites, and apathy

Do you like sushi? Yes!!!! Yummy, yummy, yummy!!!!!!

I'm opting out on picking eight people (forgive me Ryann)...my brain won't function on that level right now... so, If you want to participate, please, please do so!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Growing In Christ,

Shay

according to this lovely young lady.  My job is to list five more.  These ladies will then (maybe) choose five more...and so on...and so on...  Here are my choices for Rockin' Girl Blogger...

1)  Maria a.k.a. TNMOMTOMANYBLESSINGS because I love her poems and bible verses.

2)  Ryann a.k.a. RedHeadRyann beacuse you never know if you're going cry, laugh or vomit after reading her posts.  Ryann, you are VERY descriptive!!!!! (ha-ha)

3) and 4)  Amy a.k.a. Poshred1 and Geanine a.k.a. Mom2fourtreasures because you never know what they are going to be up to!

5)  Michelle a.k.a. foxvalleyfamily because she is sweet, real and teaches me a lot about homeschooling through her blog.

Growing In Christ,

Shay

Please forgive me if you are coming to this blog today looking for something exciting...you'll not find it here.

It seems that I find myself busy and content with my simple, little life that I haven't much to say about much of anything.  Here are a few sentences to sum up my feelings:

1)  I love Jesus Christ beyond words, and spend my days trying to be worthy of being called His.

2)  I try to be the wife God would have me be to my wonderful husband.

3)  I try to parent His (not my) children the way God needs and wants me to.

Those three sentences right there keep me very busy and very focused (with God's help of course).  I'm sure if most people read it they might think..."well that's not a lot to keep up with"...but honestly...it's just about all I can or want to be responsible for.  I also find that in trying to keep the home life I desire for my family that I have to be...well...at home.  I LOVE BEING AT HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's where I am in this "Simple Life" of mine for now.

Growing In Christ,

Shay

I was reading to my three year old daughter tonight before putting her to bed.  We were on the couch, just the two of us... reading, cuddling, all cozied up together.  In the middle of one of the stories she looked up at me with these sweet eyes, and in her soft, sleepy, raspy voice said, "Mommy, can I tell you something?"  I said, "What is it Honey?"  She said, "You have bad breath."

This is my PRESSURE CANNER!!!!!!  I am so excited that we were able to get this!!!!!!!!

Beans From Our Garden...(pole and bush)

Packed And Ready To Can...

Can you believe this?????  I have canned beans...and it REALLY worked!!!!!!!!!!

My next canning projects are:

Whole and/or Chunked Tomatoes

Spaghetti Sauce

Salsa

Corn

Learning and Growing In Christ,

Shay

I have been tagged by "My Friend I Haven't Met Yet"... (*BIG* "yet", as we shall meet one day!!!)

1)  I LOVE to sing.   Mainly praises to God, but  I also do LOVE to sing songs from movies and musicals...My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, and yes...the Veggie Tales silly songs!!!

2)  I YEARN terribly to play an instrument...but I just don't have the discipline.  We have two guitars (one is mine) and a piano in this house and I CAN"T PLAY either instrument!!!!

3)  Adopting a child or children appeals greatly to me...

4)  My eldest daughter (10) is my role model (she doesn't know this).

5)  I did not attend college.

6)  I am a *TOTAL WHIZ KID* at the game Minesweeper.

7)  I am completely and utterly afraid of flying, stinging things...yet oddly enough I would *love* to have bee hives...that DOES NOT make sense!!!!!

That was fun and painless!  Thanks Geanine!!!

Growing In Christ,

Shay

Oh how I do love this book so... I beseech thee my friends, give me time, and I shall post again.  Hark, I believe I hear my beloved book calling to me...I shall return whenst I can pull my self from it...

With kindest regards,

Shay

*HA, HA, HA...the above will make sense only to those familiar with the language of Ishmael.  I want to thank my lovely friend, Maria, for giving this book to me...what a wonderful gift!!!!!  It is SO hard to put this book down!

I haven't been commenting on other blogs here lately...I just have been so wordless.  I don't know what's going on, but I really just don't have anything to say...about anything.  It's strange...I feel as if the section of my brain that responds to things has been removed.  I'm going to start praying about this and see if God will fill me in on what's going on with my communication.  Maybe I'm just supposed to be listening more instead of talking... Now, since I have nothing to say here are more pictures...

Daddy Caught A Big Fish!

Our Lovely Children (this picture REALLY catches their personalities)

Emery and Richard disappeared yesterday (for a long time).  I found out that they were under the house painting an old cabinet on the wall...they wanted to make a pretty place for me to store the vegetables I'm going to can...I just have to say...this made me want to wail with gratitude and joy!!!!!!

One of my favorite times of the day is the evening when I can hear Richard reading to the children.   It really calms my soul at the end of the day.

Squash from the Garden...this is SOOOOO yummy!!!!!  (Jen's picture is prettier than mine !)

Green Beans from the Garden

Gluten Free Pizza...from scratch...IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!!!!

Martha Bryan (my three year old) wanted to take a picture of Mommy

She also wanted to dress herself...all by herself...can you tell that her shirt is backwards AND inside out...AND her cut off jeans are on backwards...she was SOOOO proud!!!

MORE bounty from the garden

Well folks...that's all for now!

Praise be to God who takes care of everything we could possibly need!

Growing In Christ,

Shay