Check out Stacy's blog for a great Mother's Day contest :)

~ Rachel

Let's see...

We finished history for the year 2 weeks ago.  We are starting Science back up this week and will finish it in a few weeks.  I ordered their CAT's from Seton testing services and will be administering those soon.  I need to turn DS's in this year.  I will be sending those in to a repository.  We will also be participating in the HSLDA/NHERI academic study.  I did order a PASS test just to check it out as well, it has not arrived yet (and does not count in the HSLDA/NHERI study. 

DS9 went on a business trip to OH with his daddy last week and they returned last night. Daddy has a nasty cold so we are praying that the rest of us do not get it.  My parents were able to go to OH from VA for a night to see them, so that was a nice surprise for the guys.

DD, baby & I were holding down the fort and dealing with a tummy virus and on obnoxious dog ;)  The dog is getting better and even though anoying was for the most part a very good girl.  I gave DD part of her bday present early because I thouht it would be fun for us and I was correct, we played Horseopoly almost every night :)  Being the girls that we are we went shopping and bought all that she needs for the Daddy Daughter Dinner Dance but we need to try to find a mask, because it is a masqueurade ball, even though I am pretty sure they will be providing them.  i bought a new purse for me.  We bought Bubby some bday gifts (little Tonka trucks & 2 really big Tonka trucks) and some sippy cups - He LOVES the Spider Man ones :)

The baby will be 1 year old in 16 days (not counting today)!  We bought him a  pair of tennis shoes that he seems to like wearing when walking outside (he still holds onto us to walk).  He isn ow crawling up the stairs as much as he possibly can.  He put things to his ears to talk.  he dances to music.  I listened to familylife episode about 2 weeks ago and heard the moms from www.Momsoncall.com talking about their books.  So I checked out their site.  i bought their ebook about the older babies.  And since Daddy was away we tested out the 3  day theory on babies putting themself to slep.  You have to remember it has been almost 8 years since I had a little on here and Bubby is truly our sweet little baby and he sleeps in our room so it was easiest to lay down with him at bedtime.  Well, Friday night I turned on a waterfall sound on my radio after a bath, prayers and rocking time.  Then laid him in his bed.    After about 60 minutes of screaming (on his part) he fell asleep - after throwing all but 1 pacifier out of the bed.  The next night it took about 10 minutes and the next night he was so tired he fell asleep in my arms, last night it was after abotu 5 minutes.  I did not tell DH that we were working on this so it was a nice surpirse for him.  Ithas been nice, he is even going to bed a bit earlier. 

I am working on our schedule again since Bubby is going to bed earlier and has gone to 1 nap a day (his own doing).  We will be switching back to Weaver next "school year" too so that is playing into my schedule making.  I just hoewe can make it work because DH has been working really late nights for a while, he is talking about possibly bringing the business back home and we are still considering a possible move.  Please pray with us that god shows us what he wants us to do & where he wants us. 

We are going on a field trip to the newspaper in a few weeks and we are all excited :)

That is all I can think of for an update on us right now :)

~ Rachel

Check out this new site :)  It looks neat!

~ Rachel

I rcvd this from M tonight.  Please continue to pray for them.

"Hello again,
  This e-mail is just an update on my prior message for the prayer request.  First I want to thank everyone for all the support and prayers you have sent our way.  We truly appreciate it. As per my last message we had our appointment today (3/7/08) at the Children's Hospital in Washington DC.  The results did not come back as we all had hoped.  Little Kylie May was diagnosed with a severe brain abnormality called "Holoprosencephaly"(HPE).  There are several types of HPE, and unfortunately, Kylie has been diagnosed with the most severe form, called "Alobar".  Unlike normal brain development, Kylie's brain has not divided into the two normal hemispheres, causing severe abnormalities. If she were to last the entire term, and only 3% do, the doctors say she would not be able to develop the skills that a new born would need to survive, like eating & breathing. She would most likely suffer from severe seizures and would not survive past six months.  After consulting with the doctors and discussing all options,  we have been advised not to continue with the pregnancy.  We feel this is the safest option for K and in the best interest of Little Kylie, myself and even our daughter P.  This procedure will happen sometime next week at George Washington Hospital, so we would still like for you to keep us in your thoughts and prayers through this difficult time. Thank you all again and God Bless.
M & K"

1.) I need you to pray for a friend please. M & K have 1 beautiful DD that is about a year old or so.  "Hi everyone,  As most of you already know, My wife K is pregnant with our second child.  Today, March 5th we had an appointment with a doctor to get a sonogram done.  What some of might not have known, was this was the 3rd sonogram that we have gotten. The first one was done at nine weeks and the doctor was a little concerned with what looked like a little fluid in the baby's head, so she asked us to come back the next week to make sure that it was nothing.  The second sonogram at 10 weeks showed the same thing.  This time the doctor wanted us to wait until 18 weeks so that baby had time to develop so that they could see what was going on.  They sent us to a doctor in Fairfax where they have a level 2 sonogram machine. So after the doctor looked at the pictures, she didn't like what she saw, so they immediately sent us over to the hospital to see a specialist. We found out that our new little baby girl (Kylie May) has a cyst like substance covering over 25% of her brain. The doctor wasn't able to tell us exactly what it is or what is causing it. They took a bunch of test and we have an appointment this Friday at the children's hospital in Washington DC to get an MRI done to find out more about whats going on.  Things don't look good right now and if things don't get better in a hurry, we might have to terminate the pregnancy.  Please, please keep K, myself and especially little Kylie May in your prayers.  Thank you and God Bless. M"
 

2.)Update from Shalom: "Good afternoon all! I know it's been a while since I did one of these. Mostly because I haven't had much to report. Robbie is coming along each day getting stronger and stronger. His surgeon finally released him this AM so he can start Chemotherapy on Monday. He'll have 5 days in a row of chemo next week. Then a few weeks break, and then he'll have a month of every day Radiation treatments. Then we repeat the cycle all over again. He is ready to get everything started. I guess we both are. Tomorrow we have an appointment for me and baby in Richmond. Afterwards Robbie wants me to take him to have his head shaved. He said last time he waited until it started to fall out and it was hard to see it on the pillow. So we are going to shave it off before it has a chance to fall out. I have a feeling with the first swipe of the clippers I'll start crying. That's about it on this end. He's still doing the nightly feedings on the feeding tube and trying to eat a few bites here and there throughout the day. I'm really proud of him for fighting and pushing himself to eat even when he doesn't really feel like it.Keep the calls, visits, prayers, etc. coming. They really help him and me to get through this!!"

Thanks all! Rachel

1DS turns 9 tomorrow, so in honor of this he got to get a new do and thenhave his pics taken.  So, here is the 'do for you ;)  I have beeninformed they are now ading stripes to the sides or something.  I don't know.  It's just hair thank goodness! It looks really cute though :)

~ Rachel

Hey Everybody :)

Have you heard about it yet?!?  It is a new (& great) site just for us homeschoolers.  Go check it out & see what you think :)

~ Rachel

New puzzles & printables for the entire family: www.WuzzlesandPuzzles.com

http://themomblogs.com/momblog/?p=47 is having a contest with some gret giveaways just for spreading the word about this new site.  I have not had a chance to checck it out yet today but hope too.

Rachel

I reall liked this ne and thought some of you might too :) Hope everyone is having a great day!   ~ Rachel

January 30, 2008

Be the Man

By Van Walton

”Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” Luke 2:52 (NLT)

Devotion:

I recently visited my oldest son, Aaron, and his wife. They impressed me with their hard work and smart decisions. I admire them because they have found their way into responsible adulthood. 

I realize looking back that my son didn’t automatically grow into maturity. Foundation stones and building blocks had to be carefully laid. That is where parenting came in. In addition to providing food, clothing, and shelter my husband and I were committed to preparing our sons to be men of strong godly character.

I always tried to remind myself that I was not raising boys - I was growing young men.  When parenting got tough and I was tempted to back off and get lax, I remembered: “These are not little boys. They are future leaders, husbands and daddies. They need direction right now, not a push-over mom.”

Don’t get me wrong. I had lots of fun with my two sons, visiting museums, zoos, parks, and ski slopes. We attended church and participated in many children’s programs. Hiking the nearby woods, digging snow forts, and playing in the colorful fall leaves described our days.  

I have other memories also of challenging situations when I had to say, “No.” Sometimes the parent-child struggles seemed unbearable. I often wanted to give up, allowing Aaron or Benjamin to have their way. Their smart manipulations sometimes confused me. Then I would have to remind myself that I was the mom.

One of the most difficult parenting tasks is to remove oneself and allow our children to fail as a result of the choices they make. The first time Aaron missed the bus, we had been struggling with time issues. Watching him return home, I prepared myself by smiling and opening the door. Without overreacting I listened to his story and responded, “You know the house rules. If you are not in school, you go to bed and stay in bed.” He argued that he was not sick, that I should take him to school. I knew if I caved in today, this battle and similar battles would plague us. I stood my ground, telling him that daddy is never late to work. Grown men don’t “miss the bus.”

If mothers do not do their “home work” right the first time around, the re-do’s become increasingly difficult and complicated – sort of like if you don’t memorize your multiplication tables, division will take you down!

I had to get my home work right with my youngest son, Benjamin, also. Sometimes his choices put him in peril so I developed a short phrase to repeat whenever he tried to dodge uncomfortable consequences. “Be the man” I’d say, “I am sure you can figure your way out of this problem.” Angered, Benjamin would often accuse others, but I reminded him that he alone was at fault. Grown men do not blame others for their mistakes.

Recently Benjamin, who’s now in college, told us his winter break plans, including a ski trip with friends. After listening to the exciting details, including the fact that he funded his entire trip, I gladly replied, “You’re the man. I’m impressed!”

In my son’s voice I detected strength, confidence, and a growing sense of self worth when he thanked me. I flashed back to those times I had encouraged him to solve his problems and “be the man.” My words might have seemed harsh and uncaring, but in reality I spoke of trust and confidence, telling him he was capable.

If we parent with an eye to the future rather than working out of today’s emotional reactions, we’ll successfully accomplish our “home work” and help our sons “be the man” God wants them to be one day.

Dear Lord, being a good parent is difficult. I find it hard to draw the line between genuine love and foolish pampering. Give me strength to wisely direct my children. Give me a picture of my son as a man and help me to parent toward the future. I dedicate my children to You, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
That’s My Son: How Mom’s Can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character,
by Rick Johnson

Be the Parent by Kendra Smiley

Visit Van’s blog

From the Pound to the Palace, a children’s book by Van Walton

Application Steps: 

Write a letter to each of your children (or “god-children”) detailing your dreams for them. 

Reflections: 

What measures must I take today for my children to be enjoyable teens and godly adults?

Am I willing to take the necessary stands today so my children will grow up to be outstanding Christians tomorrow?

Power Verses:

1 Samuel 1:24 & 27, “After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was…, and brought him to the house of the LORD…‘I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.’” (NIV)

Hebrews 12:11, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (NLT)

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org

a few things that have been on my heart and that I feel I need to share with others.

My friend of 27 years if pregnant.  She had a micarriage a few months ago.  She ofun out around Christmas that she s pregnant again. Last week she found out that her DH of about 2 years has a very progressive form of stomach cancer. 

Another thing is Baby Noah.  you need to read his blog to understand his story. There is a link for newbies so that you can understand what is going on.  Tehy also posted about mito disease and how it affeccts the body last week so be sure to read that as well.  She is due to be induced next week with Baby Noah's baby sister.

I thank God that none of us have to go through live alone and that Gd has given us one another...

~ Rachel

I received this devotional this morning and I thought I would share it with all of you :)

Rachel

"January 16, 2008

Real Resolutions for Moms

By Karen Ehman

“… But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:13b-14 (ESV)

Devotion:

It’s that time when many of us are making New Year’s resolutions, so how about some resolutions for mothers?  Here are mine:

I will put my Bible before the television, the radio, the telephone, and even before good Christian books, for my children will know my priorities by the way they see me spend my free time.

I will make my prayer requests known before God and my children, enlisting their help in the process and informing them of the outcome, for by letting them help when I petition our Lord will they learn of a living God who still answers prayer.

When times of crisis, conflict or confusion arise, I will hit my knees before I hit the phone knowing that by my example my children will discover that although friends are important, God alone is the one who holds the solution to life’s every problem.

I will erase the words “luck” and “lucky” from my vocabulary and will instead by my speech point my children toward the One who orchestrates every detail of our lives and brings all good things to pass, for by this my children will learn of an omniscient God.

When bad things happen, I’ll neither grumble nor complain, but will instead help my children see that in the scope of our lives even the bad times are allowed for a reason,  for by this my children will learn quiet trust in their Maker.

When normal childhood mishaps occur, I will remember that although difficult, it is still easier to remove grape juice from off-white carpet than to erase harsh and unloving words hurled at a child whose chubby little fingers have failed her, for by this my children will see a God who understands when our best efforts fall short.

When my children have witnessed something ugly in me - unkind words, an angry temper, “harmless” gossip, biting sarcasm or even my infamous “mommy pout” when things don’t go my way - I will confess it as sin before them seeking their forgiveness, for by this my children will develop the much needed habit of wiping their spiritual slate clean before God and man.

I will teach my children the importance of cleanliness and order while at the same time remain sensitive to the fact that a skinned knee or hurt feeling is more crucial than a spotless floor or uncluttered counter, for by this my children will learn to value people above things.

I will make time for the lonely, the sick, the elderly, the difficult to love, and will bring my children along, for with each afternoon visit, each ride to the doctor, each raked lawn or washed window they will have opportunity to serve Jesus by serving the “least of these.”

I will make our home a haven of rest and retreat from the outside world and a welcomed place for my children’s friends, for with each impromptu backyard soccer game, each video viewed on a rainy day, each cup of hot cocoa or chocolate chip cookie, my children will have opportunity to practice the art of Christian hospitality thereby learning to share all God has given them.

I will by my actions and my speech let my children see a mom love their dad, for by this will my children sense family stability at a time when marriages all around them are crumbling.

I will not require of my children obedience, honesty, patience or kindness without first being willing to submit to the same rules whether in speed limit, in miscounted change from the grocery store or when answering a toddler for the fourteenth time, for by this my children will see a mother who is also learning and not a perfect parent to whom they’ll never measure up.

In all things will I remember that more is caught than is taught.

There are little eyes upon you, mom. You are the first Bible your children will ever read.

Dear Lord, may my goals this year spring from a right relationship with You and may carrying them out point others heavenward. In Jesus’ Name, Amen."

Hello Everyone!

Hope everyone's Christmas vacation and New Year's went well!  And I pray blessings in the new year for you all!  We drove to VA for Christmas on the 21st and returned on Jan. 1st.  We spent time with my family in VA, DH's Grandmother in OH and his sister's family in IL.  We just had Christmas this past weekend with his parents here in CO. 

The older kids both got laptops from the one laptop per child organization and they LOVE them :)  We do too.  They will be great for school.  They have really great stuff on them.  There are no disc drives.  They do have access to the internet so i ned to see if I can get some sort of internet guard on them.  My sister got them both Disney Mix Sticks.  My parents got them both all kinds of goodies from Vision Forum.  My DH's parents got DD a sewing machine and DS a SnoJack (think scooter meets snowboard).  And there were lots more goodies to be had by all :)  DH got me some beautiful jewelry and my mom got me (among other things) the book Passionate Housewives Deseperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacey McDonald.  DH got a book called Father Knows Less that is really good.  The baby got all kinds of noisy goodies too :)  We had a safe and uneventful drive all the way there and back. 

Yesterday we went on our first field trip of the year!  We went to Big Cats of Serenity Springs, www.bigcatsofserenitysprings.org.  That was really cool and very cold out too ;)  (I had he wrong addy there, not sure how I goofed that one up LOL, it is correct now.

Today we are buckling down to school with the first tests of the year in their Explode the Code books.  We have ballet today too.  I am hatching a few ideas for Bible study this week too.  We will do math, history, geography and grammar too.  PE was fulfilled with a wonderful time in the snow first thing this morning :) 

Oh, the baby was dedicated on Christmas at my grandfather's house in VA - he is a minister :)  He was so cute in his red First christmas suit with his red Santa hat on  - the baby that is ;)  He is 8 months old now (on Christmas day) and has his 2 front bottom teeth which can be quite painful during nursing ;}     

We are going through thing here in the house to donate or trash.  Our living room is full of kitchen items, clothing, toys and such to donate.  Things that we had too many of or not enough of (dishes). 

Well, I ust sign off - I have fed everyone but myself and it is lunchtime so I best be going....

~ Rachel

So, the kids rooms are clean.  They decided to school idenpendently today.  We will get back together to discuss Bible and do history & science together.  I am sitting here trying to figure out what to do!  It's not that I dont have anything to do or that I have WAY too much to do, it is that I am unsure of what I should do first.  I mean I have laundry to fold (3 loads), a Bible study I would like to work on, a book I want to read (well 3 or 4 of those really! LOL), a pantry to rearrange to make all the baby food fit, a shower to take and I am sure I could tihnk of more if I tried ;)  LOL  I hve 90 minutes because the baby is asleep and by the time I figure out what to do - the time will have disappeared!  LOL

Oh, the baby is 6 months old now.  He LOVES Sweet Potatoes, bananas and apple sauce. He does not like zuchinni (which I ave a ton of homemade zuchinni b/c the neighbor gave us a bunch of zuchini from his garden and were not going to eat it all).  So, I mixed apple sauce wiith it and he ate it all without spitting it out at me once!  He also does not like rice cereal - too bland I guess so I bought him oatmeal to try. 

Well, DD needs help with her plural nouns and he rules so I guess I have been assigned something to do since I could not (or is that would not?) decide?

~ Rachel

Biblical Womanhood is giving away 10 copies of the soon-to-be-released book, Passionate Housewives: Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald! Click here to enter to win!
http://www.biblicalwomanhoodonline.com/2007/10/giveaway-10-copies-of-passionate.html  I did!

~ Rachel

Another cool contest / giveaway to let you know about is called the Back To School Giveaway with Gymboree.