Frugal Shopping and Friends-- is there anything better?

I had such a great day today, so even though i am soooo tired, i wanted to post this real quick. This morning, Rachel and I went to Bylers, which is a discount grocery store, and we got so many groceries for not too much money. Love shopping! Love saving money even more. After we got the groceries put away, we had some lunch and then went to my friend Debbies house. I had not been there for a long time, because life kind of got in the way of our friendship. In fact, I have allowed life to get in the way of too many of my friendships, but that is a different post for a different day. Anyway, spending the afternoon with Deb was something that I have greatly missed. Many times, when friends seperate for a time, it is pretty difficult to connect again. Not the case with me and Deb. I am so happy that we could get right back into our talking, sharing, laughing friendship! It was a great afternoon with Deb--sitting with her, listening to the kids laughing, while Deb was sharing her heart, her cookies, :) and her homeschooling/blogging knowledge with me.

This evening, I got to spend alot of time of the phone with my family. My sister and I spent over an hour on the phone together, filling each other in on our lives. I miss her soo much and can not wait to see her this summer (if not sooner). Then my cousing Beth called me, which was so great cause i have not talked to her in about a month. She has a very hectic life and a great sense of humor. I laughed so much, my voice is hoarse. My cousin and I used to spend many hours a week on the phone together when we were mommies of only one child each and had lots of extra time--and huge long distance phone bills! Now we have 7 children and about 6 states between us and we don't get to talk too much, but i love her to peices and treasure the time we do get together.

So now i am going to rest my voice--it is not used to the aroebic excercise i gave it today-- and go to bed. Thank you Lord for such great friends!

Today i am thankful for:

1. Friends
2. The internet (sooo much information at my fingertips!)
3. Bylers!

From the Simple Woman's Daybook for January 26

Outside my window... A dark, cloudy night sky, looks and smells like snow.



I am thinking... About some deep questions Matt had for me tonight before he went to bed...stuff like "what is life all about" "what is my purpose" you know, easy stuff.



I am thankful for...Tax refunds and bonus checks



From the learning rooms...Still doing 3 bible chapters, computer school, and read-a-louds. Waiting for books from Chrisian Light. Maybe i will call them tomorrow.



From the kitchen...All clean, thanks to a newly revised chore chart ;) However, the fridge is still pleading to be cleaned out.



I am wearing... blue jeans, white sweatshirt, bathrobe and slippers.



I am creating... Nothing i can think of but i hope to do some scrapbooking soon with Deb.



I am going... to bed. Tomorrow-to the library and bank. Hopefully later this week to Deb's. Oh, and this weekend we are going to Rehobeth for the polar bear plunge. Erin will be participating!



I am reading... Political Science textbook (dry), Theories of Counseling textbook (better), Red, but Ted Dekker, and various home-schooling books.



I am hoping... Rachel's books will come in tomorrow, we will have enough money to pay the HUGE electric bill we recieved, and that we can figure out why our bill was so high.



I am hearing... The t.v. is playing a program about the first 10 presidents--good to listen to too better understand political science. Also helps me fall asleep ;)



Around the house... Everyone has been sleeping for almost two hours, so it is quiet except for the t.v. and my typing and hubby's occasional snores.



One of my favorite things... I enjoy this quiet time right before i go to bed.



A few plans for the rest of the week: Pretty much more of the same, go to school on Wednesday, Talk to mom and sister this weekend, go to Rehobeth beach, go to Deb's, start going to my new small group Sunday night.



Here is picture thought I am sharing...




My two older kids goofing around at Grammi's house.



To find out how to blog about your day, go to:
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Well, i''m off to bed.
Today, i'm thankful :
1. For tax refunds and bonus checks.

2. Quiet time.

3. My sister, who has always been and remains to this day, my best friend.

Doing a 180

Yesturday was a bad day. Today was a good one. In my distress yesturday, i spent alot of time in prayer. I wanted to handle the situation in a way that would touch my children's hearts and create a change without rebellion or bad attitudes. At dinner time, we sat together at the table and talked about what had been going on in the past couple of days. Steven and i told the kids what we thought the cause of the problem was and how we felt about it. The children listened quietly while we told them how things had gone wrong lately and how we were sorry that we had dropped the ball and moslty the same things i posted about in yesturday's blog. There were tears, apologies, and a desire to do better. We all agreed that some things needed to change and the children all apologized. We hugged, we cried, we laughed.....we made a chore chart which detailed each child's daily and weekly job and discussed what the consequences of neglecting that job would be. Once again, i thank the Lord for the gifts he has heaped upon me. He gave me the words to say, He whispered to my heart and to the hearts of my husband and children, He allowed me to sense His presence in the face of my distress, and He has given me the joy of my heart. I know that the children will test the new responsibilities and consequences, and i pray that the Lord will help me to enforce new rules, but the kids handled the whole situation much better than i thought, and i am thankful for that.





I look back over yesturday's post and i think, "what was i so upset about?" Today i am actually thankful for what happened because it gave me the kick in the butt i needed to actually do something about the children's lack of respect and responsibility. It wasn't all about chores, there was a disrespect going on that was also dealt with. Thank God for new beginnings.





Today i got up early, got ready for the 8:30 church service, drove Erin to work, and went to church with Rachel. The service was very good and so was Sunday School. Rachel and I decided to start going to the 11:00 service from now on, however, so we can sleep a little later and also talk to our friends after service instead of running out before the next service starts. At home, i took a nap, watched tv, did some college reading than made dinner. We all sat at the table again and finished our conversation from last night. (we had asked the kids to come up with some consequences for rule breaking and i showed them the chore chart) Then Rachel, Erin, Erin's friend Jess, and i went back to church so the girls could go to youth group and i could go to service. I'm not one to usually go to night service, but last week i brought Erin to youth group, drove home, and then turned around a half an hour later to go pick her up. (we live about 20 min away from church). Since Erin now plans on going to youth group every week (yes, Erin : ) ) I figured i would just stay for service and save the gas. Rachel went to youth group for the first time tonight and loved it and wants to go back. I am very pleased about this and just desire the same for my son, who will not go to church unless he is forced.





So, all in all, I had a great day. And I feel so much better. Like ALOT better. Tomorrow it's back to school and i hope Rachel's school books come in soon because i am running out of ideas. So far we still read a chapter each of Mark, Judges, and Proverbs for Bible each day. Than on the computer for math, on the couch with mommy reading Miriam out loud for history (about Moses's sister to help learn about life in ancient Egypt), then on the wii for gym : ), then lunch, then on the computer for grammer and science, then writing in her journal or writing book and doing a vocabulary lesson. That's it. We are both looking foward to doing more taditional lessons but are also enjoying each others company and recovering from public middle school. We plan on getting involved with at least 2 extracurricular activities (choir, karate, co-op, ..ect) but are still working it all out. I really hope i will be able to teach her in the same way i did my other two, but i have changed so much in the past couple of years, i hope i didn't lose that part that made me a good, confident teacher. We'll see.





Well, it's late and i'm going to bed. Wanted to writed about my good day before i turned in.





Today i am thankful for:




1. A Creator who desires to have a relationship with His creation.

2. A church that feels like family


3. The dollar store

The High Price Parents Pay

Lately, i have been burdened with a thought in the back of my mind and in my heart that my children needed to have more responsibility around the house. For the past couple years, i have stopped enforcing many of the household rules that used to be second nature to my kids. Why did i do that? I don't know. I have some ideas about why i no longer enforce chores or many rules, but it hurts my head to try to figure it out. So i have just been going on doing everything myself, and watching my dear children become less responsible and more entitled every month. Don't get my wrong, ask anybody who knows my kids and they will tell you that i have great kids. Really great kids. I wrote a whole post about how great they are. The problem is, they are so good, i didn't want to do anything to upset the apple cart. I just want my kids to be happy. If you know anything about my family's history in the last 7 years, you will know that my kids have had to go through alot. And much of that was my fault. So, after i recovered from being depressed and selfish, i vowed never to do anything that would be to the detrimant of my children. I did all that i could to make them happy and to make new memories. However, in the process, i overlooked that responsibilty and consequences for rule-breaking is a necessary evil. By keeping them from consequences and not enforcing their chores (and most times doing it for them to keep the peace) i am doing them a great disservice.




How will they learn to be responsible adults if they don't have to do anything they don't want to do while they are teens? How can they learn to have a servant's heart if they don't learn to serve their family and each other? How can they learn how to do for others if all they do is for themselves?




Well, all this has been on my heart for quite a while, but i have done nothing about it except complain to my husband and kids that nobody does what they are supposed to do anymore. What child will volunteer to do the things they don't want to do? If they are brought up knowing that i will continue to do all the things i usually do for them even if they have disobeyed me, what am i really teaching them? OF COURSE they are happy. OF COURSE they think i'm the greatest. What kid wouldn't be happy doing whatever they want.




So here is the problem. The night before last, i tucked my kids in and asked each one of the if they had done the chores i told them to do. They each said no..... I kissed them all, told them i love them, and left their rooms. The next day, my son wanted me to pick him up from school, and i decided that i was not going to go out of my way and he could walk home. Well, my husband did not want him to walk home, so he picked him up--but also gave him an earful about how he (my son) wanted us to do everything for him, but he won't even do the small chores we give him. My husband also gave the girls an earful. That was yesturday. Since then, about 24 hours have gone by and not one of my children has said a word to me. My son has been shut up in his room since he came home 24 hours ago. I don't even know if he has eaten. Now, usually, i end up going to each of my children and pulling them out of their angry shell. This time, i am just out of words. They are obviously trying to manipulate me by ingnoring me, but i honestly don't know how to react. I feel like such a failure.



I actually called my husband at work this morning in tears because my children would not speak to me. My heart is breaking for my children and i long to go talk to them, but i strongly feel that they need to come to me. This is pretty much what i have been afraid of and why I have not enforced the rules. I am such a wimp. I guess i figured if i gave them nothing to rebel against, then they would not rebel. BUT they also feel entitled. Entitled to say what they want, do what they want, eat what they want, entitled to my time, my unfailing good mood, my car, rides to and from everywhere, and any other thing they want from me. Something has to change, but i must say, i don't know how.




Steve said that tonight we are gonna have a family dinner and talk to the kids. So that is what we will do. Why am i nervous? I don't know. Change can be scary. My kids used to obey, but i don't want to go back to the way we were when they were little. There has to be some kind of compomise.




Well, this has been a long post, and i don't think i have even expressed why i am so distressed in a way that anybody other than me would understand, but this is my blog and it is what i wrote. Maybe i'll edit it later when i feel better. But no today.




The silver lining:

Although i am upset that my kids are not doing what they are supposed to--They are healthy and have the physical ability to do the things they need to do.


I know they love me.


My husband is on my side and came home early when he sensed my distress. Sweet.

My College Classes

Well, it has been a while since i posted. Seems like my procrastination tendency is creeping in. Last night i went to my college classes for the second time this semester, so it is time to share what i think about them. First of all, let me say that i love going to school only once a week and going late enough (i leave the house at 2) in the day to get Rachel's school done before i leave for mine.

So, my first class starts at 2:30 and it is called Theories of Counseling. It is a distance class, which means we meet once a week for an hour an a half and we do the other half at home. This works out well for my present schedule. The instructor is the same instructor i had for human services and abnormal psychology, so he knows me and i know what to expect from him. This is a relief because although it can take a while to figure out what the instructor is looking for in his students, it is important to know what he is looking for and what his views of excellence are. I happen to like this instructor, so it is all good. This class is all about.....wait for it......different theories that are used when counseling. Pretty self-explanatory. A theory can be Freudian ("Vat have zu been dreaming about, hmm?), Humanistic (We all are born good, we all have the ability and desire to do the right thing ect.), Behavioral (We do the things we do because of what we see other people do around us...), Cognitive (We do the things we do because of our thought patterns) and so on. There are over 400 theories (different beliefs and systems of what makes people do what they do and how to approach problems and problem solving), but we will be studying the nine most popular. I think this class is going to be pretty easy, and the instructor makes it interesting--he doesn't just talk about facts and figures, he talks about his experiences and the most important part of each theory. The only down side is that we need to submit some of our homework on the computer, and as i mentioned before, i am techno challenged, so i am a bit nervous i will hit the wrong button or something and send my work into cyberspace, never to be seen again.

On to the next class. After my theories class, i grab something to eat and go to the college library for 1 1/2 hours to read or do homework. Or i go to walmart and the mall and look around, but that can be dangerous because i am not to good at "just looking". Political science is a trip. The instructor spent the first 3 hour class talking about himself for more than half the class and touching on some political ideas toward the end. He also let out 20 minutes early and gave us a 15 minute break. Last night i was nervous because i did not get around to reading all of the 65 pages he had assigned to us. I did not need to worry because he spent 40 minutes playing games to get us to think outside of the box, some more time talking about things that had not much to do with government, and the rest of the time going over 6 principles of the democratic system...then dismissed us 20 minutes early. I don't see how we are going to get much work done, but i must say he is entertaining. When he does teach, he is interesting, so hopefully this class will be ok too. The text book is kind of dry, which is a shame because it cost over 150 dollars. I actually am looking forward to learning in this class because i am a bit ignorant about our government and it's different branches and systems. I still don't know exactly what congress is, but was embarrassed to ask. I understand the legislative branch and the senate and the house of representative, but what is congress? any answers would be appreciated. ( edited to say-i asked Steve and he explained it...it is the house of representative and the senate put together). All in all, i can just tell it is going to be a great semester filled with fun and learning. I love to learn and study and i love being able to get out of the house for a whole day once a week, but also having enough time to take care of the family and household obligations. It's all good.

Well, that's it about my school. I'll post later about how our first week of home-school went and how Matt is doing in his new high school (much better, thank God)

So, right now i am thankful:
That i have two interesting classes
That i have two interesting teachers whom i can tell love what they do, which is reflected in the way they act towards their students.
That i am pretty comfortable with the people in my classes already, which is good because usually i don't know anybody and we usually have to do group activities that i have never been comfortable with.

First Day at Hope and Truth Academy

Well, it is Thursday night and time for an update. I started schooling Rachel on Wednesday. We got the paper work for our state registration approval for our school - Hope and Truth Academy on Tuesday afternoon. This came in much faster than i thought it would, but i promised Rachel that as soon as it came in I would pull her out of public school. So that is what I did. I had no school books for her yet--hadn't even ordered any yet, so I started a couple of free trials for computer classes. One site is called time4learning that i heard about on another home-school mom's site. It got good reviews and Rachel enjoys it. I also signed up with ALEX math--also referred to me from another home-school mom. Rach doesn't like this one too much, but she doesn't enjoy math in general. I bought a couple of vocabulary and writing books for her to do while we wait for her school books to come in. I ordered from Christian Light Education and she will be doing 5th and 6th reading, 4th math, 4-6th Bible, 4th-5 Language Arts, 6th science and 6th history. I am hoping to catch her up to at least midway through 6th grade in all subjects by the time we end our year. This curriculum is advanced in reading and math, so even though she is doing some 4th grade work, it is really what the kids are doing in 5 and 6th grade in public school.

Anyway, every day we try harder than the next to get on a schedule that will work for us, but without our curriculum, it's all just framework right now. Today we did Bible first and that was her and I orally reading Mark 9 (because she is interested in that particular book), Judges 1 (because we are doing ancient history plus she doesn't really know those bible stories i grew up with), and Proverbs 15 (because Mommy likes to read a proverb a day). After Bible, she did math on the computer. We then had selective silent reading time (she read a book for pleasure and i read the Washington Post for about 40 minutes). We had lunch, cleaned up, then did some Time4learning on the computer. Then she did vocab and writing-and that was it for today. It's not much, but we should be getting our books by next week and we are going to slowly get into this home-schooling thing. It has been a very long time since I schooled my other two, so i need to get back into the groove.

Well, I'm going to bed. Next time i will write about my first day of my fourth semester of college (I love it, of course) and also about Matthew's first day at Middletown High School (not pretty).

Today i am thankful:

That we found a great curriculum that i can buy in piecmeal.

That I still had some credit on my cards to pay for the above mentioned pieces.

That my husband supports my home-schooling and college endeavers.

From the Simple Woman's Daybook for January 12

Outside my window... A bright sunny early afternoon sky with some clouds creeping in.

I am thinking... I need to get off my computer and fold laundry, pay bills, and straiten up. I need to find a schedule that i can adhere to in order to organize my day. I need to TURN THE TV OFF.

I am thankful for... Technology that not only gives me information and ideas at my fingertips, but also the opportunities to research things that i need to learn and the opportunity to keep in touch with family and friends with the click of a button. (Now i just have to be less technologically challenged and learn how to do things with the computer that i don't understand).

From the learning rooms... Rachel hasn't come home yet, but i am researching learning styles, grading diagnostic tests, and reviewing curriculum so i will be ready for her once we get the papers from the state that allow us to legally hs.

From the kitchen... The dishes are calling to me "Please wash us" the counters are screaming "please clear us off" and the fridge is begging to be cleaned out. I will get to them later.

I am wearing... Still in my p.j's (yes, it is early afternoon and i have accomplished NOTHING today (well, nothing physically, but Mentally...i am learning and researching)

I am creating... My blog. Still trying to figure it all out. But i like doing it.

I am going... To pick Rachel up from school when her school day is over. She no longer takes the bus-- after having an unfortunate vomiting experience in front of her peers, i just could not put her back on that bus. Why put her through that humiliation since she is coming home soon anyway.

I am reading... a variety of home schooling books and the fiction book Red, by Ted Dekker

I am hoping... to get all my work i mentioned above done before kids get home from school.

I am hearing... Dr. Phil on my TV and my dog Stanley snoring next to me on the couch.

Around the house... Not much going on right now. Pretty quiet except the click of my computer keys and the above mentioned noises. Pretty boring.

One of my favorite things... my CLEAN house (which it is not at the moment, but i am working up the desire to get it that way as soon as i am done here)

A few plans for the rest of the week: Start on a new schedule, First day of school for me is Wednesday--I'll be there from 1-9 cause i have one class in the afternoon (Theories of Counseling from 2-4) and one class at night (Political Science from 6-9) i am excited to start learning again and i love getting out of the house one whole day a week.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Thinking of warmer days and how i love my hubby (this is us at the beach last summer in Rehobeth)

To find out how to blog about your day, go to The simple womans daybook by following this link:

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Off to clean the house.

This afternoon:

I'm thankful for my home

I'm thankful for my laptop

I'm thankful I can go to college at my leisure

A Good Day

What a great day i had today. Steven, me and Rachel went to church today and i truely enjoyed myself. Sunday school was great as usual. I love the way Mr. Katz teaches. We are going through 2 Timothy verse by verse and i find it very informative and interesting. I dragged Steve to sit up front with me, since i sit up front in my college classes and find it less distracting. Steve called me a geek.: ) He-he, that's okay, i like being a geek. Just call me a geek-for-God. He-he. During church, Pastor Bob gave a good message and i find myself taking notes in my bible more and more often. Now i just have to open my bible during the week, which is something i do not do enough of. Lord, give me dicipline and help me get into a routine! I always want to have a routine or a schedule to follow, but every time i try, i get stressed out that i am not following it correctly, so i eventually give it up. But, i really need to try again now that i will be home-schooling and going to classes. I know it will help me if i could just stick with it.

Well, I am so so happy because Erin came back from Sno-Glo (the retreat she went on with the church youth group) with excitement for the Lord, something i have wanted to see in her for a long time. I prayed after i dropped her and Jess off that she would feel comfortable with the other kids (whom she barely knew). Well, now she wants to JOIN the youth group, and i could not be happier. She was so touched by the message and music this past weekend. I am so glad that she now realizes that Christian music is not all stuffy. The band that was there was a Christian rock band, and she loved it so much, she bought their CD and a sweatshirt with their logo on it. The band is called Reilley. She has a desire for the Lord, which is my prayer for all my children. Thank you Lord!!

Also, today i dropped that pesky class i was pondering about yesturday. I really felt that i need to focus on Rachel during this semester. I don't think i would be there for her enough if i was away for 3 days a week, so now i will still have 2 classes on Wednesdays and be able to have enough time to help Rachel recover from public school for the next few months. If all goes as planned, next semester i will pick up 3 classes again, but i will make some night classes or telecourse classes. For right now, i believe my priority is my child. Finishing school quicker only really benefits me, not my child. I mean, i know our finances will be better when i get my job, but money can not be more important that helping my child get prepared for life. What is one more year? Once my kids are grown up, i will not be able to get this time with them back. One year in my life is like the wind. One year in an 11 year olds life is like forever and can change her whole outlook on life. I am at peace with my decision. Thank you Lord.

Today, i am thankful that i have a church family that feels like home.
Today, i am thankful that my daughter heard God whisper to her.
Today, i am thankful that my Father in heaven said yes to my plea.

Today, i am happy and at peace. Can't get much better than that.

Big Decisions

I had a great night last night. I got to talk to my sister and my mom--each of them for quite a while. It is so hard to be without my family. I miss them soo much. My sister has been my best friend for my whole life and my mother is my soul mate. I don't think I can ever miss them more than i do right now. One day my kids will realize the gift I am giving them by staying here in DE. It is a sacrifice i make for my kids because i know how hard it is to change schools in high school and they have never moved since they started school. Once my older two graduate though, I am free to move to Florida and be with my family. My hubby has told me often enough that he would be able to transfer to FL and would gladly move there to see me happy. Rachel, my youngest, has wanted to move for years, so even though she will be in school when i plan on moving us, she still wants to go. So......A Few More Years.

I figured out today that i may not be able to graduate until 2012--the same year my son graduates high school. I originally planned to be done by 2011, but I had to reduce the amount of classes i was taking, so even if i take a summer class, i don't think i will graduate till 2012. That means it will take me a total of 5 years to get my degree. I could graduate by 2011 if i take 3 classes every semester, but is graduating one year earlier worth the stress it will put on me and my family? I don't think so. Plus, now that i will be home-schooling my dear daughter Rachel, three classes may make me crazy:). But.., the faster I graduate, the faster I can get a job, make money, and be able to move to FL. But....., i didn't really want to start my career until my youngest was in High School. If all goes according to plan, she will be finishing 9th grade when I graduate.
You may be noticing how I am wavering about how many classes to take and when i should graduate. Well, i haven't made my decision yet and so i am working it out in my head--and here on this blog. If i decide to graduate in 2012 then i can take just 2 classes a semester instead of 3. Three classes at a time was great when i had nothing else to do, but it was time consuming and took many hours of study and writing in order to keep my academic recognition--which i did. Will I have enough time to school Rachel and still do well in my classes-and housework-and cooking- and shopping- and remembering to pay the bills on time- and helping my other kids out with their work, job, and after school activities- and give my homeschooler opportunities for getting out of the house and around other kids- and probably a bunch of other things that i need time for that i can't think of right now. I think that I will probably drop that third class before it starts on tuesday. Then I will still have two classes, but will only need to be away from home one day a week. That will give me time to get Rachel and i into a routine that we can follow (which will be hard for us because we are SO not routine people, though i know they are needed). Well, I'm not really sure what i'm gonna do, but i need to make my decision by Monday in order to drop the class and not have to pay for it. I will probably drop it.

I wish my hubby was the kind of person who has opinions, because he just sais--"whatever you decide i'm sure would be fine" which is nice and all, but it makes me feel like i am in it all by myself. It would be nice to have him play devils advocate or give me another way to look at things. Oh, well, as i always say--I'll figure it out. Wish me luck.

The silver lining? I am so thankful that my husbands salary and our living situation enables me to even go to college AND stay home with my kids to be their when they need or want me. Many people would LOVE to have to struggle with this decision, but their living situations do not permit them to even have the opportunity to stay home with their kids and going to college is only a dream to them. I am so blessed and completely grateful for the opportunities the Lord has given me.

My Blessings

In my opinion, I have the best kids in the world. I mean that. I have been completely blessed. I have often heard that once the teenaged years start, the poop would hit the fan... I'm still waiting for that to happen. I have two teenagers and one pre-teen.

Erin

My oldest, Erin, is sixteen. She sometimes gets a little moody, but she is such a good girl that i often overlook her moodiness. She always bounces back pretty quickly. Erin has a type A personality. She reminds me a lot of my sister. She always wants to do things perfect the first time she tries, she is completely organized (the direct opposite of me), she takes great care of everything she has, she is a straight A student working to become valedictorian of her senior class, and she is very sensitive of the feelings of others. This weekend she is going on a church retreat with her best friend Jessica. It will be the first time she has done this and she paid her own way. I truly hope that she and Jess will have a wonderful time, and more importantly, open their hearts to whatever God may whisper to their hearts. I am so proud of the relationship i have with my oldest child. Sometimes i think that we are too friendly with each other and that she will lose respect for me if i don't act more like a "mother" than a friend. Sometimes, she does talk to me with disrespect, but it is not often. So far i don't want to fix what is not broken, and whatever i am doing must be ok, because i see the woman she is becoming and i love what i see. I am so proud of her decisions and gentle heart. Oops, i just tried to upload her picture and it is up-side-down. Told you I was technologically challanged. Oh well, at least you can see it.

Matthew

Matthew is fourteen and i can honestly say that he is the best teenaged boy i have ever met. Matthew is a sweet, loving, funny, responsible, good-natured young man. He loves his family and sticks up for any injustice he feels is happening. He is very protective of his sisters and mother. I can hardly ever dicipline him because he makes me laugh so much while i am trying just by the silly things he sais. Thank God I hardly ever have to dicipline him. He is so good. He started playing football for his school last year and he was so busy--He would get up, go to school, go to practice, get home at 7, do homework, chores, work-out, and go to bed. I am so proud of the man he is becoming. He is very serious about his future and always keeps his future career, wife, and children in mind when he makes decisions about the classes he takes, the school he attends, and even how he reacts to certain situations. He is starting in his new high school next week--a decision he made because he felt his present school would not help him in his future. I love him dearly and consider myself extremely blessed to be his mom.

Rachel (on the left)

Rachel is my baby. She will always be my baby. She is the child who most resembles me (at least that is what i see). Rachel does not always have it very easy, but she rarely complains. She is a sweet, loving, friendly, mischievious young lady. In the past couple of years i have watched her deal with some difficult situations-some very similar to one's i went through at her age. She handles these situations much better than i did, and i am so impressed and proud of her. I completely enjoy her company-which is good because i will be homeschooling her in about two weeks for a couple of years. She is so excited to come home, and hubby and i think it will be very good for her. She presently hates school and is behind on a few subjects. My intention is to get her through this difficult period of time and re-teach her some things that her past teachers have missed. Hopefully, by ninth grade she will feel more confident and will do well in high school. I am really looking foward to this special time for us and am thankful for the opportunity to teach her not only academics but also other things that will help her throughout the rest of her life. She never got the opportunity to be homeschooled like the other two did, and we are both very excited. She has my heart in her hand and i love her.

So, as you can see, I have the best kids in the world. Need i say more?

I am thankful for my children

I am thankful that i have the ability to stay home to teach them

I am thankful that they have held on to the lessons i have allready taught them

My first blog

So i am sitting here relaxing and i decided to start a blog for myself to write down my thoughts and daily happenings (or at least as much as i remember). So i created my blog, which for me is a huge deal since i am so technologically chanllenged!! But, I'm giving it a go cause it looks like fun and is a great outllet. Now i'm sitting here on the couch while hubby watches football and my dd watches me type. It occurs to me that i don't know what to say and i don't want to appear foolish to anybody who may read this. Then it occurs to me that this is my blog and i should write whatever i want, and those who love me will pretty much know what i'm trying to say, and those who don't know me well will probably not be reading it anyway. These are my thoughts about life- and my way to end each day trying to find the silver lining in whatever life thows at me. I have seen that, no matter how difficult life seems, there is ALWAYS some silver lining. There has to be. I know this because i believe with all my heart that the Bible is the unwavering word of God. In the Bible, God says that "All things work together for good for those that love the Lord...". Well, i love the Lord and i truly believe that, even if i can't see it now, everything that happens works out for the good. For my good, or my childrens good, or somebody's good. Finding the silver lining can be hard some times, but it is ALWAYS there. I just need to look for it.

Today, i am thankful that i have a car.

Today, i am thankful that i can choose how and where to educate my children.

Today, i am thankful that my hubby has a stable, decent paying job that allows me to stay home with the kids and also go to college.

There are so many things to be thankful for. Lord, help me to remain thankful for all that i have.