I have to say I am completely enjoying spending time with my dear husband. He has a conference down in Savannah and I get to tag along. So while he was in his classes, I spent time piddling in antique stores. LOVED it!! Then when he was done, we met and headed to the hotel to freshen up. Then it was off on foot to walk around historic Savannah to find something to eat. After a great meal at Outback we walked around some more until it was time for a concert at Johnny Mercer. Then off again to walk down to River Street and enjoy the evening.
And oh what an evening it was. The weather is lovely and there was a nice breeze blowing. We walked hand in hand and talked the night away. I was so comforted and secure feeling holding his hand. Each time we got to a cross walk, he pulled me back just a bit to be sure I wasn't hit by a car. Oh, to thrill at his touch and the subtle ways he cares for me. This was truly a magical evening. And tomorrow is promising to be great too! If the weather holds, we will ride down to Tybee Beach for a nice stroll along the beach. I can't wait!!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Vacation...
One of the joys of homeschooling is deciding to have a vacation just because. That has been our week this week. In celebration of MLK on Monday my children joined the marching band to be part of the parade. This gave momma a wonderful break.
However, Tuesday I woke up not feeling up to par, so I called school off for the week. Wednesday was a trip to the dentist which takes several hours to handle all we need to do in the "big" city.
Today is Thursday and we have done a bit of "unschooling." Grace and I have baked a loaf of bread together. We also made a batch of my Grandmother's famous sugar cookies. And then I let her sew up a quilt square that I had laid out to sew. The boys enjoyed a board game marathon while we did this.
Tomorrow, my sweet girl turns 9 and as it is our custom, we take the day off if a birthday happens to fall on a school day. So it will be some more fun activities to fill our day.
Life as a homeschool mom is so much fun!!! I never know what I may find. This morning, after Grace did her chore of emptying the laundry basket she decided to wear it as a turtle shell. Then while the boys were eating lunch, they decided to turn their bananas into microphones and serenade me. I wish I could post the pictures, but I can't seem to get them off my phone.
I love my life!!
However, Tuesday I woke up not feeling up to par, so I called school off for the week. Wednesday was a trip to the dentist which takes several hours to handle all we need to do in the "big" city.
Today is Thursday and we have done a bit of "unschooling." Grace and I have baked a loaf of bread together. We also made a batch of my Grandmother's famous sugar cookies. And then I let her sew up a quilt square that I had laid out to sew. The boys enjoyed a board game marathon while we did this.
Tomorrow, my sweet girl turns 9 and as it is our custom, we take the day off if a birthday happens to fall on a school day. So it will be some more fun activities to fill our day.
Life as a homeschool mom is so much fun!!! I never know what I may find. This morning, after Grace did her chore of emptying the laundry basket she decided to wear it as a turtle shell. Then while the boys were eating lunch, they decided to turn their bananas into microphones and serenade me. I wish I could post the pictures, but I can't seem to get them off my phone.
I love my life!!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Longing...
Have you ever longed for something so much it hurt? Knowing the desire is from God. That is where I am now. I know that God has spoken to me and we are to adopt again. I want another child so much that I physically hurt sometimes. I cry out to God and beg for continued affirmation. Lord if this is not from You, please take away the desire. Lord, You know I am ready. Lately though, all I hear is wait. God has used different devotionals and quiet moments to remind me to wait upon Him. This is hard stuff!!!! If you think about it, will you please pray for me to continue to wait upon God. I know His timing is perfect, but this is so hard.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
A quick update...
Wow, have we had a lot going on. We have been working hard at the Rock to get it presentable. We've torn down walls and built walls. Today we have painted like crazy! It really is looking much better and hopefully before too long, the front part will be completely renovated.
Add to the mix, Christmas and that just about fills all the time. We had a great Christmas Eve at my mom's. We all got some really great gifts. My favorite so far was the Shark floor cleaner my mom gave me!! I do love it!!
Christmas Day was fun. The kids were up at 4:30, but we made them go back to bed until 7:30. Then we got up and opened presents. For us that means each child has a turn to open a present while everyone else watches. (When each child only has three it helps prolong the excitement and makes each gift special.) Every year our kids get an ornament. This year we also gave in their name to World Vision for a child to go to school for a year. So to help them remember, Blake got a book, Grace got a calendar, and Samuel got a workbook for school.
Then it was on to the big gifts... Blake got a new trumpet mouthpiece and case, Grace got a set of mixing bowls and monogrammed apron, and Samuel got a huge Lego helicopter and a set of people. Grace was totally excited for her bowls. We took time that morning to make muffins to take to church and that made her so proud.
Their best gift though was the one they got together. We bought the entire collection of Little House on the Prairie videos. Last year for Christmas Jim had bought me a set. It was season 8, but we really enjoyed watching it as a family. When we finished that I ordered season 1 and we were working on it. Then after Thanksgiving I saw that Wal-Mart had them on sale for $10 for each season. I was quick to snap up all the rest of the seasons!!! This has been our most anticipated time most evenings. We tell the kids that if they can get their stuff done and be showered and ready for bed by a certain time, we will watch an episode. This really speeds up the time it takes for them to prepare for bed. :)
So now as the year closes and I look forward to another, I reflect on this year. It has been a year of highs and lows. I pray God will continue to carry me thru.
Add to the mix, Christmas and that just about fills all the time. We had a great Christmas Eve at my mom's. We all got some really great gifts. My favorite so far was the Shark floor cleaner my mom gave me!! I do love it!!
Christmas Day was fun. The kids were up at 4:30, but we made them go back to bed until 7:30. Then we got up and opened presents. For us that means each child has a turn to open a present while everyone else watches. (When each child only has three it helps prolong the excitement and makes each gift special.) Every year our kids get an ornament. This year we also gave in their name to World Vision for a child to go to school for a year. So to help them remember, Blake got a book, Grace got a calendar, and Samuel got a workbook for school.
Then it was on to the big gifts... Blake got a new trumpet mouthpiece and case, Grace got a set of mixing bowls and monogrammed apron, and Samuel got a huge Lego helicopter and a set of people. Grace was totally excited for her bowls. We took time that morning to make muffins to take to church and that made her so proud.
Their best gift though was the one they got together. We bought the entire collection of Little House on the Prairie videos. Last year for Christmas Jim had bought me a set. It was season 8, but we really enjoyed watching it as a family. When we finished that I ordered season 1 and we were working on it. Then after Thanksgiving I saw that Wal-Mart had them on sale for $10 for each season. I was quick to snap up all the rest of the seasons!!! This has been our most anticipated time most evenings. We tell the kids that if they can get their stuff done and be showered and ready for bed by a certain time, we will watch an episode. This really speeds up the time it takes for them to prepare for bed. :)
So now as the year closes and I look forward to another, I reflect on this year. It has been a year of highs and lows. I pray God will continue to carry me thru.
Friday, December 16, 2011
The Rock...
That's the name of the new church that Jim and I are a part of planting!!! It's located in the historic downtown area of our small community. The church was actually birthed out of a desire to reach out to people in need. A core group of us really have a desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We have started by feeding people on Thanksgiving Day for the past couple of years. But the fire in us that God has kindled is not satisfied with mediocre worship of HIM. We want more!! We want to give all we have to serve the one who gave Himself for us.
This has been in the works for a couple of months. Praying and planning, but this week we started the actual work in the building!! It had once been a department store, beginning somewhere around 1948. I'm not sure what it has been over the years since, but the last business was a t-shirt shop that also fixed computers. The building was dirty, and littered with junk. Once some of that was cleared we began tearing down all the make-shift walls. Finally, after many hours of work, we had gutted the building. Yesterday some of the guys began reconstructing a few walls so we can have a nursery for our first service this Sunday.
Even though the building is a mess, we are the only ones to see if for now. We can close the doors that lead from the "foyer" area to the sanctuary and no one sees that the walls are three different colors or that the floor needs carpet. But the foyer area was what has been bothering me. It looks hideous!!!! As one friend stated, "It looks like Dracula's den." The walls are painted red and black and it just looks terrible. This also happens to be the area that everyone sees as they walk by. Not a pretty site!!!!
There are a couple of us who have been dreaming of what that space can look like. We have envisioned some sort of hard wood flooring with chocolate and cream walls. This area will serve as our coffee area for Sunday services, but we would also like to eventually open it as a coffee shop ministry. Anyway, this is one area that I really wanted to start working on because everyone can see it from outside. So I began to pray. I have prayed for three or four days that God would provide the paint needed. I specifically asked that He just show up and make it clear that it came from HIM!!
So in expectation of HIS provision we began picking out paint colors. Wednesday night we selected the colors we wanted. Still I continued to pray. Then today, a friend and I went to the local hardware store for another project. While we were in there she began to tell about what we were doing across the street. (It just so happens that behind some shelves we tore down we found this family name painted on the wall as one of the builders.) So she asks the guy can they help us out with some paint. He kinda turns and looks at the other guy with him. She then says, "You know, maybe give us a good price or something." He then says that just this morning they were talking about some paint they needed to do something with. They were wondering what to do!!!
It was all I could do not to just bust out with hoopin' and hollerin'!!! I looked at my friend and said, "You know I have been praying for paint." My God supplies!!!
So we are all excited and are calling all the other folks to tell them how God had provided!!! Then someone asks, "What color is it?" Uh, we don't know, it's whatever color God had picked out. So then the hardware guy stops by later this evening to give us an estimate on how much paint we might need. He tells us that the paint can't be white. It is going to have to be tan or something in that family. Um, I think chocolate is in that family. Yes, my GOD not only provided the paint, HE gave us the color too!!!!!! My God thinks of everything!!!
Anyway, that little story has given me a huge TING!!! I am over the moon with praising God for HIS blessings. Won't you praise HIM with me!!!
Check back later for more God stories!!!
This has been in the works for a couple of months. Praying and planning, but this week we started the actual work in the building!! It had once been a department store, beginning somewhere around 1948. I'm not sure what it has been over the years since, but the last business was a t-shirt shop that also fixed computers. The building was dirty, and littered with junk. Once some of that was cleared we began tearing down all the make-shift walls. Finally, after many hours of work, we had gutted the building. Yesterday some of the guys began reconstructing a few walls so we can have a nursery for our first service this Sunday.
Even though the building is a mess, we are the only ones to see if for now. We can close the doors that lead from the "foyer" area to the sanctuary and no one sees that the walls are three different colors or that the floor needs carpet. But the foyer area was what has been bothering me. It looks hideous!!!! As one friend stated, "It looks like Dracula's den." The walls are painted red and black and it just looks terrible. This also happens to be the area that everyone sees as they walk by. Not a pretty site!!!!
There are a couple of us who have been dreaming of what that space can look like. We have envisioned some sort of hard wood flooring with chocolate and cream walls. This area will serve as our coffee area for Sunday services, but we would also like to eventually open it as a coffee shop ministry. Anyway, this is one area that I really wanted to start working on because everyone can see it from outside. So I began to pray. I have prayed for three or four days that God would provide the paint needed. I specifically asked that He just show up and make it clear that it came from HIM!!
So in expectation of HIS provision we began picking out paint colors. Wednesday night we selected the colors we wanted. Still I continued to pray. Then today, a friend and I went to the local hardware store for another project. While we were in there she began to tell about what we were doing across the street. (It just so happens that behind some shelves we tore down we found this family name painted on the wall as one of the builders.) So she asks the guy can they help us out with some paint. He kinda turns and looks at the other guy with him. She then says, "You know, maybe give us a good price or something." He then says that just this morning they were talking about some paint they needed to do something with. They were wondering what to do!!!
It was all I could do not to just bust out with hoopin' and hollerin'!!! I looked at my friend and said, "You know I have been praying for paint." My God supplies!!!
So we are all excited and are calling all the other folks to tell them how God had provided!!! Then someone asks, "What color is it?" Uh, we don't know, it's whatever color God had picked out. So then the hardware guy stops by later this evening to give us an estimate on how much paint we might need. He tells us that the paint can't be white. It is going to have to be tan or something in that family. Um, I think chocolate is in that family. Yes, my GOD not only provided the paint, HE gave us the color too!!!!!! My God thinks of everything!!!
Anyway, that little story has given me a huge TING!!! I am over the moon with praising God for HIS blessings. Won't you praise HIM with me!!!
Check back later for more God stories!!!
Friday, December 9, 2011
The gift of hand-me downs...
The above photos are of my sweet daughter, niece, and mom. And while the outfits worn are technically hand-me downs, they are also treasured garments. See these dresses were saved by my grandmother as keepsakes of my mom's. While going thru my grandmothers things, my mom found them and carefully washed them. Yesterday we decided to have a little photo session. These photos will forever be treasured by me!! (Just a note, the baby dress is 60+ years old.)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Busy weekend...
Okay, due to technical difficulty there are no pictures to go with this post. Hopefully soon either my camera or blogger will cooperate. Anywho, last Thursday our church put together a float for the local Christmas parade. We decided to do "Sweet on Jesus" and do a candyland type float. It turned out really good to be made almost entirely out of paper products!!! We received second place. {First place was a business that has plenty of money to throw at a float :) }
I had just a bit of down time before gearing up for another local Christmas parade and festival. My grandmother was mayor of this little town for the past 7 years. This was her final year in office. I know that even though she didn't get to see all the festivities, she would have been proud with how it turned out. This day was kinda fun because I got to see my 5 month old niece with Santa. Surprisingly she didn't cry, but just kinda looked at him.
Sunday, the day of the festival, also happened to be Samuel's birthday!!! We told him all the people came to town just to see him. :) Because the day was so hectic and dad was out of town playing for the governor, we decided to celebrate his birthday today. So tonight we went over to my mom's for cake.
This birthday has been pretty tough for me. I mean, my baby is 7!!!! I have really been desiring to adopt again and after his birthday, the desire is even stronger. I'm almost in tears sitting here thinking about it.
One more day of craziness will be tomorrow. The kids are going to spend the day with my mom, while I travel to Atlanta to help process Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. I know this will be loads of fun. I can't wait to get back up there and help!!!
Hope everyone else is having as much fun as I am this Christmas season!!!
I had just a bit of down time before gearing up for another local Christmas parade and festival. My grandmother was mayor of this little town for the past 7 years. This was her final year in office. I know that even though she didn't get to see all the festivities, she would have been proud with how it turned out. This day was kinda fun because I got to see my 5 month old niece with Santa. Surprisingly she didn't cry, but just kinda looked at him.
Sunday, the day of the festival, also happened to be Samuel's birthday!!! We told him all the people came to town just to see him. :) Because the day was so hectic and dad was out of town playing for the governor, we decided to celebrate his birthday today. So tonight we went over to my mom's for cake.
This birthday has been pretty tough for me. I mean, my baby is 7!!!! I have really been desiring to adopt again and after his birthday, the desire is even stronger. I'm almost in tears sitting here thinking about it.
One more day of craziness will be tomorrow. The kids are going to spend the day with my mom, while I travel to Atlanta to help process Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. I know this will be loads of fun. I can't wait to get back up there and help!!!
Hope everyone else is having as much fun as I am this Christmas season!!!
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