To the rescue ...

Well, the week has proven to be a challenge, but we are making it. John working late, buried in laundry and a little behind in school for the week, but we should make up for it today! Paw Paw and Jen Jen have been in Bossier City for some R & R, and they have decided to come on over here for a few days! What a blessing! I may actually get caught up on laundry after all! (Since Grant can only find clean shorts to wear in 30 degree weather, thankfully we are planning on staying home today - and his pants are drying now!) God is good!

For my husband:

Psalm 56:3,4

When I am afraid,

I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mortal man do to me?

More sickness!

Well ... we thought we were getting over the cold/allergy stuff, but it is still lingering a little! Then on Monday night, things took a dramatic turn ... I was just drifting off when Jack got sick (yucky sick)! He was running a high fever and couldn't rest! I was trying to pinpoint what was wrong, but couldn't. Finally he complained of his neck hurting. I thought it was his throat, but we finally traced it to his right ear. I went and dug out some numbing drops and that helped after a while. When we finally got to sleep for a length of time, we were doing better. When he awakened Tuesday morning, his fever was still close to 102! My kids never run fever like that (unless something major is going on), especially in the morning! So, I start trying to plan to get him to the doctor! With John's help to feed the older kids. I got Jack bathed and we were dressed to go! We were at the doc around 9AM! My suspicions were correct ... his right ear is VERY infected. We got medicine and lunch and headed home! Jack slept for three hours in the playroom on the futon! He still wasn't great, but as the day went on, he was much improved! Now I am catching up on laundry ... lots of towels and sheets! :) I am so thankful I am not dealing with a virus!
Thankfully - we are recovering well!

Mystery turns into adventure ... but, everything is going to work out fine!

Well ... most of you know the adventure already ... but I am using my blog as a journal of sorts for me ... so I have to finish my story!

On Friday, half of our company had arrived and we were still waiting on the man to come install our new hot water heater! So, we were preparing supper with no hot water! Not too bad, but we couldn't wash dishes very well! Right after this young man (from a different country - we couldn't understand him very well) arrived , the rest of our family arrived and we were ready to eat! The plumber proceeded to tell John that this wasn't going to be a simple install. There were a few things that needed to be done to bring this hot water heater install "up to Allen code." John knew the closet needed to be vented more, so he took care of that, but the other items were a bit more involved! There had to be some type of drain installed in case the hot water heater broke again, so it wouldn't flood the house. The problem was that our hot water heater closet is not on an exterior wall. So, he was going to install a more expensive alarm that would let you know if there was a leak, but the closest part was in Irving! No way on a Friday night, and it was already around 7:30 PM! The plumber finally came back with a cheaper solution ... install a pipe from the drip pan at the hot water heater, around the laundry room wall, through a hole (that he had to drill) behind my dryer. The work began as we were putting our kids down (later than usual). John and his brother went to the store to get some supplies while the plumber started working on removing the old heater! The water wouldn't turn off at the heater, so he had to turn the water off to the house! Now, it is really getting fun! At 10:30 I head to bed with Michael. The drilling was still going on and LOUD, so I laid in bed with him and I dozed off. Around 11:30 I awakened and put Michael in his bed, and went and told John and David good night! John didn't get to bed until after the plumber left at 2 AM! Talk about a job!
Well, through this evening we kept saying ... it is ok ... it is only money ... God is in control! Do we believe that "everything is going to work out fine," is what our pastor continued to ask in his sermon on Sunday. I can say that through our frustrating circumstances on Friday, we had no doubt that "everything was going to work out fine!" How wonderful to have peace in the midst of a situation that could cause such chaos ... because God is in control of EVERY aspect of our lives!

All Things Work Together for Good
Hal Brunson, Ph.D.
Isaiah 46; Ephesians 1; Romans 8
To listen to this sermon please click on the link below: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sermonID=3190613827

The Mystery of the Growing Puddle

I always try to hear my children out before I accuse them of something. If I didn't see it, there is no telling what really happened. This morning I was walking into our playroom from the living room and in the doorway I stepped into something damp. I immediately asked Grant is he sneezed! "No, mam," he answered. I asked again to get the same response. So, I asked the other children if they knew anything about it, but no one knew anything! I got a paper towel and blotted it and went on my way to feed the baby. Well, not to long after that, I went back to round them up to do something and I stepped in "it" again. Except now, it was MORE wet! I got a towel and blotted it again, and reluctantly smelled it! I know, that was brave ... it could have been MANY things - from spit up to everything imaginable, but it wasn't - no smell. I was ready to accuse some children of slipping drinks out of the kitchen (something they don't normally do)! They all denied it! So, I put more cloths on top of the original wet one, and when I checked it before leaving to run errands, it was ALL soaked! OK, I feel silly now! What is the deal? I am looking up at the woodwork, nothing there. This spot is in the middle of the doorway! Finally, I was about to call my dear hubby, who doesn't have time to deal with this, and it hit me ... the hot water heater is on the other side of the wall! How it is only wet in the middle of the area - I have no idea, but that is the case! While I went to Target and Sam's, my sweet husband went to Lowe's to purchase a new water heater (after he came home to assess the problem), it will be installed between 3 and 7 PM! Just in time for company and dinner! Life is FUN! I mean that! I am also thankful that my children were all innocent in this case! I wish we didn't have to purchase a new hot water heater, but I am more thankful that is wasn't something my children did!
Have a blessed weekend!

Spunky's Comments ...

http://spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2005/04/winning-over-relative.html

For some reason I can't click on the above link and get there, but I can cut and paste it fine ... sorry for the inconvenience.

Homeschooling

I had a friend recently ask me about homeschooling. I want to give her the most information possible! So, I have been doing a little research and compiling some web-sites etc. If anyone reads this and has ANYTHING to add, please leave a comment! We will all benefit!

One thing I can't put my hands on is something I previously read about "how to answer when people ask you why you homeschool." Or how to "defend" your position to family and friends without saying too much. I know we have always had a lot of support, but when we have been questioned we would just say ... we are taking it one step at a time, and this is what is best for our family right now. If you have any insight on this, PLEASE comment!

Things get a little crazy at times, but we LOVE homeschooling! We enjoy the flexibility! We love making it all we need it to be and leaving the rest! We don't do any extra activities at this point. Since our children are 7, 5, 2.5, and 4 months - I have no desire to be out on the go a lot! We barely make it to the grocery and to get diapers when we need them! LOL! I haven't brought myself to go back to using cloth diapers! Yes, I did it at one time, and I may return to it to save a little cash, but for now ... I am helping fill the garbage dump! Needless to say, we like to stay home ... with a once a week trip to the library, to the store every other week or so, and to church every week - we are DONE! We have enough variation when family comes to visit or it is time for a check-up at the doctor! When Shelby was small, we would sometimes do an extra activity in the summer, but we don't do that every summer.
A little of our homeschool history. We set out, before we ever had children, planning to homeschool. I taught and we decided we didn't want our children in that setting. We homeschool for many reasons. The main one at this point is the peer influence. The other big reason is the academics. That last one scares me to death, but I know that I am starting young and I am learning with them. I don't have to jump into teaching algebra and chemistry! When Shelby was young a friend told us about a book The Well-Trained Mind. This book has been a big guide for our homeschool planning. Even with that influence, we decided to use Sonlight for out material for Shelby's kindergarten. Shelby was ready to start when I was expecting Jack! I was not in a mode that I could plan and collect materials for teaching. The Sonlight curriculum was just what I needed! We planned to take two years to complete kindergarten with Shelby. We were able to do an abbreviated schedule and take time off to visit family, sickness, and the birth of Jack. Sonlight had it all laid out, and we loved it! I still use some of it to supplement what I am doing, but it really got us off to a good start! Sonlight helped me to push some skills I would have never thought of at such a young age! It was amazing what we were able to read aloud as a family when Shelby was 4 and Grant was 2! What a special family time! Now we follow the classical approach that The Well-Trained Mind teaches, and we are progressing nicely! We had a big "vacation" in the fall for circumstances that we couldn't help, but that is part of the reason we homeschool. We are catching up and we are back in the swing of things! We are so blessed with the gift of teaching our children.
Below is something I got from a blog that I mention later! Some of it is funny, some of it is true, and some of it I would have left out, but ... here it is: What is a teacher?

Friday, February 18, 2005

A teacher is someone who can...

Give a hug without getting arrested.--

Bandage a knee without calling the school nurse.--

Change a lightbulb without calling the custodian.--

Make the children wash the bathrooms.--

Have a relationship with the principal without getting fired.--

Teach a child's mind while capturing their heart.--

Teach what they believe in and believe in what they teach.--

Meet the child's need and not worry about meeting the state guidelines.--

Commit to a lifetime of work without pay.--

Pray! in class, out loud, with the children and the ACLU can't say a word.

There is is only one that can fill that job description .. A teacher is a mom

"Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching." Proverbs 1:8

Spunky

Ok ... below are web-sites and blogs I have found. Some I have used a great deal. Others I have only found on my quest to find more information in the last few days. I am not sure what all you will find on these site, so please don't think that I agree with it all! I pray that this helps some of you as you get ready to homeschool!

Sonlight
http://www.sonlight.com/

National Home Education Network
http://www.nhen.org/newhser/default.asp?id=228

http://www.brandonstaggs.com/biblical-reasons-to-home-school.html

Home Educator.com
http://www.homeeducator.com/FamilyTimes/articles/8-4article2.htm

Love to Learn Place
http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/HomeSchoolFacts/reasonstohomeschool.html

Google search – Reason to Homeschool
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=reasons+to+homeschool&spell=1

http://homeschooling.about.com/

http://homeschooling.about.com/od/gettingstarted/p/homeschool101.htm

The Well-Trained Mind
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/




Blogs:
http://www.spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/

http://www.homeschoolbuzz.com/

http://susan.peacehillpress.net/blog/

http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2006/02/introduction-to-homeschooling.html

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KeepingtheHome/90805/


Encouragement and Friends

http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/

http://helpmatefirst.blogspot.com/

http://blessedmomoffour.blogspot.com/

Sickness

Well, I think we finally are getting our round of illness! It is always hard for me to tell what is allergy and what is cold, but when everyone ends up with it ... I think it is cold and contagious! :) I kept Grant home from church on Sunday thinking it was just his allergies getting pretty bad. When he sneezes, you don't want to be anywhere near him! But by Monday evening, Shelby was complaining of her throat hurting! Also, Michael started getting VERY stuffy, and didn't rest well last night because of it! I guess we have been out too much lately - ha! So, we will be trying to recoup over the next few days before company comes on Friday! We are praying that John and I stay well!

4 months

Today, our youngest son is 4 months old! How time flies! What a blessing this precious gift has been to our family! He is growing like a weed ... 14 pounds and 8 ounces, and around 24 inches long! He has been rolling over from his tummy to his back! He loves to laugh at us all! Mostly he likes to try to suck or chew on every finger and thumb ... even attempting to put them all in at the same time! What a bright eyed blessing ... our growing little Michael.

The Library

One thing that our family is in the habit of doing is going to the library! Shelby started going to storytime in LA when she was about 3 1/2. We had precious librarians that worked hard to teach the children how to care for books while they tried to instill a love for books in each child. Just a few months before we moved to TX, Grant was old enough to go to storytime! What a treat for us on Wednesday mornings! Once we moved to TX, it was over 6 months before we were settled in a home and ready to start exploring new places, like the library! But, we are now hooked! We are so blessed with a great children's section at our library here in Allen! While Grant is in storytime, there is plenty of time for us to look up books, do puzzles, explore on the computer, and watch the fish in the aquarium! If it weren't for the library and the books they provide, our educational experience would not be as exciting! Don't get me wrong, we own many books - but our love for books exceeds our monetary means! HA! Even with all the books they came with our first "school" curriculum, I can't keep enough for Shelby to read! It is amazing where reading can take us!
As you can see, the picture is of Grant holding his 1st library card! He is thrilled! He is only sounding short vowel words right now, but he is well on his way to be an excellent reader ... like his big sister!

5 Years Old!

I can not believe that my oldest son is 5 years old! It was just five years ago that the Lord awakened me with light contractions and three hours later we were holding our first son and the first grandson for our families! We had prayed for a son, in hopes of raising him in the way of the Lord! It is our prayer that he will become a godly young man that will raise a family for the Lord!
This picture was taken this morning as Grant and Daddy were heading out for breakfast! We try to make 5th birthdays special, so today Grant started with some"Daddy/Son time"! What a privilege it is to raise these precious children! I thank the Lord for loaning me this sweet and tender-hearted son!

The Horse Girl

Shelby was finally able to go on her "Horsemanship Day" with Daddy yesterday! We gave this to Shelby for her birthday! I asked her if it was as good as she expected, and she said, "BETTER!" God made some marvelous animals for us to enjoy! What a blessing! I pray she can do more with horses in the future. The Lord has given her a sweet desire for one of His creations!

Meet Him in the Morning

On Wednesday I cheated and read two days of Streams in the Desert, because I was sending our copy on a trip with my husband! The reading convicted me so and was such a great reminder that I wanted to share it ... and post it here as a reminder to me! This is the encouragement I needed to press on in training my children - by first focusing on my heart's priority each morning!


Title: Meet Him in the Morning
Author: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
Source: Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman.
Web Page: http:www.backtothebible.org/devotions/printer.htm
"Be ready in the morning, and come u ...present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee" (Exod. 34:2-3).
The morning watch is essential. You must not face the day until you have faced God, nor look into the face of others until you have looked into His.
You cannot expect to be victorious, if the day begins only in your own strength. Face the work of every day with the influence of a few thoughtful, quiet moments with your heart and God. Do not meet other people, even those of your own home, until you have first met the great Guest and honored Companion of your life--Jesus Christ.
Meet Him alone. Meet Him regularly. Meet Him with His open Book of counsel before you; and face the regular and the irregular duties of each day with the influence of His personality definitely controlling your every act.
Begin the day with God!He is thy Sun and Day!His is the radiance of thy dawn;To Him address thy lay.
Sing a new song at morn!Join the glad woods and hills;Join the fresh winds and seas and plains,Join the bright flowers and rills.
Sing thy first song to God!Not to thy fellow men;Not to the creatures of His hand,But to the glorious One.
Take thy first walk with God!Let Him go forth with thee;By stream, or sea, or mountain path,Seek still His company.
Thy first transaction beWith God Himself above;So shall thy business prosper well,And all the day be love.--Horatius Bonar
The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early upon their knees.
Matthew Henry used to be in his study at four, and remain there till eight; then, after breakfast and family prayer, he used to be there again till noon; after dinner, he resumed his book or pen till four, and spent the rest of the day in visiting his friends.
Doddridge himself alludes to his "Family Expositor" as an example of the difference of rising between five and seven, which, in forty years, is nearly equivalent to ten years more of life.
Dr. Adam Clark's "Commentary" was chiefly prepared very early in the morning.
Barnes' popular and useful "Commentary" has been also the fruit of "early morning hours."
Simeon's "Sketches" were chiefly worked out between four and eight.

In February

Last month marked a year since we went on our 10th Anniversary Cruise! What a blessing it was for our family to keep our children so that we could take that time for us. We look forward to the day that we can do that again ... maybe in 10 more years! The Lord has blessed us with such a sweet relationship! I would not want to walk this road of life with any other man! Thank the Lord for my dear husband! I love you, John!

I am still here ...

I am still in the blog world ... a little ... ha! I have been reading a little, just not writing! Since my sweet husband was under the weather this weekend ... I am trying to come up for air! I have been working hard yesterday and today to get my WHOLE house cleaned (the dust was AWFUL) and get ready to pick my Mom up at the airport tonight! My Dad will drive in on Thursday! We also had a lunch date today with one of Shelby's old FaithKeeper friends, so I have a little more dusting to do before I head to the airport! On top of all of that I finished reading "Don't make me count to three!" by Ginger Plowman, and have been trying to step up the training in our home! Needless to say, my efforts have not been what I had hoped, but I am praying that the Lord give me the strength I need and the grace I need to press on! I have improved in one area - but have about 10 more that I am failing in! I have each new day to try to train my precious gifts better than the day before! Thank you, Lord for each new day you give me!

Trust in the LORD!

I have been wanting to write this post all month, but I haven't made the time. I can't take the chance of the month ending without expressing how thankful we are for our precious church family at First Baptist Parker! This month marks one year that we have been worshipping with this body of believers, and our family has been so blessed! Only the Lord knew what we would face in this first year at FBC - Parker, and we know that his sovereign plan has been shown through our lives! Prayerfully, the events of the last year have been for His glory and our good! Thank you to our God, for the grace He has given me each day. Thank you to a precious pastor and his wife that have sacrificed their own time and blessed us with prayer, education (on lessons I would rather not have had to learn), and shared wisdom beyond measure! Thanks to my sweet friends that have loved my children like their own, brought us meals (and cooked meals for our freezer), prayed for us, and encouraged me over the last few months! I have prayed so long for friends that are liked minded in the Lord ... He has provided in His time! Thank the Lord for providing this church for our family! We have received such encouragement from this body. I want to close with an encouraging quote and scripture that friends sent me a few months ago:
"I've learned to bless the wave that crushes me against the Rock of ages" ... I have no idea to whom to credit that quote, but it blessed me and pointed my thoughts toward heaven ... and continues to help me keep my focus!
Isaiah 26:3&4 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal."

Delayed Valentine's Day!

Well ... I have a little more to say about last week before I proceed any further! John had a full week with lots of travel! He actually was able to see his brother, Kevin, on Thursday before he headed home from Baton Rouge! On Friday we stayed in from the cold and had PIZZA! YEAH!
Here's the best part ... John and I celebrated our "Valentine's Day" on Saturday evening when our "once a month" baby-sitters, Aunt Andrea and Uncle Chris, came to keep the children! Even Michael stayed with them this time! We wanted dinner and possibly dessert ... we finally decided on orange chicken from Panda Express and then we proceeded to MiMi's for dessert! BREAD PUDDING! We sat in a booth across the room from a cozy fire (the wind chill was around 17 outside) and enjoyed coffee, bread pudding, and some sweet conversation (memories and of course some of our "to-do" list! John gave me a sweet (funny) Valentine card, and our fortune cookies were quite interesting! We had a couple of hours of "mommy/daddy" time! We can't get too much of that these days! I hope your Valentine's day was a memorable one!

Full Week

This week has proven to be FULL! Granny Susan was here for two nights, John was in Austin on Tuesday and is heading to the airport now to fly to Baton Rouge - from there he will drive to New Orleans fo r the day! Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the library, after I had spent the morning doing school activities and being a travel agent!
John is excited about the work he is doing. I pray that it is a refreshing experience that leads him into something different that he would like to do for a career! Lord, please bless him!
More later on the details of my life - LOL!

Dancing at our Valentine's Party

Grant is getting after it!

YYYYYYYYYYY

You can only imagine!
YYYYYYYYYYY

Our God is so GOOD!

He doesn't have to be ... but HE is good. We have made it through another week, and we are pressing on in our Lord! It is kind of scary having four children sometimes and a husband pursuing a new career ... but I am here pressing on as a wife and mother. I am so thankful that the Lord sends encouragement my way when He knows I need it!
Yesterday we had a great time with our old FaithKeeper friends. We were invited to go to a Valentine party at Mrs. Cindy's house. The children had a great time playing outside (before our real cold front came through), hoola hooping, dancing, and of course eating cookies (Jack's favorite). What a blessing to have such sweet friends. I hope we can start a FaithKeeper group in our area ... when I think I can add that to my life! YIKES!
Well ... need to download those pics from yesterday and finish school! We have been quite productive this morning! Thank the Lord! We ARE learning! :) YYYY

Jack's Picture

"A good freight car from Thomas!" by Jack 2.5 years old

Yesterday, Jack drew his first "train." He has been drawing circles and things that aren't just scribbles, but yesterday was good! Take a look!

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I can't view my blog test!

Our precious new little one! The source of my schedule at this point in life! :) He is our precious gift from the Lord ... just what we need to get us through this season!

Just another "Manic Monday" :)

For those of you who know my life ... that is a pretty funny title!!!! Actually today was good! We are all tired, but it was good! The children are all getting over their allergy/cold symptoms, and so is John.
On the "bummer" side, Shelbs can't go to her horse riding day on Saturday! The camp didn't have enough sign up, so she will go in March! She is a little bummed, but she took it well!
John got an encouraging call this evening! I will share more of that later!
Going to bed ... while I can! Good night!

Night Out

Well ... my first ladies' night out after baby #4! What fun, and the family hardly knew I was gone!
The Lord has blessed me with such sweet friends!

Happy Birthday, Julie!