My Smoky Mtn Homeschool

Project 52 Week 5: Shadows

2012-02-03T16:20:00.003-05:00

This week's Project 52 theme is Shadows. Several years ago I was taking pictures outside in the evening light. I was trying to get some pictures of our chickens and when I turned around I saw their shadows on the wall. So instead of getting actual pics of our chickens, I captured their shadows.

Look - A - Likes

2012-01-29T00:50:00.003-05:00

I was looking through some old pics at my mom's house today when I came across a picture that took my breath. It was a picture of my paternal grandmother when she was about 15 years old. It looked exactly like my youngest daughter, Rachel. I always knew that she took after my side of the family, but this was just uncanny. Can you see the resemblance?

Project 52 Week 4: Self - Portrait

2012-01-28T21:48:00.000-05:00

I just discovered Project 52, so I am jumping in during week 4. Project 52 is a weekly photo challenge hosted by Dacy at Life With My 3 Boybarians Each week there is a different topic to photograph. The topic this week is Self - Portrait. So here it is.

Organized Simplicity

2012-01-16T10:43:00.000-05:00

Organized Simplicity
Author(s): Tsh Oxenreider
Publisher: Betterway Home
Price: FREE
DOWNLOAD

Simplicity isn't about what you give up. It's about what you gain. When you remove the things that don't matter to you, you are free to focus on only the things that are meaningful to you.

If you don’t have a Kindle you can still download this free copy to your smart phone or computer. All you need to do is download one of Amazon’s free reading apps. **Remember that Amazon prices fluctuate constantly, so always verify the price before purchasing.

Duct Tape Bags

2012-01-16T10:36:00.002-05:00

Duct Tape Bags
Author(s): Instructable
Publisher: Instructables.com
Price: FREE
DOWNLOAD

Duct Tape Bags! gives you full step-by-step instructions for 18 amazing ways to carry things with duct tape. Learn how to use duct tape to make beach bag, a purse, a laptop case, a camping backpack, and even a tool tote! All projects come from Instructables.com, are written by duct tape experts, and contain pictures for each step so you can easily do it yourself. Make it stick!

If you don’t have a Kindle you can still download this free copy to your smart phone or computer. All you need to do is download one of Amazon’s free reading apps. **Remember that Amazon prices fluctuate constantly, so always verify the price before purchasing.

Who Can Satifsfy My Soul?

2012-01-11T11:51:00.003-05:00

"... for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Psalm 107:9

Most of us spend the majority of our lives searching for something to fill an unexplainable void we have in our lives. We try anything to fulfill that hunger, that constant desire we have. Most of the time we convince ourselves that if we just had more money we would be happy. Or that having great success would make us feel fulfilled.

Some believe if they had a bigger house or a nicer car they would be satisfied. Some try to fill that hunger with food. Or they think if I was in better shape or had the perfect body I would be content. Still others try to fulfill that void with drugs & alcohol or pornography or even extra-marital affairs.

We spend all our time searching for that something that is missing in our lives. We become consumed by this stuff, only to find that once we obtain them we feel even more empty inside. We feel more disappointed than before.

" What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst

this world can’t satisfy."

~ "Blessings" by Linda Story

We are instilled with a certain hunger, a certain desire. But it isn't a physical hunger... it is a spiritual hunger. No matter how hard we try, the things of this world will never satisfy it.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled."

~ Matthew 5:6

Our desires can be filled by seeking God. He is the one who created us. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it.

"Then Jesus declared, " I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

~ John 6:35

If you have spent all your time feasting on what the world has to offer, time after time you will be left with a feeling of disappointment. You will be left with a longing for something more.

God wants a relationship with us. He instills that desire for Him in the very fabric of our souls. Increase your hunger for God. Turn off the computer. Turn off the TV and the radio. Spend time in His Word. Spend quiet time in prayer. Leave it all behind. Soon you will find the satisfaction your soul has been so longing for.

"My soul will be satisfied as with the richest foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you."

~ Psalm 63: 5

"The Well" by Casting Crowns

Dusting off the cobwebs...

2012-01-10T12:35:00.001-05:00

It has been such a long time since I've blogged. Ever since discovering Facebook, my poor blog has been left to just collect dust. I've really been thinking about blogging again. I recently discovered that I let my blog hosting lapse, so I lost everything on my blog. I've been searching Google cached files to try and recover some of the posts I really wanted to keep, thus leaving behind most of the 'homeschool' related blog posts. So that is the reason for the sporadic posts in the blog archives. I've been blogging since 2005, and that is a lot of stuff to try and recover.

So be patient with me as I try to get things back in order. My writing skills I'm sure are a little rusty. :) But, I am really excited and look forward to meeting with some old and dear friends very soon.

Laying it down...

2010-12-30T19:05:00.003-05:00

I was dusting the cobwebs off my blog today. It has been a long time since I’ve blogged. I really don’t even know where to start. The last couple of years have been so emotionally draining. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I’ve really been having a hard time since my daddy passed away. How long is one supposed to grieve? How long before the aching in my heart goes away? Yes, I know he is better off. I wouldn’t wish him back in the condition that he was in. Yes, I know that life goes on, but how does one move on?

The holidays have been really hard this year. So many people around me are doing through trials and tribulations. I know my piddly little emotions are really minuscule in comparison to what others are going through, but I am still having trouble dealing with all this… STUFF.

A new year is quickly approaching us… 2011. I can hardly believe it. Another year… gone. It is true what they say, the older one gets the faster time goes by. I have got to look at 2011 as a new beginning. I am so tired of feeling depressed and anxious. I’m tired of crying. I have to get up out of this ditch and move on. I’m waiting for that morning to come when I find my joy again.

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:18-19

It is time to move on. With the new year is a new book filled with blank pages. I need to decide how I’m going to fill those pages up. I’ve got to forget the former things, and look toward the things the Lord has in store for me now. My kids are already half – grown. I’ve got to enjoy every second with them… and make it count. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. We are not guaranteed our next breath. I’ve got to make every moment count.

So with many tears and great relief I am going to lay it down, and trust God. I’m going to move on and look for the dawn of the new day and the joy it is going to bring. I know it won’t be easy and I’m sure there will be days when thoughts of the former things will creep to my mind, but I’m asking God to give me the strength to dismiss those thoughts and focus on the task at hand, this thing called… LIFE.

Slow Fade

2010-02-17T13:48:00.000-05:00

Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:34

Temptation lies all around us, waiting for us, from the moment our feet hit the floor in the morning til we lay our head on our pillows at night. It creeps into our thoughts and seeps into our hearts. It clouds our judgement and before long controls our actions. That is why it is so, so important to guard our hearts. We must be careful of the music we listen to, the shows and movies we watch, the books we read, the things we look at on the internet, the conversations we have, the things we chat about and the friendships we make.

There is a very clear line between right and wrong.   God has drawn a line and Satan is on the other side playing Red Rover, Red Rover, he is daring you to come over. So you make a small compromise. Who is it going to hurt if I watch this? No one will know. You crossed the line. Then he draws another line and once again dares you to come over.   Who is it going to hurt if I chat with them? We are just friends. So you make another small compromise and bear your soul to someone who is not your spouse. You crossed another line.   Then Satan draws another line.   Don’t you deserve to feel good? Don’t you deserve to be happy?   Don’t YOU….   Before you know it, you have made so many compromises and crossed so many lines that you find yourself in places you never thought you’d be, doing things you never thought you would do.     You gave in to “SELF” and bought the lie hook, line and sinker.

One day you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and think “Who are you?” You think back on the compromises you’ve made, the things you’ve done. So, who did it hurt? The decisions we make don’t just hurt ourselves. They affect our spouse, our children, our family and our friends.

No one is above temptation. We live in a fallen world. So many people are hurting. So many people are suffering from broken hearts. Instead of looking to God to heal them, they look to the world. The only problem with that is that the world will never satisfy their longing. They will always have that emptiness in their heart.

Satan knows that he doesn’t have much time left, so he is seeking those he can destroy. He knows exactly what buttons to push. He is coming after the church seeking to destroy the family.   It grieves me when I see the families that he has torn apart.   It angers me to think of the lives he has destroyed. Dear loved ones that he is taking down. We must keep our houses in order. We must be on our toes, ready to fight when he comes knocking.

What can we do if we wake up one day and find ourselves to be that stranger we never thought we would be? Thankfully we serve a loving and forgiving God. Just cry out to Him. Turn your heart and your life back over to him. He will pick you up and dust you off and nurse you back to life. He is waiting for you to come home.

The most important thing you can do is pray… pray for your family. Pray that God will protect your spouse. That He will keep their thoughts and hearts pure. Pray for your friends’ marriages.   Pray that God will protect them. Lift one another up bear one anothers burdens.

When I hear the song Slow Fade by Casting Crowns I think of how easy it is to turn away from God if we fall out of fellowship with Him.   It doesn’t happen overnight. It is small compromise after small compromise that leads down the road to destruction.    I think this devotion really sums it up.

“Slow Fade” by Casting Crowns

Be careful little eyes what you see
It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It’s a slow fade, it’s a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you’re thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

Father's Day

2009-06-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

This is the day I have been dreading for months. It has been difficult these last few weeks seeing Father’s Day commercials on TV and hearing them on the radio. I’d see something and think, Hey! Daddy would really like that! Then I remember… he isn’t here. I still go to call him sometimes. I haven’t been able to bring myself to delete his number out of my phone. Sometimes Tracy says, “Dad came to visit me at work today.” I ask, “Which one?” Then I remember. When we have a family get-together, there is that empty seat at the table. No one really talks about it, but I know what they are thinking, because I am thinking it, too.

Just when I think I’ve cried all that I can… there I go again. It has been almost four months since daddy passed. I know it will get easier. But I think all those firsts will be hard. We were blessed to have him as long as we did. I don’t want to forget daddy. Maybe there will be a day when I can be thankful and look forward to those “special days” as a time of remembrance, and not dread them. Maybe there will be time when my heart doesn’t ache. Yes, I am looking forward to that day.

We don’t grieve as those without hope… but by golly, we still grieve

2009-06-05T19:03:00.000-04:00

It has been three months since my daddy passed away. They say time heals all wounds… but how much time? It seems like the weight of his passing presses harder on my heart with each passing day. Grief is a difficult thing to deal with. Even as Christians, sometimes we do not know how to handle loss. I know the bible says, “do not grieve as those without hope.” Yes, I have that hope… but for heavens sake, I still grieve. I was reading something the other day about grief. It reminded me the “Jesus wept.”

How simple is that? Jesus grieved the loss of his friend and He wept. What does grief feel like? A constant ache in my heart… A deep loneliness… Depression… All of the above. I miss my daddy so much. I keep thinking how can people go on with their lives like normal when my daddy is gone? How can they go on like normal when I am hurting? Can’t they see? Don’t they know? Don’t they care? I have to put on my mask and pretend everything is alright when inside I’m screaming I AM NOT OK!!!

Yes, I know it is a natural part of life. Yes, I know that he isn’t sick anymore, and I honestly rejoice in that. Yes, I know in my heart he is in a better place…but PLEASE don’t keep telling me that. I know I will see him again someday… but PLEASE don’t tell me that again. That doesn’t make the ache in my heart go away, or the tears stop falling. When we know someone who has a loved one pass, we forget about it after the funeral. We go on with our lives as if nothing happened, but that person must face the incredible loss on a daily basis. They must face the emptiness and the hurt of a broken heart. It isn’t easy.

The great thing is that we are never alone… even though we feel that way at times. I have to keep reminding myself this. And when I don’t remember… God is so gracious and loving to send a gentle voice to remind me… “Hey, I’m here. Lean on me.” Truly, He is the only one who can understand and cares about the way that I feel.

So, I trudge through this grief, one day at a time… holding on to the hope that someday this too shall pass.

Finishing the Race

2009-03-09T18:52:00.001-04:00

Sometimes in life we begin a race and we don’t even know it. Once we realize we are running a race, how do we find the strength to endure ’til the end? We find the strength we need in our faith.

About 30 years ago, my dad began the race of his lifetime when he was diagnosed with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease… LUPUS. He had no idea how this incurable disease was going to affect his life. At that time little was known about Lupus. I can’t imagine how scared he must have been. Would he live to see his two young children grow up? Would he leave his beautiful wife a widow at a young age? Nobody could begin to imagine the journey the next 30 years would bring him.

Lupus is a very cruel disease. It is an autoimmune disorder and it affects organ systems, skin, joints, and internal organs. Basically, it causes the body’s defense system to turn against the body itself. When Daddy was 40 he suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed on his right size. Although I know he felt like giving up… he didn’t. His faith in God gave him the strength to go on. I can’t tell you all the times over the years that he has been hospitalized for one thing or another. Many of those times the doctors told us this is the end… but he’d pull through.

About two years ago Daddy had mitro-value replacement at the Sanger Clinic in Charlotte, NC. The doctors gave him a less than 13% chance of surviving the surgery. Not having the surgery meant imminent death. It was a long hard battle, but once again, Daddy beat the odds. God wasn’t finished with him yet.

So many times I remember being angry at God… asking why he would let Daddy suffer so long. I just didn’t understand. I know that I never will. You know the funny thing, I never… EVER heard my Daddy complain. Through all his years of suffering, he kept his faith and sense of humor. There would be times when I know he felt so bad and I’d ask him how he was feeling. He’d say, “With my fingers.” LOL I’ve seen people come to visit him in the hospital… Daddy lying in the bed in such pain he can barely speak and before you know it, he would be encouraging them… praying for them. That is the kind of man my Daddy was. So, if my Daddy can endure so much and keep his faith, then why can’t I? The things that I go through are so small compared to all he suffered.

My Daddy used to listen to the song, “The Light of That City” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir over and over again. Each time he would just weep… not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy because Daddy had it all figured out. He knew that the things he suffered here on this earth were nothing when he thought of what awaited him after this life. That was his focus. That should be my focus. That is the strength that I need to finish my race. Daddy endured to the end.

On March 5, 2009, God called his name. It was time for him to go to the home that he longed for… to the place where there would be “no more sorrow, no more pain”… to the place where “the lame will run all over the streets of that city” … to the place where he would “bow down in the light and then rise and turn his eyes to his Lord, Jesus Christ.” It was a bitter sweet day for me. I know that now he is completely healed. I praise God for that! But, this small part of me misses my Daddy.

A friend told me not to think of it as goodbye… but see you in a little while. I know that he is waiting there for me. I just need to have faith and keep my eyes on the prize and endure ’til the end.

George Gregory “Greg” Phelps

April 9, 1954 – March 5, 2009

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” ~ 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Good Fruit, Bad Fruit

2009-02-17T14:18:00.000-05:00

As I watched my children play outside today, I was filled with a sense of great joy and pride. How awesome that God granted me worthy of such an awesome responsibility. He has enough faith in me to care for and raise these three beautiful children. But sometimes I wonder. Do I really have what it takes? How can I raise these children and guide them to be what God wants them to be?

Then I wondered. Does God feel that way when He looks at me? What have I done to make him proud of me? What have I done to bring Him great joy?

I remember driving in the van one day, on the brink of tears (no, wait. I was crying) from sheer frustration. I was frustrated because one of my dear sweet children (whom shall remain nameless) would just not obey me. If I said come, she would go, if I said sit, she would stand. She colored on the floor and the walls. She was doing things that she knew she wasn’t supposed to do. This particular night I was driving home from my mom and dad’s house. I was upset and discouraged about my dear daughter’s behavior that day. I told her that I didn’t understand why she kept doing these things over and over when she knows not to. I told her how it made me sad when she didn’t obey me.

Suddenly, God spoke to my heart.

Now you know how I feel when you continually do things that I ask you not to do. You feel the sadness and broken heart that I feel when you don’t obey My Word.

Wow! Talk about a jolt! Surely, I didn’t act that way in the eyes of my Lord. Did I bring him sadness with the things that I did? Was He frustrated and tired of telling me the same things, over and over again? What fruit was I demonstrating to my children? I felt so inadequate as a mother, but grateful that God had been patient with me.

So, what could I do? I prayed:

God, please forgive me for the times I don’t obey Your Word. Thank you for Your patience in dealing with me. Please, give me the same patience with my children. Let me display to them the same love and mercy You show me each and every day. Let me love my children the way you love me. Help me to be gentle, patient and kind.

Now, I *try* to be patient and gentle with my children, (Notice I said *try*) because I don’t always succeed. In fact, most of the time, I fail miserably in this area. It is something that I must work on each day.

So, how can I have gentleness and patience?

I know, I know, these are Fruits of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) How does one obtain these ‘fruits’? Perhaps God already gave me mine and I ate them! No, seriously, the Bible says:

“By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” ~Matthew 7:15-23

So, I ask, if I do not bear these fruits of patience and gentleness, does that make me a ‘bad tree’? Sometimes I feel that way. The Fruit of the Spirit in our lives affects everything we do and say and the way we rationalize things; without it, everything is affected by sin.

“So, I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature… those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” ~Galatians 5: 16;24-25

How can we ‘walk in the Spirit’? The indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to walk daily with God (2 Cor.3:17-18). Walking in the Spirit involves three steps:

Recognize the voice of the Spirit (John 10:27).
Obey the promptings of the Spirit (Acts 13:2-3).
Receive the enabling of the Spirit (Jude 24).

As you keep your focus on the Lord each and every day, walking in the Spirit becomes a daily experience enabling you to bear ‘good fruit.’

Developing Christian Character
Here is a chart of Character Qualities I found on the Duggar Family website that in essence lists the ‘good fruit’ vs the ‘bad fruit’ I hope you find it useful.

Let the "Son" Shine In

2008-01-05T18:29:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed how windows always appear clean on the outside? They appear clean until the sun shines through them and exposes all the smudges, smears and fingerprints. No matter what one uses to clean the windows, it is virtually impossible to get rid of all the smudges and streaks. Our lives are like that. We appear clean until the Son shines through us and exposes all the smudges, smears and fingerprints (SIN) in our lives.

“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is the light that makes everything visible.” ~ Ephesians 5:13-14

The light, Jesus, exposes our sins. Unfortunately, sin brings death. The Bible says:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” ~ Romans 2:23.

We all have sin in our lives. It is impossible for God to allow sin in heaven. The thing is, we cannot do anything to remove the sin in our lives no matter how hard we try. I’m reminded of the song… “What can wash away my sins… Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Thankfully, there is a way to get rid of all the sin in our lives…

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” ~ John 3:16

God does not want us to perish. He wants us to have eternal life with Him, so He sent his only Son, Jesus, the spotless lamb, to pay the price for our sins. Receiving the gift of eternal life is as easy as A…B…C.

“A” is for Admit. You must admit to God that you are a sinner. You must be sorry for your sins and turn away (repent) from sinning.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. ~ Romans 3:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 6:23
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. ~Acts 3:19
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ~ 1 John 1:9

“B” is for Believe. You must believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that God sent Jesus to pay the penalty for sin.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. ~ John
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ~John 14:6
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8

“C” is for Confess. You must confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved…. for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~Romans 10:9-10,13

After you admit to God that you are a sinner, repent and turn from your sin, believe that Jesus is God’s Son sent to die to pay for the sins of the world, and confess your faith in Jesus, you are a Christian and know Jesus as your Savior. Admit! Believe! Confess!

Here is a sample prayer that will help you begin:

Dear God,
I know that I am a sinner, and that I need Your grace. Thank you for loving me enough to send your Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for my sins. I believe that He arose from the dead and that He lives today. I confess my sins to You now, and ask that You place Your Holy Spirit in my heart that I may turn away from my sins. I love You, I believe in You, and I want to have a personal relationship with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Happy 2008!!

2008-01-02T00:15:00.000-05:00

It is really hard to believe that a new year has begun. I know that I haven't really blogged much lately.   We have been so busy at my house that the New Year almost came in unnoticed.   As many of you know, my parents have been living with us since my dad returned from Charlotte in September after having open heart surgery.   We have really enjoyed having them here. The kids love being able to see their Granny & Pappy every day.   A couple of weeks ago they found the perfect place to live, only 1/2 the distance from us as their old house. (That makes a huge difference when one lives in a tourist town.) Anyway, they moved into their new house on New Year's Eve. I am sure they are excited about starting a new year in their new house.

We have been rearranging our house. When we started homeschooling we bought the girls bunk beds so they could share a room and made one room into our schoolroom. Well, the girls are getting older and wanting to have their own rooms back. UGH! I guess I can most definitely understand that, especially since they spend so much time together. It will be nice for them to have their 'own space'.   So, we decided to move the schoolroom into the family room... (thus getting rid of the family room) and moving the TV into the living room. (The living room was just a quiet sitting room.) So I have been moving books, bookshelves, furniture and papers (a.k.a. JUNK).

Since we are going through all this trouble to move stuff, we are making the most of it and having a HUGE CLEANING OUT!!! How did we get so much STUFF?   I am really proud of the girls. They are really getting rid of stuff they no longer use. When they get into their own rooms they will be empty.   LOL What a great way to start the new year, fresh with a clean ~~slate~~ room.

BTW, the school room is looking GREAT! I love having more room. I will post pics when I get it finished...hopefully that will be before 2009!   I didn't think I was going to like it, but I truly do. A plus is that the fireplace is in there... so we will stay nice and cozy warm this winter.

In other news, I don't think that I blogged about this. We had to have our sweet precious beagle, Cokey, put to sleep Dec. 7.   She was in congestive heart failure. It was such a difficult thing to do. My dh and I got her on our 1st wedding anniversary. She was almost 14 years old. I can count on one hand how many times I have seen my dh cry in the last 15 years I've known him. This was one of them. Of course, the kids were heartbroken.    To help with the blow... we got an inside cat. (We don't have much luck with outside cats.) Anyway, his name is Buddy.   He is really sweet, and good natured with the kids. He doesn't fuss too much when ~~they~~ Jacob drags him, swings him and throws him around the house. The only thing is that Buddy has lost about six of his lives for pooping on the carpet. YUCK!!! I just can't stand that.   He knows where his litter box is.   If he does it again, he will be definitely be outside, or lose his remaining three lives.

Finally, what do you think of my new look? I was so tired of looking at my other template. I designed this a few weeks ago but was waiting until the "official" start of winter to change it. I haven't had time to update it until today.   Let me know what you think..

Well, I guess I better get back to cleaning. 'til next time...

So much say...truly so little time!

2007-10-08T23:55:00.000-04:00

Wow, I can't believe that it has been more than a month since I've blogged. The time has gone by so fast. First of all I want to thank everyone for the kind notes and prayers. My dad went through a really rough times after the surgery. He was on life support for a week. He ended up having to get a pacemaker on top of the new valves. He has made so much progress. Now more than a month later he is doing well.

So things have really been busy here. I have sat down I can't tell you how many times to update, but I never finished the post. Other things call for my attention. So, here is a brief recap of what has happened the last month:

Aug. 21. I made it back from Charlotte in time to celebrate Sarah Beth's 10th birthday! I can't believe that my baby girl is 10 years old. She is turning into such a young lady. She had a High School Musical themed party.

Sept. 7. Mom and Dad came home from Charlotte! They are living with us for a while so that we can help out with dad. That is going well. I am so thankful for the relationship that we have. I know many families are not blessed in that way. We are all reaping the benefits of having them here... (can you say Mom's home cooking?!) LOL We are enjoying spending time with them and seeing dad progress. It is truly a miracle that he is here with us. The kids think that dad is the "Bionic Man". When you stand next to him you can hear his valves ticking. I think dad is going to start a little side business and charge a quarter for those who want to listen to him tick. All you local hs families... can you say, "Field Trip!" LOL.

Sept. 9 My baby turned 4 years old. I really can't believe that. It seems like only yesterday I found out we were going to have him. We celebrated his birthday with a Superman theme party with just family. We were so glad that mom and dad were home to celebrate with us.

And yes, I made it to the Harrisburg Bridge for our yearly pictures. I didn't think Tracy was going to be able to hold Jacob up like he has in the past. I can just picture Jacob's 16th birthday... I'll be hollering at Tracy... "Just a little higher. Just hang on a few more seconds!" LOL

Rachel hasn't had a birthday the last month, but I don't want to leave her out... so here are some pics of her. They are more on the 'artistic' side.

I have started up Bible study again with some of my dearest friends, they are the best spiritual mentors! And to top it all off, my mom is also joining us, which is such a treat! We are doing Beth Moore's study on the Book of Daniel. It has really been an eye opener for me. I have learned so much. I am enjoying my quiet time in the mornings more than ever before. My day goes so much smoother when I get to spend my quite time with God.

The rest of the time we have been busy with school... and, well, just life. We are almost finished with our first semester of school We will be taking off next week. I am hoping the weather will finally cool down and the leaves will start to change. Fall is my favorite time of the year, but it doesn't even feel like fall. We are still having hot, humid, summer like weather here. I think it is supposed to cool down some by this weekend. I am so ready for that!

I must admit, it is nice to be able to step away from the computer and spent time with my family. Blogging used to be an obsession for me. I had to have the most hits, I had to be on the top of this list and that list. I was self-absorbed with being #1. UGH! What an awful place to be. Now I hardly give it a second thought. I would like to start again, but only to keep a journal of what is going on in our life... and with school, maybe with a weekly post. :-D

Friday update... it is Friday, isn't it?

2007-08-17T23:46:00.001-04:00

Hi ya'll. Here is today's update. Dad is still sedated and on the ventilator. ::sigh:: We were hoping they would take him off today, but found out this morning that he would be on it today, and over night. They will reevaluate him in the morning. He has fluid in his lungs are they are trying to keep that under control.

Our 1:00 visit was very encouraging. When mom spoke to him he turned his head toward her. He can't speak or nod his head, but we knew that he knew we were there. LOL.

So, again, we are waiting. But the Lord is teaching us that nasty 'P' word... PATIENCE. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. So we should be able to fly soon! :-D We are being transformed daily... b/c we have to walk 100 miles up hill each day in 100 degree weather! LOL We are gonna be 2 hot chicks by the time we get back to TN.

At our 4:00 visit he was more sedated. They had also given him some pain medicine to make him comfy.

We miss TN. I miss my honey and kids... If anyone sees them, please give them a big hug and kiss from me. (Just the kids)... ;-D You can shake Tracy's hand. LOL Well, that is all for now. We love ya'll.

AmyBeth and Sheila a.ka. Tori (don't ask)

My Dad - Thurs. UPDATED @ 2 p.m.

2007-08-16T23:43:00.000-04:00

***UPDATED

2:00 PM

The doctor was able to remove the blood clot. they seem to have the bleeding under control. He lungs are still not good enough to breathe on his own. He is still sedated and on the ventilator. They are not in a hurry to remove it.   Please pray for strength for mom and I as it is very difficult to see him hooked up to all those machines, and know they are doing his breathing for him.    As you may have guessed, I didn't go home today.     I will stay in Charlotte wth mom until dad is well enough to be moved out of the CRVU.   We belive that God brought us here for a reason.   Everyone has been so nice, and the staff knows their stuff.

I can't tell you how much it means to know you are praying.   Please continue to do so. And please pray for my family, and I will be away from them for another day, and for my brother, Adam, as he couldn't make the trip from AZ. I know it is hard on him not being here.

7:00AM

The doctor called us this morning. Dad has developed a blood clot. It is not in his heart, but it is preventing his heart from functioning properly.  They are going back in to do surgery to remove the clot. He was still having trouble bleeding, and they were giving him a blood transfusion. He was still sedated, and on the breathing machine, as they anticipated having to take him back to surgery, so we didn't get to see him awake, *awake* last night. But I believe he knew we were there.

So mom and I are again, waiting. His doctor said that this would definitely slow his progress, but slow is better than nothing.

Will update as I can.
Thank you so much for your prayers.

Dad Update

2007-08-15T23:42:00.004-04:00

Thank you so much for all the prayers. God is answering them! Dad came through the surgery without complications. The doctors were successful in replacing the aeorta and mitro valves. He is having minimal bleeding that the doctors are able to control. Please pray they will continue to keep it under control, and that he does not throw a blood clot and have a stroke, as those are the immediate concerns. The doctor is optimistic that dad will have a full recovery. Praise the Lord!! We hope that he will be awake for our 8:30 visit. It will be good to see his brown eyes.

I will be heading home tomorrow afternoon. My mom has a safe place to stay, and she will be fed. :-D The Lord is GOOD!

Thank you again for your prayers.

Prayer Request

2007-08-14T23:40:00.000-04:00

Hello, my dear friends...

I come before you today to request prayer for my dad, Greg. He is scheduled to have mitro-valve replacement surgery Wednesday in Charlotte, NC. He and mom are already over there and I will be leaving this afternoon for Charlotte. This is a very high risk surgery, due to all of dad's medical conditions. His doctor comes VERY HIGHLY recommended, and will have another skilled surgeon with him. They said it has come to the point if he doesn't have the surgery that the heart muscle will deteriorate and he will not live much longer. He runs a risk of having a stroke or bleeding during the surgery. So basically, his fate will be decided one way or another.

I believe in the power of prayer, and ask that you pray for guidance for the doctors, and that they would successfully perform the replacements. Please pray that my dad has a speedy recovery, as he will remain in Charlotte until he is able to travel home. This can put a great financial strain on my parents.

God has already answered prayers in this situation. He has provided a place for my mom to stay, and a way for me to get there. My precious friend, Marica, has offered to take off from work and drive me. Please pray that we have safe travels. :-D

Please pray for my family as I will be gone from them for 3 days. God has also provided someone to keep the kids for me.
The surgery is scheduled for 8:15. He is at the Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.

Please pray for peace, for all of us. The decision has been make, and now it is up to God.

The Smell Is In the Air...

2007-07-11T23:19:00.000-04:00

My favorite time of the year is approaching. I was at Target the other day when I was drawn to the back corner like a magnet to all the lovely, wonderful school supplies!!! It is only July and already the stores are busy putting out all those glorious school supplies! YIPPEE!!!      We bought spiral notebooks, crayons (for Jacob) and folders with High School Musical and Hannah Montana on them...(the kids picked out some folders, too)    We even found some cute HSM pencils... (they also had some cute HSM book bags, but I we didn't get those.)

Staples has items this week for 1 cent. Yes, you read that right, 1 cent! So, of course, I loaded up the kids for a trip to town to visit our friendly neighborhood Staples. I could spend HOURS in Staples. I just love office/school supplies. I bought some little pencil sharpeners and packs of pencils for 1 cent each. (They were out of the cute little pencil boxes I wanted). I also bought 3 ring binders 3/$.99, and notebook paper & glue unbelievable cheap. I also stocked up on tempra paint.    My school room shelves are getting full.

I think the kids are excited about all the new supplies, too. Especially Jacob. Tonight I went in the school room to put some books up and there was some glue on the table. Two brand new bottles of ELMER'S glue were sitting there. One bottle was empty, and the other was half full. I knew who had to be responsible, so I went looking for Jacob.    Tracy said he brought him a plate full of glue earlier. I wondered where the rest of it went. When I went back in the school room, there sitting on the table lined up in a neat little row were the three new pencil sharpeners... each filled with... you guessed it... GLUE!   AY-AY-AY! LOL... I couldn't help but laugh...of course, I had to keep a straight face in front of Jacob and explain to him that is not what the glue was for. He said, "Oh, OK.. I sorry."   How could I be mad at that sweet innocent face?! I must admit he did a very neat job at filling them up.

I am preparing to start teaching Jacob preschool this year, perhaps our first lesson should be 'How to use school supplies!"

Learning is everywhere...

2007-06-23T23:12:00.001-04:00

I know it has been a really long time since I've actually blogged something about my life in general. I have just been so busy, I really haven't had time to sit and put my thoughts together in coherent form. LOL

I won't guarantee this is in coherent form, but I thought I'd share some of the fun things we've been doing. We've been blessed with several learning experiences this last month. It started when Rachel was reading 'Frog & Toad'. I thought it would be neat to study frogs and toads... I think I needen't explain why. So we did. I must admit.. I never knew the differences between frogs & toads. We enjoyed our study. The girls especially enjoyed dissecting a frog online.

Well, one night Sarah Beth found a toad outside. I thought it would be cool to keep it for a while and observe it. The girls had a big laugh when the toad continued to pee on me when I picked it up. They thought that was a BIG HOOT! Ha, ha!

In reality, I was performing a science experiment to disprove the old wives tale that you get warts when toads pee on you. So far no strange growths or bumps have appeared on my skin. I feel like the Myth Busters!

So, we fed Duncan, the toad, some lightning bugs. They didn't last 2 seconds. We got to see him eat the lightning bugs. It was so cool. I've never seen a toad eat before. Their tongues are so fast. We went to the pet store and bought him some crickets. That was cool watching him eat those. (Am I morbid, or what?!)

The kids watching the frog.

Jacob looking for the lightning bug.

So we enjoyed Duncan for about a week and then let him go in the back yard. We still see him hopping out in the flower bed every now and then.

Then one Wednesday night I was talking to someone at church about dissecting owl pelets. The next day the kids and I went on our daily walk look what we found in the back yard...

I took a picture of it next to a dime to give you an idea of how big it is. We actually found 2 of them. They were just laying right there on the ground in a dirt patch. Sarah Beth and I disseted one of them. We found lots of tiny feathers in it and a baby bird claw and leg. We haven't disected the other one yet. Can anyone identify this pellet? What type of bird is it from?

We also enjoyed finding some little clams and neat rocks in the creek behind our house.

The day after we let Duncan go look what I found crossing the road.

Isn't she beautiful? I absolutely LOVE turtles, and used to bring them home all the time when I was a kid. But, this turtle was especially interesting. Look at this picture of Jacob and the turtle.

In all my life, I have never seen a terrapin that big before. She was really sweet and not afraid of us at all. A vet told me that she was about 15-20 years old.

Here is my gang before we took her down to the creek and let her go.

There she goes, on her merry way...

When one takes the time to look closly at God's beautiful creation, they will find teaching moments everywhere.

Passed down...

2006-12-04T22:20:00.001-05:00

When I was a kid, I remember every year after our Thanksgiving dinner, we would put up the Christmas tree. What an exciting time that was. I loved to hear the stories of each ornament as they were put up on the tree. "This one is from your first Christmas..." "This one is from your second Christmas..." etc. When all the lights were strung... and all the ornaments hung, it was time to hang my favorite ornament of all. The green glass ball. Now it may just look like an ordinary glass Christmas ornament, but even as a kid, I knew that it was much more than that.

One hundred and fifty years ago a man in Bavaria, Germany boards a boat with his family, bound for the 'Land of the Free.' Among his possessions, a dozen ordinary glass Christmas ornaments. How many years had he hung them on his Christmas tree? Where did he get them from? Unfortunately, I will never know.

I imagine him hanging them on the tree his first Christmas in America. Holding close the traditions that where passed down to him. When his children left home, he gave each of them one of the green glass ornaments that he brought from his 'Homeland' to hang on their Christmas tree. I imagine them hanging the ornament on their tree. Telling stories of their Christmases past...creating new stories. A special one was then chosen to carry on the tradition as the ornament was passed down to the next generation.

I wonder when my g-g-g-g grandfather brought that ornament from Germany all those years ago, and when he passed those ornaments down to his children, if he had any idea the legacy he was about to begin.

My father became the 6th generation to receive the ornament when it was passed down to him from my great - grandmother. That was the ordinary looking glass ornament that held the place of honor on our Christmas tree every year.

Last night, at my birthday party, my dad presented me with a little white bag. Tucked inside the white tissue paper was the delicate glass ornament. The tradition has been passed on down to me.

You can't imagine the emotion that I felt as I carefully pulled the ornament from the bag. I was rendered speechless. (That doesn't happen to me often.) My dad hasn't been in the best of health, and he wanted to be the one to give it to me, the 7th generation to carry on the tradition.

Thank you Daddy, for giving me the honor of carrying on the family tradition. I will do it proudly

My WM (Wonderful Mom) & my Pappy

2005-12-06T22:21:00.003-05:00

I took this picture of my mom and dad yesterday. It makes me want to cry when I see it, because after almost 33 years of marriage, I can see feel the love between them.

...WM, I hope you don't mind me putting this on my blog... because I love you both so much. You are such an inspiration to me.

How to Cook a Turkey

2005-11-24T23:01:00.000-05:00

According to an 8 yo and a 6 yo. I hope everyone is taking notes. Here you go.

By Sarah Beth.

Ingredients

Vegetables

Eggs

Turkey

Oregno

Flour

Garlic

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Take your 170 lb. turkey and pull out all the feathers. Stuff it with oregno. Put egg on turkey to make it golden brown. Cook it for 11 hours. Put flour in the pan to make gravy. Enjoy!

By Rachel

Ingredients

Salt

2 eggs

honey

turkey

flour

pepper

Preheat oven to 31 degrees. Take your 1 lb. turkey and pull all the feathers out after you wring his neck. Put in the oven and cook for 6 minutes. Put some salt & honey on it. Cut it up, then eat it.

I just want to state for the record, that neither one of them listed Turkey as an ingredient until I kept saying what is the main ingredient you need when cooking a TURKEY. ::cough, cough:: LOL They finally got the hint!

I think this is just precious, but it would appear that I have my work cut out for me in the cooking department. asdfjg hjklj;klj; asd;lkf hjkjk;'

If you would like a copy of the printout for your own budding chefs, check out http://www.abcteach.com/Christmas/turkey.htm