So I said...hey....what's going on?? :)

I said, Hey...What’s going on???? :D

It’s been quite a whirlwind lately. God is up to something in our family and I’m anxious to see what it is! This past Sunday we had the privilege of voting in a new pastor for our church, The Church at Avon. It was a very exciting time for our church. Our new pastor and his wife have 3 boys and God has really blessed our church with this family.

As of today, we have ONE month left of school! ALL of us are ready for school to be over for the year. I have decided that we are going to do a little switch-a-roo next year. We are sticking with the Alpha Omega Publishers, but changing the curriculum. We’ve been using Switched-on-Schoolhouse, but next year we will use a combination of Horizons and Lifepacs. Haeley and Jasmine will use the Lifepacs exclusively. Gabe and Justin will use a combo of Horizons and Lifepacs. I’m excited for the change. Switched-on-Schoolhouse is a wonderful program, but just not the right fit for our family. We only have one computer for school and Haeley, Jasmine, and Gabe all have to cycle through the computer throughout the day. I look forward to sitting down at the table next year with all the kids and doing things as a family. I look forward to the time to help and teach the kids more in that aspect. I do not however look forward to grading and the record keeping. Ugh. Oh well, that’s all a part of it, right?

We’ve had our share of bonfires this spring. The yard is getting cleaned up rather nicely and the kids are loving their hot dog roasts, and s’mores. Any ideas on what else we can roast??? I’m OVER hot dogs. I love sitting by my man out at the fire. I love getting to talk with him and hearing nature’s nightlife. The only downside to spring being here has been the allergies. I really think Justin is fighting some serious allergies. It’s been going on for a good 2 weeks now and he is just miserable. I hate it for him. I’ve had a bit of a spring cold. We have allergy testing scheduled for Justin in May. Then a week later we have Gabe’s testing too. I know that it is going to be a very difficult thing to watch and do, but I pray that we get some answers for these little guys. I’m pretty confident we have some food allergies---rather, food sensitivities with these two. Time will tell.

Since my last post, I still have maintained a healthy relationship with Facebook. It’s still there and I still visit it on occasion, but it is not the time hogger that it was in the past. I can’t believe that a month ago we were in Costa Rica. If I could go back and do things over again, Costa Rica would still happen. Brad and I had such an amazing time and the Lord really used that time to speak to the two of us on our relationship with each other and Him. My time in the Word has been stronger since we have been back from Costa Rica and my desire to be in the Word has been stronger. All I know was that while in Costa Rica God worked a mighty wonder in my life with Him and my family. I find myself truly appreciating most moments now. I do love being Mom. I love where God has placed me and I desire to serve Him better.

Thank you Lord for my family. Thank you for your wisdom. I thank you for blessing Brad and I with our trip. I do not ever want to forget all that you taught me in that time. I thank you for re-aligning my priorities and for drawing me closer to You. Lord I thank you for our friends and our church family. I pray your hand of blessing on this time of transition and I pray for an understanding heart from the current church of our new pastor. I love you Lord. Amen.

Facing Facebook

So, it’s no secret that I have had an addiction of sorts to Facebook. When I first signed up for it I was not quite sure what it was and I didn’t do much with it. Then I discovered the joy and fun of Facebook. And the more time I spent on Facebook, the more I was getting hooked on it. I enjoyed hooking up with old friends and keeping tabs on my family. I enjoyed looking at everyone’s pictures and seeing how they were doing in their lives. Then I got introduced to the games. First it was Bejeweled Blitz. Then Farkle and FarmTown. Soon after that it was Restaurant City, Cafe World, and FarmVille. Even with the similarities of the games they were so different in many different aspects. I was never playing more than three at the same time ( I know that still is a lot ) and I would talk with my other gaming friends about the differences and so forth. I would find myself seeing at all hours of the day what my friends were doing on FB and I would have to go check it out. I found myself spending more time on FB than I would like to admit. There were days when I was embarrassed at the amount of time I spent there, but it was my escape when the kids were frustrating me. It was my little escape from life. However, my escape from life began taking over my life.

This was not entirely clear to me until just recently. Brad and I enjoyed a glorious nine day vacation in Costa Rica with our good friends, Steve and Lettie. While in Costa Rica I received that escape from life that I had so desperately been seeking through my time on FB. And I also received something else. And amazing epiphany from my Lord! I do not need the games on FB. I do not need FB. I need one thing and one thing only---Him. While I seeked my escape from the games on FB, the status updates, and the pictures I missed out on the big picture. My escape needs to be in prayer and in the Word. Not the words of others’ status updates. Don’t get me wrong, FB is not the problem. I was the problem. I was allowing FB to take priority over too many things. My house suffered, I would be willing to say my kids suffered, my relationship with Brad suffered, but most importantly, my relationship with my Lord and Savior suffered. Upon this realization I promptly turned off the applications on FB that I had been using. I don’t need them.

When I started FB’ing I quit blogging. I love blogging. I love writing stories of my kids and my family. I love having that collection of thoughts to go back to and read over on those days when yesterday seems so far away. So, as I write this I know in my heart that while I will stay on FB and keep up with people, but my focus, my concern will not be there. My focus is on the prize. I will press on in life towards a more intimate relationship with my Lord. I desire to be closer to the Lord, closer to my man, and closer to my children. I pray that as I embark on this change (even if it seems silly to some of you) in my life that on the tempting days I will put that temptation at the foot of the cross.

Love to all!

Tonight I had the pleasure of having a mini-date with Brad. We had a meeting to go to at 7:30, but my neighbor got here at 6:30 so we could go to dinner first. We met at Outback and Brad had already gone in and gotten us a table and ordered our food. He knows me so well!!! Coconut shrimp, diet coke, 9oz sirloin (medium rare), yummy mashed potatoes, and steamed veggies! MMMMM!!! I love me some steak! Then we headed to the Roger's house and had a wonderful time of fellowship with coffee and dessert! I needed this evening so much. I sang Natalie Grant's song "I believe" the whole way to the restaurant, to the Roger's, and home. It is such a powerful song with a great message of Christmas.

I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping! YEA! Hopefully I'll be able to finish up this week. Brad's birthday is on Thursday. I got him Wii Sports Resort. Shhhh...don't tell him! I know I'm safe posting what I got him because he never reads my blog. Maybe if he realizes I post sensitive information he will come check it out. ;-) I'm going to hit the sack. G'nite-

Creative Writing by Haeley

I gave Haeley a creative writing assignment today and she did a pretty good job. There were definitely some punctuation errors, but I think she did a good job on the content. Her assignment was..."If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be? Why ould you want to visit there? What would you take with you? How would you get there and would you take anyone with you? Why or why not?" This is what she wrote:

If I could go any place in the world, I would go to Tokyo, Japan. I would visit Tokyo because not only did my mom live there , but I also love the food, houses, designs, basically everything. I also like things from Japan, such as dolls, pajamas, and other things. To get there I would fly to San Francisco, California. Then, catch a boat to Hilo, Hawaii. After that, I would catch another boat to Tokyo, Japan. To prepare I would bring: shirts (long and short), capris, pants, underwear, my flower jewelry box with my favorite jewelry, hygiene bag, and all its contents, small snacks, portable drinks, and money, as well as something to do on the way. If I could, I would bring my dad. We don't get to see him much, only on holidays and weekends. So, I would be able to spend time with him. Tokyo, Japan, here I come!!!

The part in there about her taking Brad made me smile but also made me sad. His job requires so much of his time that he hasn't had a lot of time at home lately. I pray that changes soon.

Hillsong - At the Cross - With Subtitles/Lyrics

This is such a beautiful song. I love it.

I think I will post this on my bathroom door.

Dear Kids,

Don’t be alarmed, the world isn’t coming to an end. I am simply taking a shower. It will take about 30 minutes and will involve soap and water. While I’m in the shower, I’d like you to remember a few things;

1. The large slab of wood between us is a door. Do not bang on the door to hear my voice. I promise that even though you can’t see me, I am on the other side. I’m not digging an escape tunnel and running for the border, no matter what I said earlier. I didn’t mean it. Honest.

2. Believe it or not, shouting "telephone!" through the closed bathroom door will not make the phone stop ringing. Answer it and take a message. Since the amazing mind-reading mom has the day off, you’ll have to write it down. Do not use your brother and the laundry marker. We can’t send him to school with telephone number-tatoos.

3. Water makes me wet, not deaf. I can still tell the difference between "nothing" and a child playing the piano with a basketball. I can also hear you tattling at the top of your lungs. I’m choosing not to answer you. Don’t call your dad at work and tell him I’m unconscious in the bathroom. He didn’t appreciate it last time. He won’t appreciate it this time, trust me.

4. No matter how much I would like it, water does not make me forgetful. I remember who you are and why you are grounded. No, you can’t go to Albert’s house to play. No you can’t go to Albert’s house to use the bathroom. If someone is in our other bathroom, you’ll just have to think dry thoughts and wait. Unless you have 4 feet and a tail, do not think of going outside to water the lawn. I know the dog does it. The neighbors don’t feel the need to call me when the dog does it.

5. Unless the house catches on fire, stay inside and keep the doors locked. Do not go outside and throw rocks at the bathroom window to get my attention.

6. Do not set the house on fire.

7. Call me if there is an emergency. Emergencies are:

Dad has fallen off the roof

Your brother/ sister is bleeding

There’s a red fire truck in front of our house

Emergencies are not:

Dad has fallen asleep on the couch

Someone on T.V. is bleeding

There’s a red pick-up truck in front of our house

One other thing: Being forced to use the last roll of toilet paper for a towel does not make me happy. It makes me sticky with little white polka dots. In the future when the tub overflows, use a mop to clean up the water instead of every towel in the house... For my sanity’s sake, lets pretend it was the tub, Okay? No, I don’t want to hear the real story....Ever.... Especially not while I’m standing in the pool of water you missed.

8. Be good. Entertain yourselves. Yes you can do both at the same time.

Try coloring, playing a game, or paying that big stack of bills on the coffee table. I’ll be out soon. Maybe.

Love, Mom

Naps?

I was so stinking tired today and thought I would try and take a nap while Justin was napping. Didn't really happen. The dog was barking, the kids were screaming and I had enough! I "woke up" grumpier from my "nap" then when I attempted one in the first place!!!! Ugh! And, I still need to go to the grocery store if we want to eat for this next coming week. At least Brad is now home from work----it's been a long weekend. He had to work yesterday and today. =(

A new school year---a new blogger?

Well here we are in our second year of homeschooling. There were days that I didn't think I would make it through our first. There were days that I wanted to throw aside the leading of the Lord and put the kids back in public school. I am so thankful that I have listened to Him and kept my children home and continued this journey. This past summer was full! We had a vacation to VA at the beginning, then family came back with me, then we have a month to ourselves before the vacays began again.

Haeley and Jasmine went to VA for 2 weeks with Mom and Dad and had a BLAST! Then I went and picked them up in Beckley, WV and dropped the boys off and they went to VA for 2 weeks. Brad had a business trip in TX and flew from there to Norfolk, to pick up the boys. The day all 4 of my boys got home Brad's brother and his family came for Labor Day weekend. We went to a drive in and did a lot of just hanging at the house. It was some much needed time I think. Justin and Zeke got along wonderfully!!! It truly amazed me what about 9 months of maturity has done for their relationship. Zeke, Dory, and Reese have all gotten huge and I am blessed to be their aunt. :)

The day they left we started school! We are using Switched on Schoolhouse for Haeley, Jasmine, and Gabe. Justin I am using a little of this and a little of that. Benjamin sits in on some of it, but I am not too concerned with him. The older three are doing pretty spetacular in most of their subjects. I'm really proud of them. Homeschooling Justin scares me a little. With the older three when we made the decision to homeschool they already knew how to read, write, and do basic math. With Justin it is my responsibility to teach him all of that and to be honest, it is a little overwhelming and scary! We are working on the letter "A" right now. I'll post pictures of our lap book when we finish it. My sis-in-law, Summer (Zeke's mom), has started homeschooling Zeke this year too. It's a little hard to believe that they are both in Kindergarten. It makes me sad to see how quickly they are growing.

Our church is going through some growth right now. Our pastor and his family have moved back to TN for a postion at a church there. I am very grateful for the time that they were apart of our lives. Carrie was my very first friend in IN and we went through so much together! We were pregnant at the same time and delivered with in 2 weeks of each other. Benjamin and Anna Grace had been together since they were born. I pray that the Lord works mightily in this new endeavor that they have embraced. Our church now is in the process of putting together a pastor search committee. I believe whole heartedly that the Lord has an amazing man ready to come and take over leading and shepherding this church.

I got a new camera in July that I adore. It is the Nikon D40. I love it!!!! I have wanted a DSLR for a long time and I am so thankful for my wonderful husband who bought it for me!! :) It is still my hearts desire to move back to VA in the future. I miss our family terribly and this past summer has really left my heart longing for closer distances between all of us! Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." I pray that the Lord's will is for us to move back to our family. I love our church family and I am so thankful for all of our friends and "family" here, but there is nothing like being with your FAMILY.

Sorry I haven't updated in a long time. I will truly try to do better!!! I hope all is well for y'all!

Where I've been

(I took this pic with my iPhone)

No real good excuse---just not been in the blogging mood. We were in VA for a couple weeks and then my sister in law, Melissa, and niece, Kayla, came back to IN with us for about a little over a week. When we got back we had VBS and it wore us out!!! Melissa and I were beat on a daily basis! Luke was supposed to get here on Friday of Father's Day weekend, but he surprised her and all of us and showed up a day early. It was so great getting to see family both in VA and here. I've missed it terribly!

While I was gone, Brad got bored and decided that we needed another project and he took down the wall between the spare bedroom and our bedroom. He has built us a new closet and is also expanding our bathroom. We are going to move the laundry room upstairs into our old closet. Then we are going to knock out the wall between the laundry room and library and the library closet. Once we do that we will turn the back area into the playroom and guest room. Then I *think* I'll turn the current playroom into more of my schoolroom. We have a LONG way to go to get from where we are now to where I want it to be. We'll get there.

We went on our first family canoe trip at Sugar Creek. Luke, Melissa, and Kayla were with us. It was a BLAST. Haeley and Gabe learned (finally) how to work together and were able to make it down the section of the river relatively problem free. Jas and Kay were in a canoe together and after a bit of a rocky start they got the hang of it and did wonderful! Benjamin and Justin went between Luke and Melissa's canoe and mine and Brad's. It was so pretty and we got to enjoy being on the water. I can't wait to go back. We really enjoyed ouselves, except my camera and Luke's watch met the creek. Luke couldn't find his watch and after leaving my camera in rice for 3 days I have given up on it. :( We are on the search for a new camera.

The day after Father's Day we went to the Creation Museum in KY. It was really interesting and thought provoking on many parts. There was one part of it that really shook Gabe up and he still has had nightmares and scary moments since. I know that he will get through it, but it kills me that he has so much fear. Just last night he slept with Brad and I because he was so upset...gut wrenching sobs coming from him. We prayed with him and for him. I pray that this passes.

We had a gentleman at our church go home to be with the Lord on the 26th of June. He had been battling pancreatic cancer. He passed on his wife's birthday. It was a difficult time. We had his homegoing service on Wedensday the the 1st. It was a beautiful service. Brad was a pallbearer and the kids and I sat in the back. They did really good in the service. I had all of them with me and it was a good thing at times because they helped keep me from getting real emotional. ;-) We are blessed to have known Steve.

Our 4th of July was nice and wet. It rained and rained and rained!!! The week before was so cool I was wearing jeans and (light) long sleeved shirts. I *loved* it!! We had some friends over and I made ribs and some other things---my mind is blanking on me now. :) We've had a couple pool days this week and the kids have really been in heaven. Tuesday I went with my girlfriend Sarah and her 3 boys. While we were there Sarah's middle boy Ethan (4) was teaching Benjamin how to swim with water wings on. My heart melted watching the two of them. At one point Ethan said to Benjamin, "Do you need to hold my hand?" It was so sweet. We spent almost 6 hours at the pool!! Today though Sarah backed out on me and left me to my lonesome. ;-) She wasn't feeling well so they didn't come. We had a good time today and Benjamin was even more confident in his water wing swimming! We stayed today for a good 5 hours. The kids were WORE out today. They were all in bed by 9. Haeley was falling asleep. Benjamin was asking if it was time for bed yet....they were tired.

Haeley got her new glasses this week. Unfortunately they were the EXACT same prescription as the ones she got and lost last year. She looks very cute in them. We had the rule though---if they are not on your face they are with Mommy. We can't afford to lose these as well. Justin has been amazing Brad and I over the past several weeks. We have seen a tremendous maturing in him. He is controlling himself and making a real effort to make better choices. PRAISE GOD!!! I'm so thankful for that!!! Jasmine is Jasmine. Tonight at dinner Haeley was really excited about the new bathing suits that I got her today. We are eating and she is describing all the little details to Brad about these suits. Jasmine is sitting there eating with this "look" on her face. Next thing you know she looks at Brad and rolls her eyes as if to say, "Oh Brother...here she goes again!" Brad and I both saw it and started grinning and Jas was grinning from ear to ear too! I am so blessed by this family!!

I'll end on this....last night we were working in the garden. Brad had tilled up a section and Benjamin came out. Benjamin starts commenting about how he likes the dirt. He's walking through it and says, "I like the dirt Daddy. I like it because it's brown. I like brown things. Daddy, Daddy, poop is brown too. So, I like poop." hahahahaha....

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!!

Enjoy!