Things I Love/Make Me Happy

Well another blog I follow, Kelly's Korner, always has a Show Us Your Life Friday.  This past Friday she had Things that you love or make you happy.  How could I pass that up.  So here goes:

The man/boys in my life.  These guys take great care of their wife and mom

Parents and In-Laws that help us so much

The fun that comes with a little girl

The things God gives to us to show off his goodness, greatness and love for us

Watching my kids do things they love to do

The color orange

Being able to be a home with my kids during their childhood years

Anywhere that is sunny and 80 degrees or more (The beach, Bahamas)

Walking along side of my children as they learn from God to guide their lives

Jeremy Camp's "Here I am to Worship"

Painted Toenails

Flip Flops

Coffee with yummy creme waiting on me when I get up in the morning that my husband has made for me

Satudays - when Jeff is home with us to have family time

A calendar - What would I do without one

Watching old home videos and wondering where the time is going

and how much I love my life

Accomplished Year 2

Hallelujah

Amen

Way to Go

We did it.  Another homeschool year under our belts. 

Garrett is now a 6th grader

Seth is now a 3rd grader

Ella is now a PreK

Homeschooling is so dear to my heart.  It is amazing how God can change your heart if we allow him to work.  I was sooo against homeschooling 4 years or so ago but it has always been a topic of conversation at our house.  But hard headed me always said no, your crazy. 

Our story:

Jeff and I went to a Song of Solomon Marriage Conference at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in February 2008.  The conference was about Solomon and his love for the Shulamite Women.  So great how God gave us the best love story in the Bible.  Well the entire day and night, the Holy Spirit kept bringing up home and children through the speaker.  He talked about guarding his teenage daughter from boys and how his son traveled with him to different conferences.  When Jeff and I went to dinner that night, he asked me what I thought about the conference.  I couldn't even speak.  I started to cry.  I said nothing.  Jeff said have you thought about homeschooling.  Yikes  - there is that word again.  Yes, I said, BUT . . .   So I began researching and asking questions from February until May.  I don't think I have ever read so much in my entire life.  We had decided in May to homeschool but didn't tell the boys until after school was over for the year.  We had a trip planned the very next week at the beach.  The first day on the beach, we told the boys what we had decided.  They were fine with it. 

I told them that I was trying to set an example for them. 

First, God had called us to homeschool. 

 Second, We were stepping out on faith to be obedient to God

Third, We were trusting God to take care of us as we began this journey.

So if God calls, no matter how crazy it may sound or how much you so don't want to do it, do it anyway.

We had certain things we wanted to focus on in our family.  We knew if God was calling we had to answer.  We took a HUGE GIANT LEAP OF FAITH to homeschool.

What a blessing it has been.  I focus on one year at a time.  Each year as we finish, I just smile.  Look what WE have done. As I watched graduates get dressed today at the homeschool conference, I began to think what an incredible journey so many parents travel to educate their child at home.  I am eager for the day Jeff and I stand on the stage to hand our children their diploma that WE did together through this crazy thing called "Homeschooling".

What a blessing it has been to educate our children at home and see them "Get It". 

BLESSED

So Blessed

Happy 15th Anniversary

Well last weekend this time, Jeff and I were at the beach celebrating 15 years.  How wonderful.  I think about what a blessing he is to me and how wonderful our life is together.  I enjoy hanging out with him so much.  I enjoy talking to him, laughing with him, doing projects around the house with him and so many other things that we just have to do to make a family work.  It has been an amazing journey through 4 years of dating, 15 years of marriage and 3 kids.  Each step has brought us to where we are today.  Thank goodness for God's amazing love, grace and guidance to build this marriage into a wonderful union.  I am so blessed to be married to the perfect man for me. 

Beach days with the Kids

This has been a whirlwind of a trip.  Jeff's mom, Noni, is having some major trouble with her back and legs.  Pain that has ended her up in the ER about 15 times times in 1 week and a half.  Crazy.  So needless to say I want go throught the entire story.  Our plans for the beach and how to get the children home changed about 5 times in 3 days.  Crazy.  Every time I talked to Jeff it was about a new game plan.  It has all worked out.  I didn't have the computer until yesterday so I am catching up on the past week. 

Snuggling together the first morning at the beach.  We left from church on Sunday night which was around 7:30 or so.  We arrived around 11:30 pm at the beach.  So the next morning was hard to get going.

The first day was raining and overcast.  We were able to go outside and play about 3 hours or so without rain. The water was cold.  It is fun to watch Ella's expression of the beach for the first time each year.  I am not sure she remembers what the beach is about from year to year so it is like her doing things and seeing the waves for the first time.  Pretty fun to watch.  She loves to run from the waves.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the waves were huge. Garrett and Seth spent their entire time in the water.  They would buggy board for a while, then go out without board to jump waves.  Then repeat the process.  They never stopped.

This is Ella buggy boardin'.  So funny.  She would lie down in the sandy part and wait for the water.  She was talking herself throught the steps as she did it. 

We did MaqiQuest the first night, then mini golf the second day. The golf course was cool.  We had to take a train ride to the top of the course.  Ella loved it.

Seth hit two hole in ones on our golf trip.  He was worried about the par for each hole and would ask each time.

Garrett and Ella

Seth and Ella (do they not look alike or what)

The kids love walking to the inlet.  They caught minnows, horseshoe crabs and regular crab.  This is always a place we come and spend a few hours.

My kids spend alot of time snacking at the beach.  Seth and Ella taking a break

Joseph came to the beach late Wednesday night and spent the day with us Thursday.  We bought the game Bocce Ball on our Thursday trip to WalMart.  We had seen alot of people playing on the beach.  The kids kept wanting to play. 

So Thursday was not the buggy board or ocean day but Bocce ball. We played and played and played. Very fun. Even Ella can play. This is Jospeh and Garrett

We all kept talking about Garrett's hair.  So we took a picture. 

We all have bad hair at the beach.  HAHA

Joseph then drove my children home to meme's house for the rest of the week and weekend.  They left the beach around 7:30pm.  It is very hard for a mom to watch all of her kids ride away in a car.  I think I cried for an hour or so after they left.  I had to come in and clean up and I kept finding little things that they had left behind.  Whoa! 

Well the next morning I read my Proverbs Devotions, which actually came on Thursday morning.  It talked about Planning Funerals that Won't Happen Today.  WOW!  I so needed this.  It talked about how we as moms don't allow our kids to do certain things because in our mind's eye we picture the whole process of danger if we say yes so we say "no".  We think that we can control and keep our kids safe from harm.  We carry the pressure of thinking that everything rises and falls on whether we can control things.  We know the realities of living in a broken world.  It is hard on a mama's heart. 

So we have two choices:  1.  Run myself ragged with a sense of control that can't really protect them

or

2.  I can ask God to help me make wise decisions and choose to rest my mind on the truth

God has assigned each of my kids a certain number of days.  My choices can add to the quality of their life but not the quantity. 

I know more days will come that I have this feeling again that I did Thursday night as my children drove away without me but I hope to have a better understanding of the truths in the Bible that will settle my heart in a better place. 

Help me not to focus on this fear, but focus on You, Your truths, Your love, Your power. 

I so needed this.  God and his timing provided me with so much peace.

The next post is why the kids had to go home with Joseph.

Thinking

I just finished working on the newsletters for VBS.  My mouth is open and my eyes are big.  I just want to write out all the verses that are memory verses for this year.  I am going to make sticky notes to hang in my bathroom as well.  Jeff and I spent an hour or so last night laying in bed discussing the points from the sermons this week from revival.  We were so touched by each of the messages. God reveals so many things to us.  We want to be sure we- individually are on God's path for our lives but also our family is on God's path.  We want to give our children such a strong foundation on the Word.  We are so eager and hungry for God.  This year's theme for VBS is Roundin' Up questions - Drivin' Home Answers.  As I looked up each verse, I just felt lead to put these verses in my heart and life even more. 
Yes, I trust God,
Yes, I want to live for Him,
Yes, I want my life to be a reflection
 but sometimes this is not the case. 
So I was reminded today.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; I know that full well."  Ps 139:14

"Cast all your anxiety on him becasue he cares for you."  1 Peter 5:7

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jer 29:11

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."  Phil 2:5

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

These are my pondering of verses for several weeks.  My prayer is to fully believe and show these through my actions to my children.

Another side note:  Phill 2:14 - Do all things without complaining and disputing.  This is one for Seth but a reflection for me as well.

Help me look to the Word for all the questions I have.

Happy Mother's Day

This has become one of my favorite days.  My children get so excited.  They work really hard to plan something very special.  Jeff took all of them shopping on Thursday while I was at Co-op.  The stories they came home with are funny.  Anytime you have a three year old, it is hard for them to contain themselves about what they just bought.  So Friday, she could hold it any longer.  She told me.  The boys were not happy.  But Jeff had other surprises that she didn't know about so it all worked out.

We call her Little miss - Missy Moo - Sweetness

She is so precious - Not sure what the years hold with a girl but I know right now that we are enjoying all the "girl stuff".  I really wanted a little girl and couldn't imagine my life without a girl.  God, in his wonderful timing, gave it to me.  Child #3. 

By the way, look at Ella hand again- there is the princess hand again.

Seth - Mr. Neat Freak - worries about clothes and matching.  He loves things in order and in there place.  He always has something in his pockets to keep him busy.  He request certain haircuts.  He is a gadget guy.  He enjoyes crafts, making anything, dress up, legos.  He has the biggest imagination.  He saves his money to buy big items (his ipod touch).  He is so is dad.  Loves his mom and hates to be away from me.   He always ask my opinion and what I am doing.  He pays attention to anything new I have.  Alittle reserve in doing things, like sports or up in front of a crowd.  Very sure of himself but unsure at the same time.  He is my little side kick.

Garrett - Mr. Do Anything - sign me up - Likes to be in athletic shorts and a t-shirt.  Combing his hair and brushing his teeth are not on the top of his to-do list.  Does everything quick and fast.  Has a photographic memory.  He can read something one time and knows it.  Does math in his head.  Can memorize scripture, songs, lines of a play in mintues.  He loves to joke and pick around.  He is learning to be a great big brother and helper to his little ones.  He loves hockey, watching TV, playing a video game, and being with other people, and talking.  He will usually make you laugh in just a few minutes with what he comes up with

Children are such a blessing.  I love so many things about each one of them.  It is an honor to be able to stay home with them and enjoy being with them each and every day.  They make life fuller.  

Thanks Garrett, Seth and Ella for making me a mommy.

Thanks to Jeff for making this such a Big Deal at our house and taking the children shopping.

Happy Mother's Day 2010 

Updates

I started to blog Saturday and was about half way through when my computer mysteriously turned off.  So needless to say, it is Wednesday and I will do a quick update.

Saturday, the whole family was invited to skate. 

This is the only picture I took that wasn't too dark.  It looks like an action shot.  She is skating with Dora

It was warm for three days in a row so we were hoping Noni's pool would be warm.  Well not sure if it was warm but the children swam

Ella got a new float so she was ready to try it out. Seth had a float like this one, except Power Ranger of course. Two weeks into summer he was jumping off the side, swimming all by himself, going under then coming op to swim.  We want her to be able to do it by herself and not be scared.

Her she is - she was not real sure at first but by the end of 2 hours she was getting alittle braver. 

After swimming a couple hours, we headed to our favorite coffee shop for a youth event, Bring on the Son.

It was very warm but a nice breeze.  They had music, speakers, and bands. We had a fun afternoon hanging out with church friends and family.

This is Ella's new way to take pictures.  She has her hand up at her chest like the princesses did on the Mickey Boat when they took pictures.  Any time she has a picture made now, her hand does this.  Oh, and her head leans sideways.  Princess in training.

Hey a picture of mom and dad.  How rare. 

We enjoyed our action packed day.  We were very tired when we got home. 

Love . . What is Love?

Ella decided to define what this means

• woke up at 12:30a.m. with a bad dream of bugs in her bed
• wanted to snuggle in our bed until Jeff "kindly" took her back to her room
• heard her music play 2 times
• she was up again . . . around 1:30 a.m. at this time
• decided she wasn't sleepy
• needed to watch a show
• decided she was thirsty
• watched "Meet the Robinsons" and a few other shows
• decided at 4:30 a.m. she was ready to go to bed
• heard the music play twice
• decided she needed me to snuggle with her
• snuggled for 2 more songs
• got out of her bed
• came to see me again
• decided she wasn't sleepy
• watched a few more shows
• greeted Jeff went he got up to run around 5:15 a.m.
• decided she was ready to sleep around 5:45 a.m.
• she did go to sleep
• I slept on the couch
• Jeff came in around 6:00 a.m.
• Seth up at 6:30 a.m.
• Jeff left around 6:30 a.m.
• Garrett up around 7:30 a.m.
• Started school around 8:00
• Ella up at 8:30 a.m.
• School continues
• try to entertain Ella without watching more TV
• school is almost finished 2:30 a.m.
• ready for COFFEE

All of this on top of a splitting headache that started before I went to bed and still continues as I type

Children, well, Ella decided to figure out how much I LOVE HER.  If only she knew!!!!

So the dilemma is . . .   Does she get a nap and take the chance of her not being sleepy again or do I run her ragged and put up with crys so I will sleep tonight?  I will tell you tomorrow.

(Wanted to write this for Ella so one day when she becomes a teenager and thinks I don't love her or when she becomes a mom and needs to know what mommies do)

Gardening

This is a new word in our vocabulary.  We are still learning how on earth do you have a garden.  Last year was our first year to ever attempt to garden.  All we did was grow, weed, weed, weed and grow.  We worked very hard, read alot of directions, asked friends advice (Thanks Terra and David).

So here we are again.  It's time in the south to plant a garden.  We started several weeks ago to kill the weed.  Then Jeff tilled up the ground while we were on our trip (Thanks to Donna and Kevin for the borrowed tiller).  He tilled it again Friday.  So yesterday was planting day.

Making rows

Planting Beans

More beans

She planted three sets of bean seeds then off she went.

The boys on the other hand, along with Ella at times, entertained themselves.  It is amazing what

Dish detergent

                                                               A bucket, a water hose, and

a few dirty cars and four wheelers will do for entertainment.

Well for a little while anyway.  Then it turned into this.

Bubbles and sponges and water on the trampoline.  Everyone gets wet trying to wash the trampoline.

I never knew that the trampoline needed washing.  Well yesterday it did.

What fun a little afternoon at home can provide.