Isaiah 28: 9-10 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

I have some news about Abby that she's very excited about.  She has a Pen Pal!!!!  Hurray! 

I get on the Sonlight Forums pretty regularly, since that's the curriculum we use and love, and another mom out there had a little girl wanting a pen pal.  We e-mailed back and forth after finding out if Abby would want a 'mail friend', and it's all set.  This little girl is a little older, but will also mostly be drawing pictures with a few words here and there.  I think it will be great fun for them to have something to look forward to in the mail, and on top of that might end up being good writing practice. 

Than, after this sweet lady started the thread on Pen Pals, it seemed like everyone jumped on the boat.  'My son wants a pen pal, too' and 'My daughter mentioned something about wanting a pen pal, she's 11' and on it went.  It was so neat to see children of all ages start matching up around the country right before our eyes, just because this lady had the great idea to start it.  God bless her.  I think she started a good thing.  Abby is anticipating her first letter, and I can't wait to see her excitement when she recieves it!

Isaiah 28: 9-10 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

The other night, me and Abram (my 2 year old) were having a little talk about Daddy going to work and why.  I asked him, out of curiosity for what he would come up with, what his work would be when he grew up.  Guess what he said?!  He said he was going to have one of those big poles that catch fish (fishing pole).  I said, Oh so your going to be a fisherman?  And he said yeah.  And I said, So you're going to catch fish for your work?  And he said, "No, I'm gonna catch men!" 

Wow!  That blew me away.  I did not put that in his head, and I don't know where he got it from either.  I thought that was worth writing down! 

(That does not mean I'm going to eliminate all other careers from his future possibilities--I'm not one of those kind of parents.  He could be in any career and still 'fish for men'.  However, this makes me really aware, yet again, of my need to focus more attention on teaching my children the bible.  I had a dream shortly after Abram was born that I was nursing him, and that instead of milk, he was drinking the Word of God!  It was a very real dream that I take very seriously.  I don't know what God has in store for that little boy, but I know He wants me to pour the Word of God into him.)

Isaiah 28: 9-10 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

Anyone who really knows me, knows my biggest dream is being a published author.  While that's still a long way off, I believe God moves us in little steps.  I absolutely love blogging, and will be remaining here, but I found a way to blog on blogger and make a little extra money while I'm at it.  I don't expect to reach the moon this way, but it would be nice to get paid to write. 

I will be keeping this blog, although probably writing less here to consentrate there, and will be deleting my health blog.  I am going to continue my journey to health, but I will just blend that in with whatever else I write to cut back on the seperate places I write. 

I would really love for all of you who read my stuff, to come and visit my new blog.  I will be focusing on writing about living a simple life in the city.  You will find Simple Life in the City at:

www.simplicityncity.blogspot.com .

If you enjoy reading my posts, please add me to your favorites and get the word out.  The more people who read what I write, the better.  I have learned so much from all of you, and I would love to be a ministry to those around me as well. 

Isaiah 28: 9-10 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

Just a quick warning:  This page should not be read by teens or children without the approval of their parents!!!

I fight daily with the desire and longing for a simpler life, whatever that means.  To some, it means being in the mountains of Montana, off the grid, like my dear blogfriend MontanaMama.  To some, it means having a sparsley furnished condo and decorating in black and white.  To me, however, it means a clean, orderly home, unhindered by the things we don't need. 

This dream of mine is still so far away, but I work towards it daily.  Cleaning out a box here, organizing a closet there, learning a different, healthier way of making macaroni and cheese.  Simplicity for me means more than just the house, but all that home involves.  A simpler diet, of healthy foods, a simple budget that removes debt from our lives, a simpler schedule, that frees our family to be a family.  (I loved being able to just throw the kids in the car and go eat a birthday lunch with my dad and the whole Fenter family.  Would that have happened if my calendar was stuffed to the brink?  Probably not.) 

Most times, simplicity means subtracting from our lives, to add to the fullness of it, but other times it means adding.  Adding in the bubble bath, unrushed for the kids to play in, the time to sit and enjoy reading my bible, excersize to reduce the weight that hinders (getting there, slowly).  Homeschooling itself, is a simplicity to me, even though it adds a lot of work to my life.  Abby and Abram will most likely miss out on a few really remarkable teachers or the Region choir competition, that I was able to be a part of.  But they will also, hopefully, miss out on some of the experiences I had to face while I was really too young:   I almost became the girlfriend of a gang leader (unbeknownst to my parents), was approached by real pimps asking me if I would like to make big money prostituting for them, was accused of being a lesbian, was given an application to be a stripper at a nearby place, and was told details of a homosexual relationship between one of my close friends and his boyfriend, just to name a few.  No, I was never approached about drugs or alchohol, but some of these were far worse.  I would like to spare my children of such temptations, because whether or not I would like to admit it, I was flattered to be asked about such things at that time.  I had really great parents, and yet these things I faced.  I would like a much simpler life for my children. 

I don't know if simplicity of life will ever mean for me homemade bread every day, and land to explore in, but I also don't want the possibility of a remarkable life crowded out by junk food, too many toys, too much t.v., terrible influences, and boxes full of junk I can't find a place for. 

At this time, my de-junking is mainly dietary.  I want the junk food out of my house and healthy foods to come in.  I don't know how long this will take, but I am looking forward to a healthy body and a healthy family. 

(Oh, and P.S.--My DH bought me some industrial strength garage shelves to organize the stuff I want to keep on!!!!!!!  Thank you, Josh!  What a treat!!)

Isaiah 28: 9-10 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

I have started a new blog about my health and weight issues and how God is changing me.  My mom found out she is diabetic, and I need to change my habits and health while I'm young.  God has been calling me to change for a very long time, and that's what this new blog is about.  Change is going to happen, and if you want to help keep me accountable or pray for me, please comment on my new blog, www.homeschoolblogger.com/freedomcorridor .

Isaiah 28: 9-10 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

I'm trying to get back to my normal life, now that we're not packing anymore.  Most of what I already packed is staying that way, but hopefully I'm going to slowly go through each box and try to get rid of as much as possible.  There are certain things that I would not have boxed up if I would have known we would not move yet, so I have to find those things. 

I ordered and already recieved our next set of Science curriculum!  I am so excited.  Abby and Abram LOVE their science stuff and we flew through last years stuff.  I couldn't justify reading all those Core C Science books yet again, when I've already read most of them twice.  (I will again when Abram gets older, just not again this year).  Plus, the Science 1 from Sonlight looked Sooooo appetizing!  Hee Hee!  I LOVE TEACHING!!!!!!!!!!!!  Anyway, here's what we just got in the mail from Sonlight.  (They are already devouring the pictures and asking questions!)

Science Supply Kit 1

Science 1 Instuctor's Guide

Pasteur's Fight (a biography)

Usborn's Internet linked First Encyclopedia of Animals

Usborn Starting Point Science Book (including What makes it rain?, What makes a flower grow?, Where does electricity come from?, and What's under the ground?)

Usborn's First Guide to the Universe

Discover and Do Level 1 Science DVD!!!!!!!  (Our first one is about worn out and they snatched this one out of the box and started jumping up and down begging to watch it right then!  How could I say no to that??  If this one's like the other one, they will ask to see it every day.)

Usborn's What Makes You Ill?.

Usborn's Science Activities Vol. 1  (Science projects)

Magic School Bus at Waterworks (really cute!)

Usborn's Why Do People Eat?.

Usborn's What's Inside You?.

Then I couldn't help but get a few extras!  I bought Abby a suppliment Math program from Singapore and some storybooks for Abram:

Singapore Math 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B (Earlybird set, including Pattern Blocks with Mirrors and guide cards and book)

A Robert McCloskey collection (for Abram)

Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales (I couldn't leave Abby out--she loves the storybooks!)

Mike Mulligan and More (for Abram)

This is the first time I have not bought the entire year's Curriculum at once, but we just weren't going to buy stuff we weren't ready for yet!  We were only days away from being done with her Science K stuff, but we are months away from finishing anything else. 

I can't believe we're so ahead when I feel like we're just PLAYING!!  (We're really just ahead in Science, though.  The rest of it, Abby's either in K or PreK material, depending on what subject it is.)  It's going to be pretty funny if someone asks me what grade she's in!  LOL!!!  "Ummm...preK through 1st."  There is just no such thing as grade level when it comes to homeschoolers, is there?! 

So, what would I really say?  I don't know, honestly.  At this point, I might spend time explaining.  But it's kinda like people asking about a broken leg--at first you want to explain it to everyone, and then you get tired of explaining and just say you had and accident on your bike.  So, right now I might be funny and say she's in preK through 1st or PreKfirstagarten! LOL!  But really, I'll probably just try to remember whatever grade her age group is in and say that...at least when I get over the thrill of saying Prekfirstagarten.  But, maybe I'll never get tired of saying that!  But I do keep her back with her agegroup in Sunday school, though.  I don't want her thinking she's better or smarter than everyone.  I don't want her to be some egotistical brat, if you know what I mean.  But, I'm so proud of her.  (And, whisper whisper, the Fletcher/Fenter/Dyson children are smarter than the status quo!)

Isaiah 28: 9-10 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

"He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.  Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."  --Isaiah 40: 29-31

This was not what we wanted to hear, but everywhere I turned, every time I got quite, that's what God said to me, "Tabitha, those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength" or "Someday you will mount up with wings like eagles, but you have to wait" or some version of that.  Then the songs that came to mind, the blogs I read, the songs at church, spoke of waiting.  At first I thought it may just be a 'don't rush it' kind of thing, until we talked to the realtor.  We wouldn't have come away from the table with much for our new house. 

I told Josh about what I had been hearing on the way to church, but told him it was his decision anyway.  The first song at church was about waiting!  Okay God!  Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I am listening.  And after Josh decided to call off the moving for a while longer, a peace really came over me about our little townhome.  My home looks so clean now and I'm determined to keep it that way.  I will not be unpacking all those boxes!  Our home looks so much better without all that junk.  I might have to dig for a few needed things, but the rest of it can stay packed for awhile.

We might still be fixing up some things around here.  The back of our house needs to be redone and our floors look the worst.  I'm just going to leave all that up to Josh and help where I can.  He's thinking about laying tile downstairs--his mom has a tile saw and he knows how to do it. 

Anyway, thank you all for praying for us in this process!!  He answered.  I still believe God has a house out there for us, but it's not His timing just yet.