Hearts @ Home

Christmas 2011

2012-01-07T22:26:00.000-05:00

Christmas at our house...

my little Country Christmas tree

my Auburn Christmas tree

live tree in the living room ~ no theme--just a Memory Christmas tree

Lizzie, in her Christmas finery

Kate's tree in her room

We went to Alabama on December 17th and celebrated Christmas with my husband's family.

my husband's family

Mike's oldest brother and most of his family

Mike's sister and her family

the baby son and his family

Granddaddy and most of his grandchildren

After returning from our trip to the mountains, we celebrated Christmas with my family.

my parents

my brother and his daughter

my brother and sister-in-law

some of the grandchildren

On Christmas Eve, we celebrated the Lord's Supper at church. Afterwards, the kids opened the gifts they had gotten for each other.

On Christmas morning we celebrated the birth of our Lord at church, followed by opening our gifts to each other.

What's On My Mind, In My Heart...

2012-01-07T02:44:00.001-05:00

I shared recently about how I felt as if I'd somehow missed Christmas...

I did miss celebrating Christmas for what it really is. But I think the issue goes deeper. What I really missed is Christ.

The last several months of my life have been marked by this feeling of loss, this feeling of missing Jesus. My daily bible reading has slacked off tremendously and my quiet times with the Lord... well, they have become virtually non-existent. I anger easily, I lose patience with my family, I'm snappy and on edge a great deal of the time. I haven't really enjoyed caring for my family as I once did. I don't laugh much anymore... I feel out of place somehow.

I suppose it sounds as if I'm depressed. But honestly, I don't feel depressed. My doctor says it's hormones, or a lack thereof. But I know better. I guess the world would say that I've lost touch with who I am... that I need to do some inner searching and find myself. Or maybe that I just need to do something for myself. That's it! I've spent all these years taking care of other people. Isn't it time I did something for me? Surely that is what will bring me to that place of fulfillment that I'm longing for.

Or will it? I think we all know the answer to that question. Searching inside me? No, I'm quite certain I won't find what I'm searching for there. The only thing I'll find in me is more of what I'm running from... selfishness, anger, vain ambition, greed, malice and poisonous pride. Yes, all those things and more are hidden in the deep recesses of my heart, prone to surface and rear their ugly heads if given the opportunity. Take time out for me? Isn't that the opposite of what Jesus tells us? We are to put aside self, take up His cross and follow Jesus. We are to die to self (daily) and serve others. The world would have us believe otherwise.

No, this is not depression and it has nothing to do with hormones. I wish it were that simple... a pill to fix it, to make everything alright. No, that's not it. I've been in this place before. Quite frankly, I've been in this place more than once, and what's worse is every time I've been here I've told myself I'd never come back. A place of spiritual drought, that's where I am. I have to ask myself, how did I get here AGAIN? It's like I keep going in circles -- growing in my relationship with Jesus followed by a falling away of sorts, growing, falling, growing, falling.

What I'm missing is Jesus in my life, or more specifically -- more of Jesus in my life. What I'm missing is His JOY! I once found joy in taking care of my family, in meeting the needs of and in serving others. I once found joy in dying to self and living for Christ. Where did it go?

Somewhere along the way I lost sight of the goal. I took my eyes off Jesus and began to focus on earthly things.
I saw a post on facebook this morning by David Platt. It said, "Tragedy: When we forfeit eternal treasure in the pursuit of earthly trinkets." How true this is! And I've heard many preachers say how sad it is when you finally climb to the top of the ladder, only to realize that the ladder was against the wrong wall. I don't want that to be me!

I don't want to trade the eternal treasures my heavenly Father has in store for me for a few earthly trinkets. I don't want to come to the end of my days here on earth and realize that I've squandered the time I've been given. I want to live for Christ! I want to make a difference for Him! I want more of Him and less of me! I want to get out of this spiritual dry spell, and I want to stay out of it.

So, how do I do that?

Well, I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions because I fail terribly at keeping them. But, for me 2012 (and every year after that as long as the Lord sees fit to leave me here on earth) has to be first and foremost about Jesus. So to borrow a quote from Ann Voskamp: "Maybe a life needs change over and over again--that constant turning to God? Not so much resolutions but revolutions."

Maybe that's me? Maybe my life needs to be changed over and over again? Maybe I have to constantly keep turning to God? If so, these are not resolutions that I'm setting forth, rather they are revolutions--my turning back to God (again and again). In practice for me, it looks like this:

1) I must carve out time for Jesus. It's been said that you make time for what's important to you and excuses for what's not. For me, this has to be a "first thing in the morning" priority because by the end of the day, I'm too tired to even try. I don't know about you, but I usually fall asleep during my prayers... you know, it goes something like this... "Dear God, thank you for today and for the opportunity to serve you. Please forgive me for failing miserably in this area. Thank you for my family. Please bless and protect my family... zzzzzzzzzz..." Next thing you know I'm sound asleep. Yes, I definitely need to have concentrated times of prayer in the morning!

2) Not only must I spend time with the Lord in prayer every day, listening for His direction, but I also must spend time in His word. In the past I've just started at the beginning and told myself, "I'm going to read straight through the Bible this year." This shouldn't be hard, but somehow I manage to make everything hard. I never stay on track, and I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've never read the whole Bible, cover to cover.

This year I have a plan. I signed up for an account on YouVersion (it's free). There are several different reading plans to choose from, customized to help me read through the Bible in a year. It tracks what I've read and hopefully it will help me accomplish my goal.

3) Not only must I spend time with the Lord in prayer and in reading His word, but I must also spend time meditating on the scriptures and memorizing His word as well, hiding them in my heart. So not only do I have a plan for reading through the Bible this year, I also have a plan to memorize some passages of scripture.

4) This year I'm taking Ann Voskamp's Joy Dare. You can read about it here. It's a counting of God's blessings, a deliberate search for His blessings in your life. Deliberately thinking on what He's done for me, seeing how He manifests Himself to me, that is what helps keep my focus on Jesus.

I'm tired of going back and forth, wavering between sold-out commitment to God and half-hearted service to Him. I'm tired of being so close yet so far away. I'm tired of being comfortable, never knowing what it truly means to live for God, tired of settling for less than His best for me. I want to know Him more, to love Him more. No more trading heavenly treasures for earthly trinkets.

With His help and by His grace, 2012 will be a year of re-commitment.

Winter Vacation~2011

2012-01-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

We've gotten into the routine of taking a winter vacation, in addition to a summer one. My husband says it is his stress reliever (lol). He plans for them, saves for them and ensures that they happen!

This year we went back to Gatlinburg, Tennessee (we went there last December). Only this time we went with his sister and her husband. We had hoped that her whole family would be able to go, but unfortunately both her daughters (and her son-in-law) had to work during the time frame we were gone.

We had so much fun! I love Gatlinburg, and would really like to visit there during the summer sometime (but we usually do a beach vacation in the summer). We enjoyed strolling the streets of downtown and visiting all the little shops. We visited Dollywood, country music singer, Dolly Parton's theme park. It was really something to see this time of the year ~ over 4 million lights ~ every thing was so beautiful!

We enjoyed playing games in our condo at night. We just enjoyed being together. I LOVE spending time with our family!

Between my sister-in-law and myself, we took over 500 pictures! But don't worry, I will only share a few of them here!

This was taken at the place where we stayed, Mountain Loft Resort

Dollywood

Christmas on Ice, one of the many shows in Dollywood

my sister-in-law and brother-in-law

view from our balcony ~ this is why they are called the Smoky Mountains

playing card games at night

family shot in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T01:45:00.001-05:00

This is the time of year when I get the blues...

I took down all my Christmas decorations this afternoon. All the Christmas gifts have been played with/used/put away. Everything is all back in its place in my house.

And this is when I get that sad feeling. Christmas is over. It went by in a blur. Time to get on with the new year.

I am saddened even more than usual this year because somehow I feel like I missed Christmas. I missed the coming of the Christ-child. The season went by in a blur and a whirlwind without me even slowing down. Unlike Mary, I didn't spend time pondering the meaning of it all in my heart.

I got caught up in the commercialization of Christmas this year. We stayed so busy and on the go more than usual. We only read four nights of our Advent reading. I spent more money on gifts this year. Selfish spending. Buying things for my family. Things we don't really need. And I didn't give of myself this year. Didn't help anyone in need.

So I guess you could say I'm feeling bluer than normal now. I'm just not sure how I managed to mess up so badly this year. Oh, I suppose from the outside it looked like a wonderful Christmas at our house. Christmas decorations everywhere. Tree decorated with lots of pretty packages underneath. We baked some cookies, read a few pages of our Advent reading. Over the river and through the woods (actually, into another state) to Grandmother's house we went to spend meaningful time with our families.

But from the inside, from my perspective it was a complete miss. I missed snuggling on the couch watching Christmas movies with my kids. I missed participating in some of our Christmas traditions. I missed reading our Advent story and talking about what Christmas really means. I missed the chance to spend less on my family and do more for someone less fortunate. But most of all, I missed spending time with my Lord, dwelling on what He came to this earth to do.

I have spent this week after Christmas beating myself up and wishing I'd done things differently. But I've also spent lots of time in prayer, seeking my Savior's face, seeking His pardon, His grace.

And you know what He's spoken to my heart in the midst of my adversity? He has reminded me of the wonderful message of Christmas. A message of hope, of forgiveness. Because of Him, I can have peace. I don't have to live in defeat, fretting over my mistakes and my sin. I have been forgiven. Praise His holy name!

Another thing I've learned... Christmas is not a holiday to be celebrated once a year. It's a person. The person of Jesus Christ. So although the world has succeeded in commercializing Christmas and confusing its true meaning, I know that Christmas is Christ. And Christ lives in my heart so I don't have to wait until December to celebrate Him. Maybe I didn't miss Christmas after all.

Still Trying to Catch Up...

2011-11-23T22:48:00.001-05:00

We finished up football season recently by claiming the GCAA State Championship on a cold, rainy Friday night. Go Eagles!

We're #1

my daughter, Kate and Natalie

our dedicated H2O Specialists for the team

We are now rolling right into basketball season...

my Kate #14

Girls excited about the victory

On a recent visit back home at my parent's farm...

my parents with some of the grandkids

my beautiful nieces

They were only too happy to participate in my photo shoot for the day :)

And a new MAJOR adjustment in our lives... our daughter has a boyfriend. He attends our church and they are in the youth group and on the drama team together. Of course they don't get to date because she is only 15 and he is 14. They see each other at church on Sundays and Wednesdays and we let him come over to our house on Saturday afternoons. Our son didn't date when he was in high school, so this is new water to navigate for us. We are taking this slowly and being very cautious (lol). We made the decision early on that we didn't really want our children to date. We just don't feel that dating is God's best for our kids. And we really didn't have to worry about it when our son was in high school, as he was more interested in just being friends with the girls and doing things with a group of friends.

Of course, every child is different, and so here we are dealing with an issue that I didn't want to have to face. But she knows that she will not be allowed to date him. The extent of their "dates" will be going out to eat or going to the movies, or ball games with the whole family in tow :0. Right now, when he comes over on Saturday, they spend the day sitting on the sofa in the den with us, watching football :)

So, I think I am caught up on everything that has been going on with us around here for the past couple of months.

Birthdays

2011-11-23T21:57:00.001-05:00

We've had the privilege of celebrating 3 birthdays in the past two months, well actually 5 in both sides of our family, but only 3 that we were directly involved in celebrating :).

In October, my dh celebrated his 43rd...

out to eat lunch on his birthday

with 2 of our kids after opening his gifts

My husband and his father have birthdays just 5 days apart, and we love to celebrate together when we can...

DH is 43 and Granddaddy is 85

Granddaddy, with all of his children

Granddaddy, with my 2 boys

And this year our youngest turned 13...

I can't believe he's a teenager!

Make a wish and blow out your candles...

He had a spend the night party with his friends

playing the wii

my big boy and a friend playing the ps3

I'm so thankful for this group of friends!

All of these young boys have older brothers who have grown up together and are still friends to this day. I am thankful that God has gifted these boys with the bond of friendship, just as He did with their older brothers!

Little Boys

2011-11-23T20:38:00.001-05:00

Remember the little boys we had in foster care back in July? We still keep in touch with their new family via facebook and when they come for court visits they come by the house and share pictures with us. And last week we had our first-ever video call on Skype with them :-), and then last night they came to our house for supper and a visit! We all enjoyed the visit so much! The boys are growing and changing (as is to be expected, of course). They are so sweet, and so is their new mommy and daddy. I am so thrilled for them! To all my prayer warrior friends, please continue to keep them in your prayers as the adoption isn't final yet.

getting sugar from Lizzie

happy to see Kate

Did I mention this little fella LOVES ball?

We had to go outside and try it out!

They will always have a special place in our hearts, and we are grateful that their new family allows us to keep in contact with them. We hope that the Lord allows us to be involved in their lives as they grow up.

Looking Forward to Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T20:15:00.001-05:00

I can't believe November is almost over and this is the first post I've written this whole month! I've been keeping up with family and friends on facebook, but that's about the extent of my computer time. We've been busy around here, but who hasn't?

Tomorrow morning we leave for a few days' visit with our family in a neighboring state. We're looking forward to the trip. I love spending Thanksgiving with our family! Visiting with extended family members that we only see once or twice a year, eating (too much) good food, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, watching football, the girls getting together for our annual Black Friday shopping trip -- I just look forward to all of it!

Speaking of football, my alma mater is playing in the high school state play-offs this year, so my husband and oldest son plan to go watch the game Friday night. I wouldn't mind going as I love watching high school football games, and it would be great to be able to see some old friends, but we probably won't be back from our shopping trip in time. So, go Handley Tigers!

So that's what our Thanksgiving holidays will look like. What about yours?

Wishing everyone a blessed Thanksgiving!

Family Trip to St. Augustine

2011-10-15T00:02:00.000-04:00

Remember back in July, when my husband and I went to St. Augustine for our anniversary? Remember how I said we both loved that place so much that we felt like we simply must take our kids there some time? Well, last Thursday and Friday Kate was out of school, and even though Ryan was not (his college holidays don't really match up with Kate's school holidays, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas) we decided to go for a couple of days.

We had a really fun time. Our plans didn't really work out like we originally planned (sometimes they don't), but we still had a great time together. I wish Ryan could have been with us. Maybe we'll go back again another time :)

Here are some pictures from our trip:

firing of the cannon on the bay at the Fountain of Youth

love these old trees on the grounds of the Fountain of Youth

Kate: "Look Mom, someone who's shorter than me!"

Life-size statue of Juan Ponce de Leon, he was only 4'11" tall.

exploring a Tumucuan Indian village on the grounds at the Fountain of Youth

This exhibit was really neat. This globe was 2 stories tall and rotated on an axis. It presented the story of Ponce de Leon's journey to the New World in search of the Fountain of Youth.

Here we are at the Planetarium learning about early maritime navigational methods. This was very interesting to Will, as he learned much about this in the book, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.

drinking the legendary waters from the Fountain of Youth

touring the fort

enjoying a gourmet popsicle from The Hyppo

They were delicious, made from all-natural fresh fruits!

the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Augustine, very beautiful

We are not Catholic; we are of the Protestant faith. But since we are currently studying the Reformation in church history, I thought it would be interesting to see something of what we've read so much about.

beautiful courtyard gardens outside the Lightner Museum

I probably enjoyed this trip way more than my kids did, just because I am so fascinated by history (I probably should've been a history major in college!). There are so many museums in St. Augustine, and we didn't have time to go to all of them. One that we did go to, the Pirate & Treasure Museum, was a big hit with the kids! I have no pictures to share though because you're not allowed to take pictures inside this museum :(. The kids really enjoyed this one because there was lots of interactive participation required, lots of hands-on activities, and a scavenger hunt.

We originally had planned to spend one day touring St. Augustine and one day at the resort where we stayed, because they have a lot of different activities and things to do there. But the weather was supposed to be rainy on one of the days, so we decided to spend the "good day" touring, and just came home early the next day. All in all, I think everyone had a good time.

More Fall Pictures

2011-09-20T19:34:00.000-04:00

a crisp 65 degree fall morning

My mums had only been on my porch for a couple of days when a spider made this web from the top of the basket down to the floor.

This is what I saw when I looked out the front window this afternoon.

a white dove... how cool is that?

And this is the dove flying away when Will decided to see how close he could get to it.

Bye-bye birdie.

Butterflies and Fall

2011-09-07T22:15:00.000-04:00

The weather here has definitely begun to feel fall-ish. The temperature this week has been just perfect for getting outside. We have such hot summers here, that unless you have a pool, you pretty much stay indoors with air conditioning. So this week has been a nice respite from the hot temps.

Today we were able to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes... nature study. I think that has to be one of my favorite things about homeschooling. I love just being able to take as much time as we want to enjoy God's marvelous creation, especially on days like today! Today we chose to watch the butterflies. After lunch we spent some time just watching them fluttering around the yard. I have Lantana planted in flower beds in my front and back yards, and this flowering plant is a haven for the butterflies. Will brought out his net and decided to capture one to study up close.

Later this afternoon, before heading to church, we turned it loose again.

And look at this one we found. I never tire of marveling at God's creativity!

And this one was fluttering around in the front yard. I was surprised how close it let me get.

I would like to think that we are in the fall season for good, but I know that we really aren't. We are just getting a break due to the tropical storm "Lee" that came up through the gulf recently. Next week the temperature is supposed to be back up in the 90's again. But the hint of fall has been nice. It gives us something to look forward to.

Getting Ready for a Wedding

2011-09-01T22:53:00.002-04:00

My friend's daughter is getting married this Saturday and I am the wedding director. This is my first time directing a wedding :O. We've been really busy today, setting up tables and decorating the fellowship hall for the reception. The bride's family is doing most everything themselves, with the help of friends, as opposed to hiring out everything. I am honored to be included in the planning and the implementation of all the details! I decided to take today and tomorrow off school so I can devote the full day to helping them.

The bride prefers a simple, yet very tasteful style and she is decorating with lots of live plants and pots of mums wrapped in white tulle. Simply gorgeous! Everything is coming together nicely, and it is going to be really beautiful.

This is actually the third wedding in which I've been privileged to help with all the decorating, etc. I have learned much, so hopefully by the time my Kate gets married (many years from now, as she is only 15) I will have mastered the art of wedding construction right down to the tiniest of details!

Maybe I will have some pictures to post tomorrow.

A Love Story

2011-08-31T22:50:00.000-04:00

On this day 21 years ago, I took his name and I gave him my heart. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday that I walked down the aisle, took his hand and said "I do." And sometimes it seems like it's been forever!

It is a small, simple ceremony held in the chapel.

Music from the piano is softly drifting through the

sanctuary, marking the time. She stands at the entrance,
poised on the threshold between two worlds.
"My Endless Love" fills the room. It's her favorite song
that the pianist plays today. Her uncle smiles down
at her as he loops her arm through his. It should be her father,
smiling down at her. But their relationship is strained. And so it is

not to be. As the strains of that melody drift away, and
the processional begins, her uncle says,
"It's time," startling her from her silent reverie. And so they
begin the journey down the aisle, toward her new life.

She is nervous. Too many eyes are looking at her. What if

she makes a mistake? What if she forgets what to say?

What if?... And then she looks at him. Her groom. The
young man with whom she has pledged to spend her life.
Her best friend this side of heaven. He

smiles at her and takes her hand in his own clammy one.

He is nervous, too. She smiles at him. They hold hands.
In front of God and the witness of family and friends,

they speak vows and pledge their love eternally.

They exchange rings. And she does make a mistake. She tries

to put the ring on the wrong finger. She cries softly and he smiles

tenderly as he places it on the right one.

They are pronounced man and wife and he kisses his bride before

turning to lead her up the aisle, out into their new life as husband

and wife. To her, it seems a fairy tale. Her knight in

shining armour, charging in on a white steed,
come to rescue her from the tower of loneliness.

That place in which she has been trapped since her mother's
death. But no, it is no fairy tale. It is a love story. A love story

written by God a long time ago. A love story

that He is still writing.

Yes, that is my wedding story. My love story. And tonight we celebrated with Wednesday night supper at church, followed by working with the children in our Awana program (lol). Well, we couldn't skip church! And anyway, we went on a weekend trip to celebrate our anniversary a bit early, at the end of July, because we knew we wouldn't be able to get away at all this month. Going away or going out to celebrate is not what's really important. What's really important is being together, and realizing just how blessed we are to have each other.

Birthdays and Wisdom

2011-08-30T10:53:00.000-04:00

Another year older, another year wiser? Hmm... Maybe so. I turned 42 on August 26th. I've never really had a fear of growing older. In fact, I look forward to growing old with my husband. You know -- gray hair and rocking chairs kind of old. I don't think he feels the same way though. Not about growing old along with me, just growing old in general :).

My birthday fell on a Friday this year. Which means we spent my special day traveling to north Georgia to watch our Appling Christian Academy Eagles play football. It's a good thing I love watching football! We don't have a cheer squad this year. Only four girls showed an interest in cheering and the cheer coach decided that four was not enough to have a proper squad. So instead of standing on the sidelines, cheering the boys on, this year Kate stands on the sidelines serving the boys as "water girl."

Kate and Natalie, water girls for the football team

My sweet family honored me by placing flowers in our church for my birthday.

The message in the bulletin read, "In honor of the best friend, wife and mom." Aww, that makes me want to cry, for I am NOT the best anything. Those titles -- friend, wife, mom -- are my highest calling. This is what God has called me to spend my life being and doing. And I so very often miss the mark. Sometimes I get angry. I yell. I don't do what I'm supposed to do. Or, I do what I'm supposed to do, but with a bad attitude instead of a cheerful heart.

It's just sin. Plain and simple. Missing the mark. Not measuring up. Not doing what God has asked me to do. Or doing it with an un-cheerful heart.

That's a scary place - the realization that I will never measure up, that I will always miss the mark. But thank goodness, He doesn't leave me there! Thank goodness He provided a way out of that place. His death on the cross, his burial, his resurrection -- paid for all my mistakes, all the times when I have missed and will miss the mark, all my sins.

Oh how grateful I am that He loved me enough to die for and pay the penalty for my sins. That He called me to be a friend, a wife, a mom - my highest calling! And that He enables me to serve Him through serving my family. That He gives me grace when I fail. And that He allows my family to see the best in me.

~Love covers over all wrongs. - Proverbs 10:12~

Maybe He Should've Just Turned Around...

2011-08-29T21:50:00.001-04:00

I wrote about both Kate and Will's first day back to school, so I thought I would share about Ryan's first day back to college.

His first day of classes was August 22nd, a Monday. So he decided to go back to Statesboro on the preceding Thursday, so as to have a couple of days to get everything in order. His apartment complex decided to implement a parking permit policy over the summer. They seem to be having trouble with what you might call "riff-raff" there, you know, break-ins and thievery, drug deals, and some other unsavory goings-on that I won't mention specifically. So they are making some changes to try and "clean up" the place. They would like to be a college students only apartment complex.

So, anyway, Ryan left home Thursday morning headed to a neighboring town to pick up a copy of his lease (which he needed to secure his parking permit). He met his friend for lunch and upon leaving the restaurant, noticed that he had a flat tire. His friend recommended a place to have his tire repaired and it was there he was told that he needed two new tires, and new rear brakes. He called me to tell me this good news, and I set up an appointment for him to have that taken care of the next week.

With that taken care of, he headed to Statesboro, and barely arrived there when his car began to overheat. He made it to his apartment complex, and with steam pouring out from underneath the hood, his car died. He called to tell us this tidbit of more good news, and his dad told him to call a mechanic and make an appointment. He did this and then called a friend who came to pick him up and take him to campus to take care of things there, and then to Wal-Mart for groceries.

Of course, we received another phone call from him. Upon returning from running his errands, he discovered that his car was missing. Agghhh!! Mike told him to call the police and report it. He did and they told him to check with the apartment management the next day because they have been towing cars without parking permits in them. Surely not, we thought. He had only been there for two hours. He hadn't even had time to pick up his permit.

On Friday morning he called the management office and sure enough, they had had his car towed away. It didn't matter to them that he had not been there all summer and had not had an opportunity to get his permit. It didn't matter to them that his car had been broken down in front of his apartment. It didn't matter to them that he had had a flat tire earlier in the day and that had delayed him from getting back to Statesboro and getting to the management office before they closed for the day. He called on another friend to pick him up and take him to get his car. And they charged him a $125 towing fee to get his car back.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, he apparently didn't have everything he needed in order to get his parking permit. His copy of the lease (which was just a letter written by the apartment owner) didn't contain all the information the apartment management deemed necessary. His insurance card for his car didn't bear his name because it is insured in my husband's name, with Ryan listed as an insured driver on the policy. Apparently that's a big no-no for these people. Thankfully, these things were easy enough to correct. Another letter written by the apartment owner. A letter from our insurance agent stating that Ryan is an insured driver for his car. And now he has his parking permit.

I'd like to give a big shout-out to Karen and Heath, his friends. Thanks guys for taking care of my son and getting him where he needed to be while he was without his car.

Oh, and as for his classes... He says it seems to be going better this semester than last. I guess that's good considering his rough start.

Journey Toward Learning

2011-08-16T19:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Will's first day of school. I waited a week after Kate started back before starting with him. This year I wanted to give myself a little time to adjust slowly, rather than starting them back at the same time like I did last year. The extra week helped some. I know it wouldn't be a big deal if they were both at home, but getting back into the routine of getting Kate off to school needs some getting used to around here.

Will has done surprisingly well with his school work, and getting back into the routine. Of course, this was only the second day :) I can tell that he has really matured between last year and this year. Last year, he didn't do well reading and comprehending on his own; I had to read most everything to him. And he wanted me right by his side the whole school day.

I wasn't sure how he would do this year, but he has done fantastic! He looks at the schedule I printed out for him and moves right along to the next thing. He's reading and comprehending. We still read some things together. For instance, we do geography and science together. And we share two read-alouds together. I know I seem awful excited about a 7th grader (who is 12 years old) being able to do his school work on his own, but my Will has been the "slow" one in school. He's not mentally challenged or dumb. In fact, he has amazed both my husband and me (as well as some family members) by how much he knows about animals, ocean animals in particular. But he doesn't seem to "catch on" so well in other areas. Reading was hard for him. So was memory work. Memorizing bible verses for Awana didn't come easy. And I thought he'd NEVER learn his multiplication tables.

But... he did. And now he seems to have caught up, just like that. That's why I know it's so important not to give up if you have a slow learner. I know that you have to keep going, you have to keep praying, and you have to keep working with him. I have had several well-meaning friends and family ask if I've thought he might do better if I sent him to school. I always knew the answer to that was no. He'd be labeled. Put in special classes. Although I have never thought putting him in school was the answer, I have often wondered if I am the right person to teach him. I can't tell you how many times I've thrown up my hands and thought about throwing in the towel while teaching him. Thank God for friends who have been there, for those who have experienced what I was going through! They are the ones who have encouraged me not to give up, even when it appears that he isn't learning much of anything.

Because you know what? He was learning. Maybe just a bit differently than my others, but learning just the same. And learning on a different time frame, too. But he wasn't the only one learning. God has been teaching me all these years, too. He has used homeschooling to teach me so much! He has been teaching me to depend on Him more and more. Teaching me that of course I can't do this in my own strength. In fact, I know that I can't do anything in my own strength. It is only through His grace and provision that I am able to accomplish anything! And though I've been frustrated many a day along this homeschooling journey, I have never felt in my heart that I didn't want to do this anymore. On the contrary, I look forward to it! I know that this is His plan for my family, and it is with a grateful heart that I continue on this path.

2011-2012 School Year

2011-08-13T21:28:00.000-04:00

Kate started school on Monday, August 8th. She is in 10th grade this year! She has been learning to drive this summer, and has been working on the Joshua Law requirements. I can't believe she will be 16 in February! My little girl is not so little any more. She still attends ACA, and I still tell her (often) that she can always come back home if she wants to. She always tells me, with a smile in her voice, that she really loves it at this small Christian school. They have 2 new students in her grade this year, for a total of 18 in the sophomore class. This is the biggest class yet at ACA!

Here is her class schedule:

American History

Bible

Physical Science

English/World Literature

Geometry

Computers
Seventh period is study hall/band/fine arts/weight training. She has study hall now, but when basketball season begins, she will have weight training during seventh period.

I will start school with Will this Monday, August 15th. He will be in 7th grade and I'm excited about our upcoming school year. I have been very intrigued with the Charlotte Mason methodology and have tried to implement more of her teachings into our homeschool. This summer I have spent a good deal of time perusing the Ambleside Online website, trying to see if I wanted to follow one of their rotation schedules for this year. After looking through the different year levels, I decided to tweak it a bit and combine some from two different years. Ambleside looks very advanced to me, with all of the reading that is expected of the student and I'm not sure how Will will do with this schedule. He is somewhat of a slow learner in some areas, but catches on pretty quickly in others. However, we did most of his reading together last year... so, I'm not sure how he will do if I just hand over all of it to him now.

This is my proposed schedule for him and I may have to tweak it a bit more as we go along:

Bible Reading and Scripture Memorization

Poetry

Penmanship

Music/Instrument Practice

Math - Pre-Algebra

Grammar - maybe LLATL (green book)

Copywork

Science - Zoology 3 (we didn't finish this last school year)
and then Human Anatomy

Nature Study

Typing

Shakespeare Study

Artist Study

Composer Study

A Child's Geography

History - Story of the World vol 1 & 2

Contenders of the Faith

Trial and Triumph (church history)

Literature readings - Oliver Twist, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,

Swiss Family Robinson, The Adventures of Pinocchio

Science Biographies - Thomas Edison, Isaac Newton,

Alexander Graham Bell, George Washington Carver
Biographies of Christian men and women - Samuel Morris,
Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson, and others that
I haven't decided on yet
I know this sounds like a lot, but all this reading will be spread out over 3 terms in this school year. Plus, not everything is covered every day. For example, science is read 3 days per week with geography being covered on the other 2 days of the week. World history is covered 3 days per week with church history being covered the other 2 days. Nature study, composer study, artist study, Shakespeare study and poetry are all covered only one day per week on a rotating basis for the week. Still, this is alot for Will, compared to what we did last year. But that's the delightful thing about homeschooling ~ challenging your child to reach new heights in his education while seeing his limitations, and knowing when to pull back so as not to be overwhelming and discouraging to him. I just love homeschooling!

Ryan will be moving back to his apartment in Statesboro around the middle of next week to get everything ready to begin his 3rd year of college. Fall semester begins August 22nd. His schedule is as follows:
Computing for Engineers
Electrical Measurements
World Literature
Calculus
Chemistry
This is his second time taking Chemistry. He had it last semester and he made a D in that class :O It is one of the classes for his major so he has to make at least a C. I hope he pays attention, studies hard and makes a better grade this time around!

I am excited about the new school year, just not so much about starting this early. However, I do love seeing my children growing in knowledge. I love looking through the books and thinking about what they will learn and how they will discover new things. But more importantly, I love seeing them grow in their relationship with their heavenly Father. I get excited about new Bible studies, about new lists of Scripture to memorize and ponder, and about them going deeper, becoming more intimate with Jesus. For if they learn everything the academic world has to teach them, yet become stagnant in their relationship with the Lord, then it has all been for naught. He is the most important thing of all. My prayer for each of my children is that they will realize this and that they will give Him the preeminent place in their lives. If they accomplish this, then it will have been a successful school year.

Closing Out Summer

2011-08-11T16:36:00.000-04:00

Wow! Where did the summer go? I know it is actually still summer, but for us, summer vacation has come to an end :(

Here's a recap of our summer in pictures ~ in no particular order :)

Our niece, Amy, graduated from the University of Alabama on August 6th. She was supposed to graduate in the spring, but the tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa in April caused so much damage they postponed the Spring Commencement and combined it with the Summer Commencement.

Amy with some of our family

fishing with friends

a day trip to the beach on Jekyll Island with friends

our annual church-wide picnic at Lake Mayers in July

precious little boys... our first experience with foster children

Lizzie turned one year old on July 4th!

backyard fun and games

constantly taking pictures :)

We had friends over LOTS this summer!

our beach vacation in June

I always get a little sad this time of year...

I know most people get excited about the start of a new school year, and I do too, but I really don't like starting school at the beginning of August. It's still sooo hot here, and we ought to be still having lazy days without much structure still, not having to get up early and get out to school. I feel sorry for the kids who have to ride the buses here. It's just too hot. I like the idea of starting back to school at the end of August, (like we did when I was a kid) some even remember when school didn't start back until after Labor Day. I think if I didn't have one in school, if I still homeschooled both of them, I might wait until after Labor Day to start. I like the lazy days of summer too much, I guess. But that's just my opinion.

I hope you've had a great summer! I would love to hear from you... when are you starting back, or have you already started, or... are you waiting until it cools off a little?

Our Weekend Trip

2011-08-02T16:23:00.000-04:00

DH and I took a little road trip this past weekend. We needed some time for just the two of us. We RARELY (meaning almost never!) go anywhere without our kids. Seriously, in our 21 years of marriage I can count on one hand the number of times we've gone away without them. So DH booked this early anniversary trip over a month ago.

We went to St. Augustine, FL... the oldest city in the US. We only stayed for the weekend. DH's plans involved sight-seeing on Friday, and relaxing at the resort on Saturday before returning home on Sunday. But apparently he forgot about what a history buff I am! There was no way to experience everything in one day! So... the relaxing around the resort on Saturday? Yeah, that kind of didn't happen. We spent two whole days walking all around historic Old Town, St. Augustine (we did ride the trolley some of the time) learning about lots of history that you never read in your textbook education at school. And even two days wasn't enough time to see it all. I told dh that we definitely have to plan a vacation here now so the kids can experience all that we did!

St. Augustine is a city built on the dreams of explorers, colonists and railroad men. This city has so many stories to tell, so much history to learn of the Timucuan, Spanish, British and early American residents. The museums are bursting with artifacts. I tell you, two days is not enough time to explore this city rich with heritage!

beginning our tour on the Old Town Trolley

The trolley conductors are excellent tour guides! The Trolley Tour is a must for visitors to this historic city.

the historic Bridge of Lions

Connecting the city of St. Augustine with Anastasia Island, this bridge opened in 1927.

view from our balcony

Sadly, we only had a dip in the pool and the hot tub once. This is definitely the kind of place you'd want to stay for a week, or at least a few days!

I learned how to use the self-timer on my camera :-)

Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth

The place where it all began... this is the birthplace of St. Augustine where Pedro Menendez de Aviles established the first colony in 1565. Here we were able to explore the site of the very first fort, Fort San Juan de Pinos, a Timucuan Indian village and burial grounds, as well as drink from the legendary waters of the Fountain.

I was only able to take a sip of my water from this spring... the horrible sulfur smell was too much for me!

statue of Ponce de Leon

I might add that it is a life-size statue of the man. He was only 4 feet 11 inches tall.

memorial marking the site of the first fort in St. Augustine

Flagler College today, this used to be the grand Hotel Ponce de Leon. Built in 1887 by Henry Flagler, this hotel for the elite cost $900 per night (in today's dollars) and you had to book a minimum 3-month stay. I can't remember all the names the tour guide mentioned, but the Rockefeller's and some of our earlier presidents were regular clientele at this hotel for the rich and famous.

Castillo de San Marcos. This fort has been occupied by the Spanish, the British and Americans.

The Lions statues, one on each side of the road, guard the historic Bridge of Lions.

I also learned how to take pictures the way our teens do!

I obviously cannot say enough about this wonderful history-filled city. DH and I had a fabulous time exploring it together, but needless to say, we will be making another trip back to St. Augustine, with the kids in tow, in the near future!

Learning Places

2011-07-24T23:36:00.003-04:00

My emotions are raw, and riding high right now... We didn't keep the babies. We chose to allow another, younger, child-less couple to take them into their foster home. It was harder than I thought it would be. Not foster-parenting. But parenting babies -- a 2 year old and a 9 month old. We had them for only 13 days and I was utterly worn out. Exhausted. Completely spent. And I had help!

What made me think I could do this? Starting over with a baby who doesn't sleep through the night. At my age -- I'll be 42 next month. When we completed our training and certification to become adoptive parents, we specified the age range of the children we felt like we could take into our home. And that range did not span the infant-toddler age group. But we received a call from our RD explaining that these babies needed a foster home in our county. She made it clear that she realized we didn't really want to foster-parent, and that these children were not in our preferred age range and we did not have to take them. But knowing how eagerly we've been waiting to adopt, would we be interested in fostering them, with the probability that they would be free for adoption within a few months?

Our preferred age range? That sounded so shallow to me. Didn't we believe that God was calling us to take care of those who couldn't take care of themselves? To provide a safe home and a loving family to those who needed one? How could we then determine the age range of the child? How could we be so specific or better yet, so picky about who the Lord was bringing to us? Wasn't this God's will for our family?

We have prayed about this for over a year. My husband and I were both in agreement that we should adopt a child slightly younger than our youngest child, who is 12. So when we received the call, my husband said no. But I wouldn't leave it there. I talked -- no, a better word would be cajoled -- him into at least meeting with the RD and the children, and at least considering it. He agreed, we had the meeting on a Tuesday, and on Friday of the same week, we brought them home.

Two days into this and I knew we had made the wrong decision. And I feel guilty just saying that. How do you make a wrong decision when taking in innocent children who need a loving family and a home? How did I misread God's will in this situation? Somehow I knew we weren't the family for these babies. Yet I completely felt like this is what God was leading us to do. But I knew that I just couldn't go back and start over with babies. It was hard for me to admit that, and I felt like a failure. My friend asked me if I was adjusting, if I felt like they were mine. I had to be honest. I told her I felt like I was baby-sitting someone else's children, and I was ready for their mother to come get them.

My husband made the decision to call our RD and explain to her that we just could not parent babies. Not really sure of what her reaction would be, I was completely surprised at how ecstatic she seemed about our decision. As it turned out, her dear friends had recently had their home approved for foster-to-adopt during the period that we had the children. And they wanted babies. So 13 days after we brought them into our home, this young couple took the babies into their home. We experienced a flood of emotions on that day. Sadness. Relief. Joy for this young couple who have chosen to grow their family through the miracle of adoption.

I have been so confused in the following days, wondering if I had misread God's will. I have carried around a load of guilt for admitting that having babies again is too hard for me. Have I completely misunderstood God all along? Are we even supposed to adopt, after all?

Then God spoke to me in that still, quiet voice. Taking those babies for even the short time we had them was no wrong decision. It was not a mistake. We were just a safe harbor, a temporary lay-over, until He brought them to their forever home.

This was another one of those learning places for me. He used this situation to teach me much. I might not be sure all the time of what He is doing in my life, but He is always sure. He never makes mistakes. And I have learned to trust Him even more.

Am I sure that God has called us to continue this journey towards adoption? My husband says yes. And I agree with him.

Adoption Update, (Pt. 5)

2011-07-08T01:22:00.000-04:00

We get to bring home our newest treasures tomorrow afternoon...

Those words evoke so many emotions. There are so many thoughts racing through my mind as I stare at this screen, trying to compose those thoughts.

I can't sleep. I went to bed at 10:30, but sleep has eluded me. My mind can't seem to slow down long enough to allow my body the rest it needs. We've been in a whirlwind here at my house for the past two days. Trying to get everything ready, to bring them into their forever home.

Things are moving so quickly now, compared to the waiting that we've endured for so long now. We started this journey toward adoption over a year ago. Don't misunderstand me, we're ready. Goodness knows we've waited so long. But it is slightly mind-blowing how quickly it's moving now. We received a phone call on Wednesday, a week ago. We met with the resource developers (I still like to call them social workers), and the children, and their foster mother on Tuesday of this week. And we're bringing them home on Friday. Mind-boggling.

I still don't have everything ready. You see, when we started this journey, we thought we'd adopt a child of pre-school to early elementary age (you know, in the neighborhood of 4 to 10 years old). So there didn't seem to be that much that needed changing around my house.

But these children are babies. One is 2 years old and one is 9 months old.

So needless to say, there are many changes that have to be made around here and 3 days has not been enough time to make all the changes. There is the issue of baby furniture to attain. My youngest child is 12, so obviously all my baby furniture and items have been long gone! There's also the issue of baby-proofing my house.

I have to admit, I've been a bit stressed.

But thank goodness, no, thank God that I have a family that doesn't mind pulling together in times like these. We've all gone through the house trying to see it from a baby's point of view, and we have purged like you wouldn't believe. I can't believe how much stuff we have packed up to be given to the mission store, or put away in the attic for later use.

My oldest son told me tonight that he really doesn't mind moving into the room with my youngest son, so as to free up a bedroom for the little boys. You see, that has been a concern for these past couple of days. I wasn't sure exactly where the babies would sleep. It seemed to me that having them (the oldest two boys) room together would be the most logical solution, especially considering that my oldest is only here for the summer, the weekends and holidays anyway since he is in college. But he really likes having his own room when he's home, and I really didn't want to kick him out of his room.

I was prepared to do just that, however. But thankfully, he came to me and told me this afternoon (before I had a chance to break the news to him) that he really didn't mind giving up his room. I almost cried. Funny how he didn't even realize what a weight that lifted from my shoulders. But God did. He's so amazing, how He knows, and how He delights in working out even the smallest details for us!

I still don't have everything ready. Except for a twin bed for our 2-year old, and a baby bed for our 9-month old, I don't have another piece of furniture in their room. No high chairs, no strollers... gee, I don't even remember what all you need when you have babies... lol. But I suppose that's what God is trying to teach me. Not to sweat the small stuff. It'll all come together. He always works out the details. Always.

Pictures to follow soon...

And by the way, I covet your prayers for us. These are big changes in our lives. It's like starting all over again!

God sets the lonely in families... Psalm 68:6

Beach Vacation and Father's Day

2011-06-20T18:38:00.001-04:00

~ Beach Vacation ~

This year we vacationed in Miami, Florida ~ actually Surfside Beach, one of Miami's beaches.

We wanted to see the Miami Heat basketball team's arena since they were playing for the championship.

And we wanted to see the Miami Dolphins' stadium.

And as my oldest son commented, "You know you're from a small town when your family takes pictures at the Publix supermarket just because the store has its own parking garage and escalators."

:-)

diving and snorkeling in Key Largo

Will's first ocean dive

Kate and I snorkeled while the boys dove. This is Mike, Ryan and Will diving at the Christ of the Abyss statue.

Ryan's first ocean dive, too

Our family at the resort

~ Father's Day ~

I am thankful for a day that is set aside to honor the fathers in our lives. I'm grateful for my daddy, and although I didn't get to see him on Father's Day, I did talk to him on the phone. I am also grateful for Mike's

dad. Our fathers play an important role in our lives.

my daddy and me

Mike and his dad

I'm especially grateful for my husband. He is a wonderful husband and father. He works hard to provide for our family, and he so often puts our wants and needs before his own. He loves the Lord and strives to lead our family to follow God. He values his time at home with us. He takes time off work to go on field trips with us. He is interested in our kids' education. He enjoys being with our family and doing things together. I am thankful that God picked him out just for us!

This and That and Mother's Day

2011-05-20T19:48:00.001-04:00

If you recall, I found out recently that I have a heart murmur. And just to be on the safe side my doctor wanted me to see a cardiologist and have some further testing. So I had an appointment last week and had an echo-cardiogram performed. Next week I have an appointment with the cardiologist to discuss the results.

So my oldest son is out of college for the summer, and is working as a summer intern at the power plant where my husband works. He just finished his first week of work. Not really work, per se, training this week. I overheard my youngest son asking him if he was glad to be out on summer break. His reply made me smile. It might be summer but it's not a break for me! I think he'll feel pleasantly compensated for the loss of his "summer break" when he receives his first paycheck.

My daughter's last day of school was Monday, May 16th. She exempted final exams, so she was able to finish earlier than the actual last day, which was Thursday the 19th. She is definitely enjoying her summer break, as she has slept late every day!

And my youngest son? No, sadly we are not finished with his school work yet. He fell behind during that month-long stretch when he was sick with mono. So we are continuing to slowly plug along at his work, despite the fact that most of his friends are finished with their school year.

~Mother's Day~ Some years are just plain harder than others. This was one of those years. I missed my momma terribly! I was a bit weepy and emotional the week preceding Mother's Day. And on the actual day, I awoke feeling slightly down-hearted. I cried and sobbed through the whole sermon at church. I don't always feel this way every Mother's Day. Of course, I miss my momma and wish that she was still here with me, but I don't usually obsess over it and make the day miserable for my own children.

Bless their hearts, they lovingly put up with so much from me! And they always work together to make Mother's Day extra special for me. I am so blessed!

Knowing how much I love capturing memories in photograph form, they gave me a digital photo frame this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed it! I went through all my albums and selected pictures, new and old to load into the frame. And they laugh at me as I sit and enjoy the slide show of the here and now, as well as the years gone by. They couldn't have picked a more perfect gift for this picture-taking momma!

Baby Dove

2011-05-19T15:48:00.000-04:00

Kate, my sensitive child with a big heart for God's creatures, found a baby dove in a friend's yard this week, and decided it needed to be rescued. Of course I told her that just because it was on the ground did not mean that it needed to be rescued by humans. But this one was in danger of being eaten by the friend's dogs. Kate tried to put it in a nearby bush, but it couldn't grasp the limbs with its feet and hold on, so it fell to the ground again. She couldn't find a nest anywhere, so she asked if she could bring it home and take care of it. Me being the softy that I am, said yes.

We recently found a nest in our garage, so we placed it into a box and the little fella has made himself right at home. We've done lots of research on caring for wild baby birds. Of course, we hand-raised and formula-fed our cockatiel from the time she had hardly any feathers at all!

As usual in our household, there was some argument over a name. Kate wanted to call him Charlie, and Will wanted to call him Henry (not sure what prompted the choosing of these names). Since Kate found the bird, Dad said she could choose the name. So Charlie it is. Of course, when no one is around I hear Will calling him Henry.

He seems to be a hardy little guy. Hopefully he'll be eating seed soon, and we can release him in our backyard. In our research, we found that hand-fed wild baby birds tend to hang around where they are released. So that's exciting.

Easter

2011-05-01T22:56:00.000-04:00

Easter... What does this holiday mean to you? What traditions do you associate with this day?

When I was a little girl Easter meant a basket filled with chocolates and treats. A new dress, sometimes with a little bonnet. Sometimes with a little purse and gloves. It meant decorating eggs, and finding them, hidden in the yard. It meant getting together with family and sharing a special meal.

The Jelly Bean Flowers... this is a tradition that my children and I share at Easter. We make this simple flower arrangement and place it on our kitchen table.

Red is for the blood He gave,

Green is for the grass He made,

Yellow is for His sun so bright,

Orange is for the edge of night,

Black is for the sins we made,

White is for the grace He gave,

Purple is for His hours of sorrow,

Pink is for our new tomorrow.

I don't remember ever knowing, as a little girl, what Easter really means. I never knew that Easter was God's way of showing His love for us. That it was His sacrifice of His Son on a cross at Calvary. That it was the God-man, taking on flesh, taking on our sins, my sins, onto His own body. That it was His taking the punishment, the beatings, back laid open bare, blood flowing, shedding, for me. I never knew.

My son, Will, flanked on both sides by friends, at our church's annual egg hunt. Making a cross, a visual reminder of the love flowed mingling down.

And when I was saved as a grown woman, I determined that I wanted my children to know, to really know, what Easter really means.

Yes, I have continued some of the traditions from my childhood with my own children. I fill a basket with chocolates and treats for each of my children. My daughter gets a new dress, my boys get new shirts. We decorate eggs and go on egg hunts. Some years we have even bought a little "Easter bunny." (We love rabbits!)

But we also have a few new traditions. We make these cookies, a creative telling of the Easter story. Sometimes we use the Resurrection Eggs to explain the Easter story. Sometimes we find a new book to read during the month leading up to Easter. This year we read Amon's Adventure. And I can't say enough positive about this book. Wonderful story! A must-read!

Another Easter tradition I started several years ago is waking my children on Easter morning with an enthusiastic "He is risen!" And they always respond (sometimes a bit sleepy-eyed) with a resounding, "He is risen indeed!"

And they know what I did not know. That Easter is not just another holiday. It is a holy day. A day to remember just how much our God loves us. A reminder that we serve a living Lord, a King who conquered death, who paid the ransom for our sin-debt, a ransom that we could never pay! A day to celebrate our risen Savior!

He is risen! He is risen indeed! So, go tell someone!

Tornadoes and Torn Lives

2011-04-30T22:58:00.000-04:00

Our spring break is coming to a close. Will went to the beach with a friend's family for a few days. Kate and I were able to accompany Mike on a business trip to Birmingham, Alabama on Monday and Tuesday. Ryan was at college, as his spring break was a few weeks ago.

But my heart is heavy as I ponder the destruction, the devastation, the loss of lives from the day of twisters through the state of Alabama.

We left Birmingham just ahead of all the horrible storms that were to come. Devastating. No other words to describe it. I think at last count, the death toll was at around 200 people. My niece is a student at the University of Alabama, and she and her roommates were not in the direct path of any of the tornadoes. But the town of Tuscaloosa, as well as Birmingham, suffered devastating effects, and many lives were lost.

I have been in awe of the tremendous amount of damage done, as evidenced by the many photos and video footage seen not only in the news, but on facebook as well, posted by friends and family. This has literally hit close to home. I am humbly grateful that all of our family were kept safe through the storms. So many are having to pick up the pieces, to find a way to carry on...

I want to share some pictures that my niece, Amy, took. This is just some of the damage done in the town where she lives. I am so very thankful that her life was spared.

As I look through her album of photos on facebook, I am reminded anew of just how small this world really is. And just how short our lives really are. Please pray for these people as they try to pick up the pieces and start over.

This I Know

2011-04-21T08:49:00.000-04:00

Just thinking back over the past months of the sickness and surgeries and suffering that seem to have kept coming, one on top of another, we've dealt with in this house... My God has been gracious. Gracious enough to not allow me to dwell on it, to not linger over it. Gracious enough to sustain me through all of it.

Until a couple of days ago, I hadn't really thought much about it at all. I mean I knew that God was there, that He was carrying me, giving me the strength needed to nurse everyone through so much. I knew that, so I didn't think much about it.

Until my friend shared this with me regarding the issue of suffering. As Matt Chandler says in this video clip, "I knew, but now I know." I found it very insightful and helpful so I wanted to share it with others.

I'm so grateful that God is allowing me to see Him, to see His hand at work, in the everyday, ordinary, even the mundane, aspects of my life.

Throw Out My Homemade Laundry Detergent?

2011-04-20T14:14:00.001-04:00

School finished by 12:30 today. Two loads of laundry finished. Lunch done. One of Will's friends (who is in the local school system which is out on spring break this week) is over to spend the afternoon with us. So that means that I am free to write on my blog earlier than usual.

So much for using the homemade laundry detergent that I recently experimented with. Not long after beginning to use this detergent, Kate came to me one day with a full body rash. She was covered with a bright red rash from her head to her feet. I don't mean a few splotches here and there. I mean totally covered with a raised red rash. Not. Even. Kidding. And me, the Queen of the Camera, did not take a single picture.

She has always been our child with overly sensitive skin, but she's not had any outbreaks in years now so it did not even occur to me that changing laundry detergent might affect her. Duh. I used to have to be so very careful about things like that.

Of course we dosed her up with Claritin and Zantac and rubbed her down with Benadryl cream for several days. I took ALL of her clothes from closet and dresser and re-washed them in the old detergent. And now she's all better.

Ok... so what to do with this laundry detergent I made? So much for becoming a domestic diva. I don't know, though, if I surf around the net long enough, I probably can find another use for homemade laundry detergent. One that doesn't involve washing laundry.

By the way, I forgot to mention in yesterday's post that at my appointment last Thursday, the doctor discovered that I have a heart murmur. Yes. That was so random and not even remotely related to today's post. But that's me for ya... the Queen of Randomness (sometimes).

What's On My Mind

2011-04-19T17:48:00.002-04:00

I know, it's been kind of quiet here. Not in my house per se, but on the blog front. I've been sick this past week. Imagine that! Didn't I wonder recently if life could somehow possibly slow down a bit around here? God sure has a sense of humor.

I've spent most of my time between doctor visits, and the hospital for tests, and in the recliner nursing a fever and pain. For about two weeks now, I have had a fever off and on, and pain on my left side (front and back), as well as a general pain throughout my whole body. You know, kind of like stiff and aching body parts. I wondered if maybe I am developing arthritis. I wondered if the pain in my side might be appendicitis, but the pain never really was excruciating enough to convince me. I also wondered if it might be kidney stones, but again, the pain level never reached an unbearable zenith.

A trip to the doctor revealed that it was not kidney stones, nor was it appendicitis. I don't think the poor doc really knew what it was, but he finally decided that quite probably I had pulled a muscle in the lower right side of my back. His prescribed treatment: take Advil for the pain and see how it goes from there.

Ok... so I took Advil for several days. The fever came and went, very unpredictable. The pain was ever-present, but never at an unbearable level. I finally decided (mostly my husband decided) that I would seek another doctor's opinion.

This doctor sent me to the hospital for some blood work and CT scans. Funny thing was, I had a fever all day long, but the blood work revealed nothing. No elevated white blood cells to indicate an infection. Nothing to indicate that the stiffness and pain throughout my body could be oncoming arthritis. The CT scans revealed very healthy and otherwise unremarkable organs. The only thing that showed up to cause some concern for the radiologist was a tiny spot on my right ovary. Probably a cyst. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic (I guess because I continued to have a fever...) and told me to make an appointment with my gynecologist to see about the cyst.

This was last Thursday. I couldn't get in to see the gynecologist until Monday. And I couldn't even see my gynecologist at all. Starting Monday, he would be on spring break with his kids! So I spent the weekend in the recliner, extremely nauseous from the medicine. Hubby called the doc to tell him how nauseous I was and could we please try a different antibiotic. Doc says that this is a strong one and he really would prefer I continue to take it. Never mind the fact that I'm the one laid up in the recliner struggling not to throw up. He says that he can call in something for the nausea. Phenergan. So I spent the weekend sleeping in the recliner.

I had my appointment with the other gynecologist on Monday (darn spring break). Let's just say things didn't go too well at this appointment. He didn't even bother to do an ultrasound to look at my cyst. Nothing to worry about, these things have a way of resolving themselves, he tells me. That's fine by me doc, I don't like taking any more medicine than I have to, but trust me, this pain has been here for two weeks and it has definitely not resolved itself yet.

So, nothing for the cyst. If it even is a cyst. He didn't bother to double-check to see if that's what it really is. No, this doctor was far too concerned with the fact that I am a 41-year old woman who's been in menopause for the last three years and am not taking some kind of hormone therapy. It was all he could talk about during basically the whole visit. I probably do need hormone therapy after that visit. Suffice it to say that I was not happy when I left his office.

And neither was my doctor when I called his nurse to explain that visit. His recommendation? Continue the antibiotic (since my fever seems to have responded favorably) and make another appointment to see my regular gynecologist when he gets back from spring break.

So that's it in a nutshell. I'm still having the pain in my right side, but no fever anymore. And I guess my body has gradually adjusted to the antibiotic. I'm only nauseous now for about a couple of hours after I take it in the morning and again at night. And I'm totally off the Phenergan. That stuff messes with my mind. When it didn't knock me out, it left me feeling like a zombie. There were times when I wasn't asleep, yet I felt like I couldn't even open my eyes, they were so heavy! And my arms and legs felt as if they were made of lead. Ok, that's enough of that.

I was talking to my friend the other day (you know who you are ;) ), and she made the comment, "Wow, you've been through alot." So I started thinking back over the past months. Will's mono. He was sick for weeks. The car wreck. Kate still deals with back pain from that. And dealing with that insurance company has been an ongoing nightmare. Mike's knee surgery. My feet (the plantar fasciitis). That condition has only gone downhill. It may be time for that cortisone shot after all. But that's a story for another time. Kate was sick with the flu for a week. Now this with me. Have I forgotten anything?

But all that thinking has only led me to one conclusion. I am so blessed. The Lord has never failed to meet our needs during any of these trying times. I could choose to see the negative. It would be easy to make that choice. But I have to choose the opposite. God is faithful. He has never left me to suffer alone. And I know that there may be times when He calls me to suffer through worse situations than these I have found myself in of late. I have friends who are battling depression. Friends who are battling addictions. Friends who have less than desirable home lives due to circumstances beyond their control. Friends who have lost their beloved spouse. Friends who are facing cancer. Friends who are living with a chronic illness. Friends who have buried their children. The list goes on. He never promised that we would not suffer. In fact, He said we would. But He also promised that He would never leave us to go it alone.

Wow, this has been an incredibly long post. If you're still here and aren't bored to tears, I guess that means you're a real friend! I know I only have a few readers and most of them are family :). I didn't mean for this to be such a long, drawn-out, rambling, thought-processing post. And I didn't mean to make light of other, more devastating battles that some of you are facing by putting the spotlight on my own battles. I guess through all this rambling, what I'm trying to say is that God gives grace according to need. Whatever He calls you or me to face, He will give us the grace to get through it. That is the hope that we have to cling to in the midst of our trials.

He's No Longer a Teenager

2011-04-11T11:52:00.001-04:00

20 years ago yesterday, I journeyed into that realm of life known as motherhood. I do love strolling down memory lane, reminiscing, recalling, remembering. Care to join me?

It really isn't even my due date yet. My doctor has plans to be out of town the following week, on my actual due date, and he recommends labor induction. I am young, naive. I don't know better. I am ready to meet my baby.

In the wee hours of the morning on April 10, 1991, my husband and I make our way into the hospital and all the necessary preparations for childbirth are begun. I am started intravenously on the Pitocin drip at 6:00 am, and am told that I should expect to have a baby in my arms by lunch-time. Excited, nervous and afraid, all at the same time.

My labor is long, hard and laborious. It seems never-ending. Is there no relief in sight? Baby is most definitely not ready to leave the comfort and safety of mommy's womb. Push and push, for three hours, pushing to no avail. At this point I should probably give birth by means of the cesarean route, but he's the doctor, right?

So I continue pushing while my dear husband is coaching me and encouraging me, and in the meantime, one of the nurses climbs up onto the bed behind me, cradling me against her while she wraps arms around me, hands on my tummy, and helps to "push" my baby towards life outside the womb.

At 6:01 pm, after 12 hours of labor, 3 of which are spent in the pushing stage, baby finally emerges. I am told that I have a son, my firstborn is a son. Thank you God for hearing the pleas of a young mother... I would ask you for a firstborn son, Lord, but most importantly, a healthy baby.

Utterly exhausted and spent, but elated beyond measure, I cradle my handsome baby boy in my arms. Gazing steadfastly into his beautiful blue eyes, I fall completely in love. Oh joy of joys, I am a mommy! My amazing God has granted me the desires of my heart. Now Lord, hear my pleas yet again. Let me be a good mommy. Let me love, let me nurture, let me mother in such a way that he will see You, that he will be drawn to You.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fast forward 20 years...

Last night after church, we celebrated his birthday with friends at everybody's favorite restaurant, Village Pizza. I made an ice cream cake to share. He didn't want candles. He didn't want me to sing Happy Birthday. And he didn't want me to take pictures. :( So I had to be content with a picture of the cake.

Through the years in pictures...

20 years have passed by so quickly. It seems like only yesterday I was bringing him home from the hospital. And now he is 20 years old. No longer a teenager, but a young man. Spreading his wings, learning to fly.

Thank you Lord, for the days and years that You entrusted him to my care and upbringing. Thank you for hearing the pleas of a young girl's heart and granting me the privilege of becoming wife and mother.

Homemade Laundry Detergent = Domestic Diva?

2011-04-09T22:33:00.001-04:00

Yes, you read the title correctly. I have been reading alot about homesteading, living simply, being frugal, thriving on one income (you get the picture) for quite some time now. I've been slowly making changes around here. You know... using coupons, only buying if it's on sale, shopping thrift stores, making do, using it up, finding new uses for old items... those sorts of changes.

I've also been trying to simplify. Cleaning out all the clutter and stuff in my house. You know, getting rid of the stuff that just sits around here and never gets used. Amazing how many bags and boxes of "stuff" I've taken to the mission store over the last few months!

Well, back to the issue I wanted to write about! Yes, I made my own laundry detergent this week! I found a website that instructs you in making your own cleaning supplies (at a fraction of the cost, I might add). I hesitated for a while, because honestly, I thought 1) Do you really save that much? and 2) Is the savings worth the effort put into making your own?

Well, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. I mean, really what else do I have to do with my time? (HaHa) You know when you're a stay-at-home mom that's what everyone else seems to think anyway! ;-)

Okay... so I thought I'd share it with you (in pictures of course)!

Here's what you need to get started: 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of Washing Soda, and 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap. I found all three on the detergent aisle in Wal-Mart.

Directions for making the laundry detergent:

Step 1: Grate your ~~block of cheese~~ (er... I mean your bar of soap). I used my food processor, and it really looked like I was grating cheese!

Step 2: Add 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Washing Soda.

Step 3: Mix in food processor (until the soap pieces are powder fine).

That's it. Not hard at all. I made up two batches at one time, and I stored mine in a Rubbermaid container.

This stuff is super-concentrated so you only need to use 2 tablespoons per load of laundry. I must admit I was very suspicious at first, only 2 tablespoons? But I tried it and it really works. It smells so fresh, even my washing machine was left with a fresh scent. The real test was the load of towels. It passed the test here too. My towels came out smelling clean.

Now, how much money did I save by making my own detergent? I can get 7 batches of detergent from the boxes of Borax and Washing Soda. The soda costs $2.77 per box and the borax costs $3.36 per box. But I have to buy 7 bars of soap, too, at 97 cents per bar for a total of $6.79. That's a grand total of $12.92. Each batch of detergent washes 28 loads. That's a total of 196 loads. The cost comes out to a little over 6 cents per load. I normally buy the big box of Arm & Hammer laundry detergent that does 95 loads for $12.47 per box.

So basically this means I am getting a little over twice the amount of detergent for the same price. Like a BOGO... and who doesn't like BOGOs?

Will I continue to make it? Well, it definitely wasn't hard to do. I mean, it took all of about 10 minutes (as long as you use a food processor). And I do enjoy the challenge that comes from finding ways to save money. Next, I'm going to try making some general household cleaners.

Does that qualify me as a domestic diva? You be the judge ;)

Travel Ball

2011-04-04T13:07:00.000-04:00

This is how we spent our Saturday... watching our daughter play in a softball tournament.

I met a homeschooling mom of 8. Her daughter plays on the team that my daughter "filled in" on. We had some great conversations and she had lots of wisdom to share.

Did I mention my girl LOVES softball?

Adoption Approval Granted!

2011-04-01T19:31:00.000-04:00

We received the letter in the mail yesterday... we're officially approved as an adoptive family!!!

We began this journey (officially) on May 3, 2010 and now almost one year later, (WOW!) we are approved and ready to begin searching for the child our God has already chosen for us!

We are excited beyond measure, and can hardly wait to meet him or her!

Praising the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness...

God sets the lonely in families. Psalm 68:6

Family and Auburn University

2011-03-26T17:52:00.001-04:00

We had an opportunity last weekend to visit with our families. If you remember, Mike's dad is somewhat handicapped and lives with Mike's sister. Debbie (that's Mike's sister) and her family were on a spring break vacation, so we spent the weekend with him. We were also able to visit my parents and one of my brothers, as well. It seems the older our kids get, the busier our lives become, and the fewer our visits with family.

Granddaddy "modeling" the cap we brought back to him from our trip to Tennessee

We also had the opportunity to take Kate to see an Auburn University softball game. She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES softball. It's her favorite and best sport. She dreams of one day being able to play at the collegiate level. And of course, she would LOVE to play for Auburn!

These next pictures are of some of our favorite places around the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. While you're here, you might as well have a tour :)

We still eat here almost every time we go to Auburn!

Trying to save the oak trees at Toomer's Corner

Samford Hall

same building, different angle

one of the bookstores

Toomer's Corner

Jelly Bean Flowers

2011-03-24T16:11:00.001-04:00

One of the "crafts" we incorporate into our Easter celebration...

One lesson I am continually learning -- never underestimate the importance of family traditions to your children. Case in point: this simple little flower arrangement. My kids are older (my youngest is 12) and I always think that they won't want to continue some of the things that we've done in the past as part of our holiday celebrations. They always prove me wrong :)

A few days ago, they began asking, "Mom, when are we going to do the jelly bean flowers?" I finally remembered to buy the jelly beans today (thanks to my youngest son's reminder).

Red is for the blood He gave

Green is for the grass He made

Yellow is for His sun so bright

Orange is for the edge of night

Black is for the sins we made

White is for the grace He gave

Purple is for His hours of sorrow

Pink is for our new tomorrow.

I think that the red jelly beans are supposed to be on the top, but my children put them in and I didn't have the heart to tell them the beans are in reverse order of the poem :)

Mourning

2011-03-22T19:21:00.000-04:00

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. Today we lost a friend, a coach, a mentor. Much beloved, he will be missed by so many.

I was going to write about our weekend trip, but in light of this loss, our trip seems so insignificant. Everything else seems so insignificant...

Mr. Kenneth was one of my husband's fellow basketball coaches. He was my daughter's JV basketball coach. His youngest daughter is a fellow classmate, athlete, and friend of my daughter. He was a bi-vocational pastor of a Baptist church. He was killed in an auto accident this morning. He was (probably) in his mid-to-late 40s, and he leaves behind a wife and four children (two in college, two in high school).

I know Mr. Kenneth is right now rejoicing in the presence of his Lord and Savior. I also know that we don't mourn or grieve as those with no hope. But somehow, facing loss and grief, those words don't seem like much to offer to his family. But in reality, that's all we can offer. That's all we can cling to. He is in heaven and his family will see him again one day because they are believers. We don't have to mourn as those with no hope. Indeed, our hope is in the Lord!

My heart has been so heavy... there's been a lump in my throat all day... I've choked back tears more times than I can count. If this is what I am feeling, Oh imagine his family! I know that time will heal the wounds, that they have the hope of knowing they will see him again one day. But as I consider his dear family, his children... I recall the devastating loss of my own dear mother when I was but 19 years old. And I am overcome with a wave of grief, fresh and new, in spite of a 21-year lapse.

Will you join me in praying for this family? Can I be so bold as to ask you to continue to lift them up to our heavenly Father in the upcoming days and weeks, because as you know that is when it will be the hardest for them. That is when our adversary the devil will prey upon them, trying to keep them downcast. Pray that the God of our hope, the God of our salvation will pour out His grace on this dear family. That He would wrap them in His presence and comfort them as only He can. That He would give them the true peace that only He can provide in times of trouble and sorrow.

For I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow -- Jeremiah 31:13

Milestones

2011-03-16T21:43:00.000-04:00

The second of our children to reach this rite of passage on the "road" to adulthood.

All I have to say is, "Look out world... there's a new driver on the road."

Adoption Update (Pt. 4)

2011-03-15T09:22:00.000-04:00

The "adoption lady" came by yesterday. She had to take pictures of our house, and verify that we have made the necessary changes in and around our house to bring it into conformity with state guidelines. Who knew there could be so many guidelines??

She told me about a sibling group of 4 (yes, 4!) that she is trying to find a family for, and how she thought they would be a perfect fit for our family because they love sports as much as we do! Unfortunately, we don't have room for 4 more (those were her words, not mine) based on our house size.

When I told my husband about it, he choked out the comment, "Four?!?" I had to laugh. And I have to keep reminding myself that, although he hears the Lord, loud and clear, telling us to adopt, he moves a bit more slowly and cautiously than I do in regards to life-altering decisions. I think, in his mind, he is okay with the Lord adding more children to our family one at a time. But when he thinks of adding them in multiples, it kind of scares him.

Well, we are definitely getting "closer." And we are growing more excited about just "who" the Lord has already chosen for us.

All Things New

2011-03-14T17:06:00.000-04:00

Spring has sprung! Here in my small town in the South, anyway. I know it's not officially spring yet, but at least it feels like it is. What wonderful weather we're having (finally!). I think it's supposed to be in the 70's all week. Warm weather = capri pants and flip flops... Yay for warm weather!

I love this time of year. Signs of new life everywhere you look ...behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You.

Psalm 145:10

It's time to get outside and start working in my yards... putting out new pine straw in the flower beds and around the shrubbery... planting new flowers! What a long awaited-for and much welcomed opportunity after being cooped up indoors for so long this winter. We had one of the coldest (and longest) winters this year. We usually have mild winters here. Hooray for the warm sunshine!

My little feathered friends are back. Throughout the day, when I look out my kitchen window, this is what I am greeted with:

And this:

His lovely little mate is on the ground beneath the feeder.

The pool is definitely in need of cleaning! Ick!

Most of what's floating around in there is a by-product of these guys...

And I usually wait to clean the pool after all the pine trees in my yard have stopped producing pollen. However, my littlest fellow was just looking for an excuse to get in the pool...

So, he put on my wetsuit, jumped in and started scrubbing the pollen off the sides of the pool :) I will still probably wait until all the trees stop blooming before shocking the pool. Otherwise, the pollen will have the water all greenish-yellow again.

Can you tell I'm excited about the change in weather? Really, I like all the seasons. There's something unique and wonderful about each one. I don't think I have a definite favorite. God, in His infinite wisdom, has made each season special in its own way. And isn't He just amazing to share His wonderful creation with us? What a splendid way to make known His glory and majesty!

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

Psalm 69:34

Bits and Pieces

2011-03-10T19:16:00.001-05:00

Time to play catch-up again... sometimes I wonder if my life will ever slow down. It's not really that hectic, but I seem to be out of the house a good bit of the time.

Mike's knee is healing well. He is continuing with physical therapy. He is still having some issues with swelling, and there is some fluid build-up on the knee. The doctor said this is normal and he can come back into the office to have the fluid drawn off. So far, he is waiting on that; he said the last time he had a needle in that knee it was excruciatingly painful.

I'm still having alot of pain in my foot. The plantar fasciitis is not getting any better. Of course, I'm not doing the exercises for it like I'm supposed to be doing, either. Who has the time?? And I'm not wearing the splint at night as much either. It is terribly uncomfortable, and extremely bulky. However, the pain is getting to the point that I am now ready to buckle down and make time to do the exercises! The next step in the treatment plan is to have a cortisone-steroid injection, and I'm really hoping to evade that step.

We are on the road a good bit now with softball games. (We just roll from one sport right into the next around here!) Kate, of course, is our avid sports fanatic and we just finished up basketball season, and have moved into her all time favorite sport, softball. She plays 3rd base, and is the second string pitcher. By the way, I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but Mike played 3rd base and pitcher for his high school baseball team! How neat is that?!?

We started our Easter reading. I usually don't start early enough to finish on time, so hopefully we'll be able to stay on schedule this year :) We are reading The Final Week of Jesus by Max Lucado.

We try to read one chapter each night, try to imagine the events that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus, try to imagine His choosing to take our (my) sin onto His own body...

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died

My richest gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride

See from His head, His hands, His feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did ever such love and sorrow meet

Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Oh the wonderful cross, oh the wonderful cross

Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live

Oh the wonderful cross, oh the wonderful cross

All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

...The Wonderful Cross, by Matt Redman

I ordered the book Amon's Adventure, by Arnold Ytreeide, today. I've been seeing it mentioned on a few different blogs I read, so I thought I'd check into it. We read Jotham's Journey for Christmas Advent a few years ago, so when I read that Amon is (a now grown) Jotham's son, I thought, "How neat is that?" I don't know if we'll be able to read this story for Easter this year, but we'll see.

While I was searching for Amon's Adventure on christianbook.com, I found a few good dvds to put in my children's Easter baskets... the newest Chronicles of Narnia dvd (due to be released on April 8th) for my oldest son... My Friend, Flicka for my daughter (I remember reading that book when I was in elementary school)... and Greatest Heroes and Legends of the Bible dvd for my youngest son. I remember when they were little (I seem to be so fond of doing that lately) I loved giving them VeggieTales in their Easter baskets. Now they've outgrown VeggieTales. But we will on occasion, pull one out and watch it together.

I truly love this time of the year, anticipating all the ways we celebrate this most holy of seasons, reflecting on the cross, reflecting on Christ's love for a sinner like me.

Fifteen Candles

2011-03-02T20:29:00.000-05:00

Fifteen years ago, on February 24th at precisely 11:24 am, the Lord saw fit to bless our family with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and she captured my heart immediately. She has brought me so much joy (and some anguish, of course) and my life has been so much the richer because of her. I thank the Lord every day for the joy and privilege of being her mom. I love you Kate!

Through the years...

15 Candles

Happy Birthday Kate!

My prayers for this precious blessing are that the Lord would continue to grow her spiritually, that He would always be first in her life, that He would help her to love Him above all else, that He would continue to grant her a servant's heart, that she would walk worthy of the calling of the Lord Jesus, that He would give her a grateful heart, and that in all things she would bring glory and honor to His holy name.

A Phone Call

2011-02-25T23:16:00.000-05:00

I received a phone call today.

From our adoption resource developer. We call her "the adoption lady."

It seems we are getting closer! She said she has to finish writing our home study and turn it in to her supervisor. She has to take a few pictures of our family. She said by mid-March we should be able to start the process of choosing our child (or children).

Choosing our child.

How do you choose a child? How do you choose just one? Just one, out of millions, who have no mommy and daddy. No permanent family. No home to call their own.

Adopt ~ 1. To take as one's own choice. 2. To take (a child of other parents) and bring up as one's own child.

Adoption --What a wonderful picture of God's grace, of His love and mercy! That He would choose me. That He would take me (a child of another parent - the devil) and bring me up as His own child. My heavenly Father loved me so much that He chose me, and adopted me into His family, making me His heir, granting me all the rights and privileges of a natural-born child.

How could I not extend that same grace, love and mercy? I've seen before the slogan, "Adoption: It's a God Thing." Now I understand. Now I see.

I'm very excited, but at the same time... as the time draws nearer, my heart begins to ache for the ones that I won't choose. Not that I deliberately won't choose one, but I can't adopt them all. And God knows that.

I'm so excited to see how He is moving on behalf of the orphan! I can't believe the number of people that I have met (and continue to meet), some right here in my own town, many in the blog world, who are adopting/have adopted. God is opening doors. He's softening hearts. He's setting the lonely in families! Make no mistake about it, God's heart is for the orphan. He commands us in His word to take care of them. He will move mountains on their behalf. He is moving mountains on their behalf.

Catching Up on Other Things

2011-02-25T21:32:00.000-05:00

We recently participated in our local AWANA Grand Prix. This is a very anticipated event in our AWANA schedule! The kids get very excited about making their cars and racing them. Even the adult and youth leaders get in on the action!

TNT clubbers' (3rd - 6th graders) cars

Will placing his car on the track

Mike, ready to release the cars in the TNT races

Will was SO excited to place 1st in Design! He's been trying to win 1st Place Design for a couple of years now. He made a submarine this year. He christened it the USS AWANA. If you look closely to the left side of the submarine, you can see that he even made a little propeller (by taking apart one of his dad's fishing lures) and attached it to the rear of the sub.

Kate (participating in the leaders category) builds her car for speed. But she always manages to come up with a pretty cool design as well.

Kate ~ the double winner ~ won 1st Place in both Speed and Design!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How do you celebrate Valentine's Day in your home? I certainly don't like the way it is such a commercialized holiday (like all holidays). I don't like for my husband to feel undue pressure to run out and spend money buying things just to convince me of his love for me.

On the other hand, I don't think it's a bad idea to set aside a day to focus on showing our love for each other. So... in our house, we meet somewhere in the middle. We do give gifts, just little expressions of our love. And we try to focus on becoming more loving to others, as well as trying to develop characteristics that make us more lovable.

This year we gave our daughter a beautiful red rose, to tell her that like the rose, she too is beautiful all year long and not just on this one day. My husband and I want her to know that she is special, that she is created in the image of Almighty God. And that she is a treasure to us. This is a turbulent time for her--those teenage years--when she is forming in her mind an idea of what true beauty looks like. We want her to know that it is so important to focus on being beautiful on the inside... of being conformed to Christ's image. We want her to find her beauty and her worth in Christ alone.

Don't we all need to know that? That what this world says about us doesn't matter. That despite what the media tells us, beauty and worth are not measured by our dress size, or by whether we are wearing the latest fashions. That we are created in the image of God, and that we are to reflect His glory. That's what true beauty is. If you are a daughter of the Most High King, then you are the apple of His eye! And that is beautiful.

Basketball Play-offs and Championships

2011-02-20T15:47:00.000-05:00

The girls' JV and Varsity Basketball teams at Appling Christian Academy (Kate plays on both teams) made it to the State Tournament. The JV team won the Region Championship, as well as the State Championship! The Varsity team was runner-up for State Champions!

We traveled to north Georgia for the second round of play-offs and for the "big dance." The games were very exciting! We played ball games Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Friday morning at the Assembly to recognize the Region winners

JV Girls Region Champions!

JV Girls State Champions!

The seniors accepting the 2nd place trophy for the Varsity team

As you can see, we had an exciting basketball season! Unfortunately the boys' Varsity team didn't make it to the play-offs, but our boys' JV team made it to the second round of play-offs. However, all the teams worked hard and are to be commended.

Update on Mike

2011-02-20T15:22:00.001-05:00

Mike started physical therapy for his knee on Friday. Now he is feeling the pain! They said he would.

He has to go to therapy twice a week, and he has to do several exercises at home several times a day. He also has to continue the ice therapy three times a day. (And yes, my poor family does a great job of tolerating me following them around with a camera ready at all times!)

As you can see, he is never alone. (Ha Ha) Lizzie jumped up onto Mike and decided to lie there with him while he was using the ice therapy brace.

This is what his knee looked like when we took off the bandaging. Ick! Of course it looked much better after we cleaned the wounds with peroxide. He doesn't have to wear the bulky bandaging now. We just have to keep the wounds clean and covered with steri-strips. Bathing is an issue because he hasn't yet been released to get the wounds wet (other than dabbing them with peroxide).

He goes back to the doctor for his post-operative check-up on Wednesday when he will be given a brace to wear.

Mike's Knee Surgery

2011-02-16T21:05:00.000-05:00

We arrived at the hospital at 6:45 this morning. We left the hospital at 10:20 this morning. In and out pretty quickly. Fairly uncomplicated procedure. God is good.

He has spent most of the day in the recliner, as to be expected. Surprisingly, his pain has been tolerable. So much so that he has chosen not to take the pain medicine the doctor prescribed, but Tylenol instead. Hmm.

He begins physical therapy on Friday. They actually want him using his leg as soon as possible. In the meantime, he has to use ice therapy for the swelling and inflammation. It's a pretty neat contraption they sent us home with, a machine kind of like a small cooler that holds ice water which is pumped through circulatory tubes connected to a brace wrapped around his knee. Pretty cool. Except that I have to keep adding ice, because he has to wear it continuously, night and day for the next 3 days.

He is not one who enjoys sitting very much either. He's a fairly active type, so he has already become quite bored. Lord, help us over the next few days :)

Polar Ice Therapy

This is a picture of the inside of Mike's knee. The arthroscopic surgery is really cool, as it allows you to watch the procedure being performed. This image is one of the lesser gross-looking ones. Not sure just what is happening here... I know the doctor had to remove a bone fragment that had broken off the knee, as well as the tissue build-up around the fragment. He also had to remove part of a certain band from the side of the knee.

Plantar Fasciitis, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, oh yeah, and Knee Surgery Too!

2011-02-08T22:15:00.000-05:00

I've been having heel pain in my right foot for over a month now. I'm not one to complain much with pain, so I've been taking ibuprofen and just hoping it would eventually go away. Not so.

I finally decided to go to the doctor last Friday. I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. What in the world?? Apparently I have somehow injured my plantar fascia.

So the doctor set up a treatment plan involving stretching exercises, ice therapy, an anti-inflammatory drug, and wearing this hideous night splint.

Sleeping in this contraption is not much fun. The first night I woke up what seemed like every hour, it was so uncomfortable! The next morning, as I was telling my husband about it, he laughed when he realized that I had not readjusted those long straps that run along the outer edges. I had them pulled too tight and my foot was pulled too far up! Good grief!

The next night I loosened the straps a little, but still I wasn't taking any chances. I took Tylenol PM before going to bed (lol)! I only woke up twice. Now it doesn't hurt my foot to wear it, but it is cumbersome and I have to sleep with my foot out from under the covers.

I have to admit that wearing this splint has helped a great deal. And I'm doing my exercises and taking my medicine. So I hope the recovery time won't be too long. And I hope that I don't have to take the cortisone shot that the doctor mentioned. Ouch!

I was supposed to have a follow-up appointment with the doctor in two weeks to see how much progress I am making, but I ended up having to go back today because I've started having some numbness in my toes. When I called the doctor about it, he told me that numbness was definitely not a symptom of plantar fasciitis, so I had to go back to see him today.

He said it could be a couple of different things, but he thinks it is tarsal tunnel syndrome, and that wearing the night splint is aggravating the nerve. So... he said I won't be wearing the night splint as long as he would have liked. And it really seems to be helping the most :(.

Fortunately, the initial treatment plan for tarsal tunnel syndrome is basically the same as for plantar fasciitis (except for wearing the night splint), so I will continue the same exercises. And starting next week I will begin sleeping in the splint every other night, gradually leaving it off altogether. Then I will have a follow-up appointment with the doctor in one month. If I still have the numbness in my toes, he will do a nerve study to see exactly what's going on.

I'm supposed to be staying off my foot and resting it as much as possible. Ha Ha! When a doctor tells a woman to stay off her foot, he may as well put a cast on the foot if he actually expects that to happen! Seriously, as a busy wife and homeschooling mother, I'm not so sure I'm allowed to stay off my feet :) Especially considering the fact that my husband is having knee surgery next week, and he won't be allowed to walk or put any pressure on that leg at all for one week following the surgery.

So, actually he'll be the one laying around staying off his feet, and I'll be up and about, taking care of him. But that's ok. I'm not complaining about that. It is my privilege to take care of him and pamper him a little. I am so grateful that he works hard to provide for our family, and that he allows me to be a stay-at-home mom! And he really is helping me in the evenings with cooking supper while I prop up in the recliner and try to rest it a little. I'm just glad that I'm not having surgery too (the doctor did say that surgery was a last resort if the other treatment options didn't work). Now that would be something, wouldn't it, if we both had surgery and had to be laid up recovering at the same time! Thank goodness our all wise heavenly Father has not allowed that to be!

2010: A Year in Pictures

2011-02-03T18:49:00.000-05:00

January

Kate's small group, with their leader, at DiscipleNow

Australia Co-op with the home school group

Ryan moved back home and decided to commute to college for the 2nd semester, so on some days I had all 3 doing school work at the same time. It felt like the old days :)

February

Enjoying the snow. Very unusual for the deep south.

Upward Basketball

Kate's 14th birthday party with friends

March

Awana Grand Prix

Will's car placed 3rd in speed. He was going for design with the wii remote :)

Granddaddy and Uncle Billy's visit

Rick and Christie's farewell reception

We had to say good-bye to our Youth Pastor (of 7 years!) and his family. They left our church in order to to do a church plant in Orlando, FL.

Spring Pictures

Will - 5th grade, Kate - 8th grade

April

Easter morning

"He has risen; He has risen indeed."

We make the Easter Story Cookies every year. Each year, I think they have outgrown this tradition and will not want to do these, but they always surprise me!

Newly certified scuba divers in our family: Ryan is behind the instructor (the man in the red suit), and Will is to the right of the instructor.

celebrating Ryan's 19th birthday

Birds Co-op with the home school group

May

Will, receiving his 3rd Book Award during the Awana Awards Ceremony

our vacation to Panama City Beach, Florida

What started out as a wonderful time with friends ended so sadly, as our friends experienced a terrible tragedy in their family. If you missed that post you can read about it here.

All-Stars Softball

And this is how we spent most of our summer, traveling to games. Kate played shortstop most of the time, but she also played 3rd base, pitcher and catcher.

June

Vacation Bible School ~ Saddle Ridge Ranch

Even the youth helpers and adult workers enjoyed playing games.

We had an opportunity to host in our home two young men from a church youth choir on tour this summer. Playing Guitar Hero with my sons.

July

Our church's annual July 4th picnic at Lake Mayer

Lazy summer days playing in the pool

St. Simons Island, Georgia

August

August brought a transition to our house. Kate began 9th grade at a small Christian school. The first few weeks were bumpy, but she has adjusted very well and is doing wonderfully, both academically and athletically. We just miss her very much at home.

August also saw Ryan moving out again. He transferred to another college, and this time he and his friend are renting an apartment, rather than living in the dorm.

Kate was part of the Eagle Cheer Squad, and cheered for the Eagle Football Team.

September

Jekyll Island Field Trip to the Georgia Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center and the Tidelands 4H Center

We got a puppy! Her name is Lizzie and she is a Dashalier (a miniature Daschund/Cavalier Spaniel mix). This is our first inside dog :0 House-breaking and training have been an adventure for sure!

October

at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia

We don't show any animals, nor did we enter anything in the exhibits, but we had a wonderful time watching the livestock shows, seeing all the exhibits, enjoying the entertainment, and eating all the great food!

the Eagle Cheer Squad

The Eagle Football team played for the Georgia Christian Athletic Association AA State Championship. We didn't win the game :( so we are the runner-up, but we had an exciting season!

Mike and his daddy ~ celebrating birthdays

Mr. Vinson is 84, Mike is 42

November

Daddy - Daughter time

at the Auburn vs Georgia game, in Auburn Alabama

The beginning of Will's on-going saga of sickness, which turned out to be Mononucleosis and it lasted for weeks.

Kate played basketball for the Lady Eagles. She is number 4. Mike is one of the coaches.

Will's 12th birthday. He was still sick on his birthday, and didn't get to have a party with his friends. So we plan to have something for him this summer instead.

Thanksgiving means getting together with family. But in our family, it also means "the Iron Bowl." The show-down in college football in the state of Alabama. Auburn Tigers vs Alabama Crimson Tide. Growing up, you pick your team, and in some cases it's a house divided, as with my daddy and me.

December

the Christmas card picture

The Accident. This has been an on-going incident that God is using to teach me to trust in Him.

our trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Many memories have been made through this year. Many lessons have been learned. God has blessed our 2010 in ways I couldn't have ever imagined. He has taught me so much. That He is all I really need. That apart from Him, my family is the greatest blessing He has given me. That life is short, so cherish the moments. That life is not always fair, so cling to Him, trust Him. Live, Laugh, Love. But most of all, love.

1 John 4:19

The Loveliest Village on the Plains

2011-01-26T11:46:00.001-05:00

After Kate's basketball game on Friday night, we decided (kind of last minute, because some of us are still sick) to travel to Auburn, Alabama so we could attend the 2010 National Championship Celebration. We decided to forgo our usual detour to Roanoke (because of sickness) and we stayed the night in a hotel in Auburn.

For us, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that we did not want to miss (sick or not). Seriously, the last time Auburn University won a national championship in football was 1957. And since Auburn University is my husband's Alma mater, we decided to go.

At the stadium, we met up with some of my husband's family.

our family (except for Ryan, who had other plans and couldn't go with us)

I have been to many Auburn football games through the years, but I must say the atmosphere at this event was nothing short of electrifying! The commemoration of the 2010 National Championship took place in front of an estimated 78,000 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The players were recognized individually, and many trophies were presented to the Auburn Tiger Football team. Auburn obviously had a very successful season finishing 14-0 in regular season, being named Southeastern Conference champions, and capturing the national title by beating the Oregon Ducks in the BCS championship game.

Auburn's Nick Fairley was presented the Lombardi Award. This trophy is awarded to the best lineman or linebacker in college football. The quarterback--Cam Newton--a transfer who proved his worth at Auburn this year, took home several awards, not the least of which was the Heisman Trophy. This trophy is awarded to the best player in college football. He also received the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award (both are awarded to the best player), as well as the Davey O'Brien Award and the Manning Award (both are awarded to the best quarterback).

Cam is being presented his trophy by former Auburn quarterbacks Stan White and Randy Campbell.

The Broyles Award, awarded to college football's assistant coach of the year, was presented to Coach Gus Malzahn, the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach. The Associated Press National Championship Trophy was also presented to Coach Malzahn.

The MacArthur Bowl National Championship Trophy was presented to Assistant Head Coach and Wide Receivers Coach Trooper Taylor. The Grantland Rice Football Writers Award was presented to Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach Ted Roof.

The SEC Championship Trophy was presented to Head Coach Gene Chizik. Coach Chizik also received the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, which is awarded to the coach of the year, as well as the Home Depot Award, which is awarded to the national coach of the year.

And finally, the gleaming crystal football that adorns the coveted BCS National Championship Trophy was brought forward by Dr Lloyd Nix, quarterback for the 1957 Auburn Tigers National Championship team, and was presented by BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock to Gene Chizik, head coach of the 2010 Auburn Tigers National Championship football team.

the National Championship flag, unfurled during the ceremony

A tradition at Auburn University is the Tiger Walk. Before each home game, thousands of fans line Donahue Drive to cheer on the team as they walk from the Auburn Athletic Complex to Jordan-Hare Stadium. On this day it was a reverse Tiger Walk, with the team walking from the stadium to the athletic complex.

quarterback, Cam Newton

head coach, Gene Chizik

This is my niece, Amy with one of the players, Joey Caldwell. Amy and Joey are friends who graduated high school together. Amy is a student at the University of Alabama (Auburn's arch-rival), so the only reason she came to this celebration and wore AU colors is to show support for her friend, Joey (who, btw, is #47). Let it be known that as we picked on Amy, she took it all in good nature, never uttering a word in rebuttal, only opening her left hand now and then to display those words she had inscribed on her palm in crimson ink, Roll Tide. (Being a Die-Hard Auburn fan, that was mighty big of me to include those words in this post.)

Here is Kate with her favorite player, Philip Lutzenkirchen (better known as the touchdown maker)

It has been said that Auburn has some of the greatest fans. It was mentioned in many of the speeches given at this commemoration. The coaches, the players... they have been amazed at the fan support they receive. In the good seasons, as well as the bad. In the triumphs and in the adversities. More like family than fans. So this year, that was the motto adopted by the university -- AU Family, All In.

At home or abroad, across the continent or across the globe, you know you're with family when you hear that familiar greeting of War Eagle!

Mike and I at the Loveliest Village on the Plains, better known as Auburn University

It's great to be an Auburn Tiger.

A New Way of Seeing Things

2011-01-19T19:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, we're still sick. But we are on the mend. None of us have much of an appetite, but there has been no fever among any of us today. Yay! We have all spent most of the day cuddled up in blankets on the couches.

Of course I have been a little down-hearted about us being sick for so long. But I know that I have a choice in my reaction. So... I've asked the Lord to show me something positive in all of this. And of course He did. Not just one thing, but lots. And isn't that just like Him?

So here are some things that I am thankful for amidst all this sickness:

1. We have had a lot more cuddle/snuggle time than usual.

2. We have had more time to play games together.

3. We have had LOTS more time to spend with Kate (she's usually at school all day, then practice or games all evening).

4. We haven't had to do many chores this week (just the bare necessities)! :)

5. Lizzie has been so sympathetic toward us, taking turns snuggling with each of us.

6. We haven't had to be on the go so much!

7. I've had more opportunities to practice showing love and kindness. Let's face it, I've been sick and feeling miserable, so most of the time I've just wanted to pull the covers over my head and pretend that I'm the only one at home. But as you know, Mommas can't do that. So there's been more time to put aside my needs and wants in order to meet theirs, even when I haven't felt well enough to do so. When I am weak, He is strong.

8. This too shall pass. This is just a little bump in the road, an opportunity for God to refine this vessel.

9. This is not a major illness we are facing. It could be so much worse.

I think that most of the time there is an opportunity to find something positive in the situations we find ourselves facing. It's just a matter of perspective. A matter of being willing to search for the good rather than focus on the negative. I am thankful that the Lord has used this situation to teach me a lesson or two. I pray that He will continue to conform me to His image, and that He will continually make my heart one of gratitude for His many blessings. No matter what shape or form those blessings may take!

May you see His hand and His blessings in your life as well.

The Sickness Continues... Maybe There's an End in Sight?

2011-01-18T17:08:00.001-05:00

For the few of you outside of my family that read my blog, these posts about our continuing saga of sickness are probably starting to get a bit boring to you. For that, I apologize. But I have found this blog to be beneficial in helping me keep family members informed and up to date on what's happening in our lives. Plus, it serves as a diary to help me keep track of what my poor memory can't.

Today has been spent taking care of two sick little peeps. Every four hours administering some medicinal concoction to help relieve the congestion, the coughing, the aches.

Last night the doctor called to deliver the results of the different tests that were performed on Kate. The strep test result was negative, but she did test positive for the flu, Influenza B to be exact. I was a little surprised because she had so few symptoms of what I thought would be related to the flu. And since I wasn't sure exactly what flu type b is, I did a little research.

There are three types of flu viruses: A, B, and C. Type A and B cause the annual influenza epidemics that have up to 20% of the population sniffling, aching, coughing, and running high fevers. Type C also causes flu; however, type C flu symptoms are much less severe.

Unlike type A flu viruses, type B flu is found only in humans. Type B flu may cause a less severe reaction than type A flu virus, but occasionally, type B flu can still be extremely harmful. Influenza type B viruses are not classified by subtype and do not cause pandemics.

So I learned that Type B Influenza symptoms can range from mild and annoying to severe and serious. And that different people react differently to this virus. The doctor feels that although she didn't test Will or me, we most likely have had the flu as well. Needless to say I was somewhat surprised. I had the flu a few years ago, and I remember spending a few days in bed, so sick I could hardly move. Apparently I had Type A.

The good news is this type doesn't usually last as long, however some of the symptoms (such as coughing and sneezing/sniffling) can last for about three weeks. And Kate's chest x-rays showed that her lungs were clear, no bronchitis or pneumonia. Yay!

Will has felt somewhat better today, compared to yesterday. His fever has stayed down and he even felt like reading some of his Science today. Kate, on the other hand, is experiencing the worst today. She has been lying around in the recliner for most of the day, sniffling, sneezing and coughing. But surprisingly, no fever since 4:00 am this morning. And me... I'm still sniffling and congested, and tired, but I did make a run to Wal-Mart today for more medicine and some more chicken noodle soup. So guess what we'll be having for supper tonight? :)

Sickness, Sickness, Please Go Away

2011-01-17T18:11:00.000-05:00

I must say this past month has certainly been challenging, with the car wreck, and the unusually high volume of sickness running rampant in my home. My Explorer is still in the body shop, *sigh* and I'm still driving Granddaddy's Buick. And let me say how very grateful I am that he has loaned it to us (lest I appear unappreciative)!

Kate woke up this morning still feeling blah, but since she had no fever, she wanted to go to school. She didn't want to miss the basketball game tonight (even though her dad told her she would not be playing anyway because of her cough and chest pains). I suggested she stay home and stay in bed today, but she is ~~my stubborn~~ ~~my hard-headed~~ my strong-willed child :) So, off to school she went, only to call home after 3rd period asking me to pick her up because she couldn't get her coughing under control.

I checked her out of school and of course, made an appointment with the doctor. I did hesitate to make the appointment though, and only decided in favor of seeing the doctor this soon because she is complaining with her chest hurting. She tends to get bronchitis easily. The doctor tested Kate for strep throat and the flu, and ordered x-rays of her lungs.

And Will (poor Will) is sick again, too. He awoke this morning with a fever of 102.5. His complaints are headache, stuffiness and some nausea. He has slept for most of the day. Another school day lost. This child has already missed more than 3 weeks of school due to sickness. I will see how he fares through the night before making a decision about a doctor visit for him. I am concerned about his immune system since his recent brush with mono.

I thought I was all better, but today some of my symptoms have resurfaced. Is it only my imagination because I am surrounded by sickness? No, the cough is real enough, and so is the runny nose, and so is the congestion. To quote Charlie Brown, "Good grief!"

So today I started everyone on something called Immune Support, a combination of vitamin c, zinc and echinacea. Probably should have been taking this stuff all along...

Sick Again

2011-01-16T20:24:00.000-05:00

I've managed to pick up a bug somewhere... again. Not quite as bad as the flu, but close. I could tell Friday night at the basketball games that I was starting to feel like maybe a head cold was coming on. By the time we got home around 10:00 pm, I was feeling pretty rotten. I was aching all over and felt so cold, so I checked my temperature. Sure enough, a fever. It was a little over 99 degrees, so I took some cold medicine, put an extra blanket on my side of the bed, and promptly went to sleep.

I didn't even wake up till after 11:00 am Saturday morning. Then I just crawled out of bed to take some more medicine and pile up on the couch with my pillows, blankets, tissues, and the tv remote control :). My Saturday went something like this: sleep, watch a little TLC, sleep, watch a little Discovery Channel, sleep, watch a movie, sleep... You get the idea. Oh yeah, and somewhere in the midst of all that sleeping and tv watching, my sweet husband made me a bowl of Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup.

I did feel a little better today. Although my fever is gone, I stayed home from church today. My head still hurts and I'm still very congested. I've just been resting. The couch and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over these last two days.

And now Kate is starting to feel bad, too. Her head hurts, she has a cough and is stuffy. I hope she's not getting whatever I've had.

We don't usually have this much sickness at our house. Not sure what's going on here. I'm beginning to wonder if it has anything to do with this unusually long cold spell we've had down here in the south. We are not used to it being this cold for this long! (ha/ha) As a matter of fact, I think we can dispel that myth about global warming :) !

My Word for the New Year

2011-01-13T23:08:00.001-05:00

As I have pondered my goals for this new year, it seems that God has been impressing upon my heart this one thing: Love. Love for Him. Love for my family. Love for my neighbor, my fellowman.

He has engulfed me in His love, and I want to love Him back with all my heart, with all my strength, and with all my soul. I want to spend this year reveling in His love for me, reaching out to others with His love. "We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

He has been speaking to me about showing His love to others, for I have been slack in this area. I think back to days gone by, when my life really revolved around serving Him, loving Him above all else. Giving of myself, loving others because He commands me to. I ask myself what happened. How could I grow cold over the years? How could I lose my first love?

It makes me sad. To think of me drifting away from my Lord, the One who loves me even when I am so unworthy, so unlovely. To think of me somehow drifting back into the old habits, the old ways, the selfishness that consumed me before He found me, saved me. My heart is breaking thinking about it.

But that is a good thing. A breaking heart means there is still feeling in it. There is still life in it. That it is not so cold, so lifeless, that He cannot revive it. He is drawing me back to Himself. Back to my first love. He is thawing this heart of mine, releasing me from the sin of selfishness that would have me spend my days thinking of me. He is giving me a heart of love. A heart that thinks of others. A heart that thinks of Him. A heart that loves Him.

And in loving Him, he enables me to love others. To love my husband (Titus 2:4), to submit to his leadership
(Ephesians 5:22). To love my children (Titus 2:4), to bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), to train them up to serve Him (Proverbs 22:6). To love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:39).

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:7-10

So, thanks to my bloggy friend, Debbie, who prompted us to ask God for a word (and a bible verse) to focus on for the year. And thank God who answered my plea and gave me a word for this year: love. And the scripture passage I will focus on: 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter).

Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not rejoice in iniquity,but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13

Winter Storm in the South

2011-01-10T20:05:00.000-05:00

We certainly don't get much in the way of winter storms down here in the deep south, but when we do, we tend to get a little excited. We didn't get any snow (of course). It rained during the night, but the temperature here at my house hovered just above the freezing point. So when we awoke this morning, there was nothing to be excited about.

Until about an hour later. Around 7:30 am, the temperature began to drop and it was still raining a little, and the wet trees began to freeze. But that was all. Apparently the ground was too warm to freeze and the rain stopped. I thought at one point there appeared to be some tiny little snowflakes fluttering around. But if so, that didn't last long at all.

The tops of pine trees don't handle frozen water very well. Some of them were bent over from the weight of the ice. I wonder if some of those tree tops popped off and fell on some power lines near my house because our power went out around 9:30 this morning, and stayed out until around 2:00 pm. I have a heat pump, so needless to say, it became a little chilly in my house.

We did school all bundled up in our fuzzy pajamas! We closed the bedroom doors and lit lots of candles in the living room, kitchen and bathrooms. The candles did put off a little heat and helped a little, but it was still cold. I put Lizzie's little coat on her and she took turns snuggling with us as we read and did our lessons.

So we made memories today. I love it when out-of-the-ordinary days happen along and we have a chance to learn to make the most of whatever comes our way.

Final Decision = Learning Process

2011-01-09T00:23:00.000-05:00

I received the news Friday afternoon. It's final now. The other insurance company has denied the claim. The lady who ran the red light, damaging my vehicle and injuring my daughter and me, has walked away free and clear. Her insurance does not have to pay for the damage that has been done. Because of an inaccurate police report.

I have been angry. For a little over three weeks now my car has been sitting in the body repair shop, just waiting. I have been in physical pain from the injuries I sustained in the accident. For three weeks now I have just been waiting.

And in the waiting, God has used this time to teach me much. If God is God, then He is sovereign. It is within His will to work as He pleases in my life. I have to assure myself that God has my best interests at heart, that He (and not I) knows what is best for me, in all things. The question I must ask myself is this: Do I trust Him?

Do I trust that He knows what is best? Do I believe that this whole incident has turned out so wrongly because He has allowed it to be so? For reasons that may be known only to Him.

In these three weeks of waiting, I have been learning to wait on Him, to wait in His presence. Have I been asking Him to help the insurance company to make a decision in my favor? Yes, I have. Have I been so focused on me? On my perceived needs and wants? Yes, I have.

Have I, even once, asked Him to bring glory to His name through this? Have I asked how I could honor Him in this? No, sadly, I have not.

Until now.

As I have pondered all this, I have been reminded of something that I have forgotten along the way: God never promised that everything would be easy in my life, that everything would always work out just like I think it should. Simply put, God never promised that life would be fair. He never said that I wouldn't have to be uncomfortable sometimes, that I wouldn't have to suffer sometimes.

He also said that He would never leave me nor forsake me. When it seems as if nothing is going right, and everything has gone all wrong, I can take comfort in knowing that God is for me. That He is on my side. That He is working all things together for my good, and His glory.

As you can imagine, we've had lots of advice from well-meaning friends and family. The most popular advice being to hire an attorney and take the insurance company to court. Don't think we haven't thought about it, discussed it, considered it. It seems like the most probable solution to cover the debt we have incurred because of this accident.

But as we have been praying, my husband and I don't feel like this is the path the Lord would have us take. My ways are not your ways; My thoughts are not your thoughts.

In the end, I have to put it all in God's hands. And I have to leave it there. I can't keep taking it back, thinking there is anything I can do to fix it. I have done all I can. I have talked to the police officer, asking him to make the report right. I have talked to the insurance agent, asking her to consider the statements from the eyewitnesses. I have prayed, asking God to let this insurance company assume liability. I have done all I can.

So, no it didn't work out at all like I expected it to. Am I concerned about how much this will cost, and what my insurance won't cover? Yes, of course. But I have to let go and trust God. He is sovereign. He knew this would happen before the foundation of the world. And He knew how it would turn out. As I am still learning, He sees the beginning from the end. This is just another piece of the puzzle, and He sees the completed project when I can't.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.

New Year's Eve 2010

2011-01-01T21:04:00.001-05:00

This year our church didn't host its annual New Year's Eve Block Party. Not sure why not, but I am saddened that we didn't. So this year our family just stayed home and celebrated here. We watched football (of course, cause there's bowl games right now). And we did some fireworks. Of course we burned the Christmas tree! Does anyone else do this (or are we just crazy?)? I know I have one friend whose family does. And of course we tuned in to Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve around 11:30 so we could watch the ball drop in New York. And we reflected on what God did through and for us in 2010, as well as contemplated what He will do in 2011 (I'll share more on that in another post).

Mike lighting some bottle rockets

Will and his friend Bennie

setting the dried out Christmas tree on fire

When looking at the pictures later that night, we were all totally amazed at the shapes we saw in the fire. We all agreed this looks like a dragon. If you look closely to the top left, you'll even see the little mustache-thingy like Mushu the dragon has in the Disney movie, Mulan.

Ok, this one was just plain freaky! It looks like someone is on fire!

Amazing how fast the tree burns up! Talk about a fire hazard in your house!

the Fire Brigade... Kate pointing out some sparks in the tops of the pine trees, and Ryan making sure we don't have a runaway fire (all because we enjoy watching our dead Christmas tree burn!)

Now the boys have decided it would be fun to throw firecrackers into the fire pit, and are hiding behind the shed to watch! I suppose boys will be boys...

father and daughter

dh and me

How did you spend New Year's Eve? What traditions does your family have concerning this holiday?

Two Weeks After the Accident...

2010-12-30T23:32:00.001-05:00

I paid a visit to the chiropractor today. I'm still in alot of pain (head, neck and back), and have tried to make a doctors appointment to be referred to a doctor who specializes in neck and back injuries. But of course, all the doctors in town seem to have taken the rest of the year off! And if you've been reading my blog long, you know that I live in Smalltown, USA, so life can be downright difficult here sometimes! Not at all like the big cities with lots of doctors to choose from.

I have some friends who absolutely swear by chiropractors, and after discussing my pain issues with one of those friends today, I decided to give it a try! One thing about the visit that I really liked was the fact that I didn't have to have an appointment; they accept walk-ins. The down-side to today's visit: their x-ray machine was down. So we don't yet know if any vertebrae are out of alignment, but of course that's what they suspect.

So she didn't do an adjustment today, but they did start my therapy. A four-page questionnaire followed by questions from the nurse followed by evaluations. Then a TENS therapy session, followed by a hot towel massage. I must admit, that part was wonderful. I could get used to the massages!

I have to go back tomorrow for my next therapy session, and she said the x-ray machine is supposed to be working by then. So we can see the extent of my injuries.

On top of the pain I am suffering from my injuries, I am still so stressed out over the outcome of this whole situation. It is simply ludicrous and unbelievable! I went by the police station today to pick up a supposedly amended report. I was so angry when I finished reading it. I just want to ask the officer who wrote up the report if he was really the officer at the scene! I can't believe how many discrepancies are in the report. And my statement that he wrote contains very little of what I actually said, and alot of what I never said at all!

Despite having written statements from three eyewitnesses at the scene of the accident, the police report still refuses to cite the lady who ran through the red light and hit me as the cause or fault of the accident! And I spoke with an agent from her insurance company today to see if they have received the amended report along with the witness statements. The agent told me that the police report doesn't list their insured at fault, so they likely will not assume liability for the damage/injuries. Not a happy day for me...

My husband is off work tomorrow so he told me tonight that we will go together to the police station tomorrow and ask to meet with the police chief and the attending officer to discuss the report. Not sure if it will do any good, but I suppose it can't hurt to try.

I have become so depressed over this situation that seems as if it should be so cut and dry! I mean really, lady runs red light and hits my vehicle rendering it un-drivable, injuring me and my daughter. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who is at fault here! Especially when you have three other people (not counting my daughter and me) who saw what happened. And yes, I do have insurance, so if her insurance won't assume liability, mine will cover everything, but I will incur out-of-pocket expenses (mainly a very high deductible).

In the meantime, will you join me in praying that God will work all of this out? I know that He allows things to happen for a reason. I am trying to trust in Him through it all, and trying not to worry. But I think the stress of it all is making my pain worse.

~Lord Jesus... please help me to trust in You. I am Your child and You have promised to take care of my needs. I know that worry, fear and anxiety have no place in a believer's life, but Lord it is so hard not to let them in sometimes! Please, Lord, take away the worry and replace it with Your peace. Please, Lord, work all of this out for my good and Your glory.~

Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

2010-12-29T19:10:00.000-05:00

We took a mini-vacation to the mountains in Tennessee for a few days before Christmas to experience Winterfest in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Winterfest is just what its name suggests... a winter festival. A festival of Christmas-themed shows and events. But the biggest thing about Winterfest is the lights. More than five million of them on displays located throughout the cities. Beautiful, twinkling light displays all over town.

Since our Explorer is still in the body shop, (and we still don't have a rental car to use) we borrowed dh's father's car. It is a Buick Sentry and seats 5. So it was close quarters all the way there and back! Although we were a bit cramped while riding, it provided us some "close to one another" time (hehe). We definitely made memories this trip!

Our hotel had an indoor pool, lazy river and hot tub, and since they were located in the basement level of the building, they didn't close until 2:00 am (compared to your typical 10:00 or 11:00 pm closing)! It was really nice to come back to the hotel and play in the pool or float in the lazy river or relax in the hot tub after being out exploring in the cold all day and half the night!

The hotel was beautifully decorated for Christmas. At the front desk area, there was a gorgeous nativity scene with a beautiful backdrop depicting the village of Bethlehem. I wish I had taken a picture of it...

Here we are in the gift shop area of a local restaurant, taking pictures while waiting for our food!

Will and Kate on the escalator in the mall

Ok, we splurged a bit and went for the aqua massage while in the mall. I think it was like $10 for 7 minutes or something like that.

And here I am, having a turn. I got 5 extra minutes of massage time (without paying for it). The gentleman operating these machines looked just like Santa Claus in disguise. I think he really must be St. Nick, and since I've been such a good girl this year, he gave me some extra time!

downtown Gatlinburg

A stop at the Fudgery, where we bought 1/2 a pound of chocolate peanut butter fudge, and a 1/2 pound of chocolate and nuts fudge... mmm...mmm.

Will, standing in front of a nutcracker-themed Christmas tree. This is just one of the MANY different trees at The Incredible Christmas Place. Here they celebrate the spirit of Christmas every day of the year! This place is a Bavarian-style village of shops with anything and everything Christmas.

Here is Ryan checking out the motorized hockey players on a frozen pond in the Snow Village. This shop had nothing but village accessories. I am a Christmas village enthusiast. Each year I always add a new piece or two to my collection, so needless to say, I was in Christmas village heaven here!

Kate, standing in front of a North Pole-themed Christmas tree.

The courtyard of this Christmas village was beautifully landscaped, with lots of lighted trees and lovely Christmas decorations.

We attended Christmas at the Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction. We really enjoyed this show.

Here is our family waiting for the show to begin.

Here we are at WonderWorks, a fun and educational experience for all ages. This place was way cool! Here you can experience hurricane force winds and an earthquake. You can simulate flying a spacecraft. You can climb a rock wall and you can walk a ropes course three stories high.

You can play lazer-tag, you can play in the arcade. All in all, this place has over 100 fun-filled, fascinating hands-on activities.

On Christmas Eve, our last day there, we drove through the Smoky Mountains National Park, up the winding road to the top of the snow covered mountain and down the other side.

You can see the snow-covered mountain top (our destination) in the distance.

I'm not really sure what this is that Kate is standing in front of. It looks a little like a frozen waterfall, but I don't think that's what it is. It seemed to be a large wall of icicles in front of a cave opening. Whatever it is, it was beautiful!

Will, Kate and Ryan

It was a relaxing time for our family, and so much fun. A much needed break after the wreck. I'm so thankful that we were able to go and experience this time together.

Christmas Time

2010-12-27T21:24:00.000-05:00

My favorite Christmas decoration... it holds a prominent place on the mantle above the fireplace. I actually have several nativity scenes placed throughout my house. I am reminded that Jesus humbled Himself and came to this earth to die for my sins...

One of my very favorite Christmas stories to read aloud to my family...

making the gingerbread house... making memories...

I always love seeing how it will turn out when they are finished.

my blessings

dh and Lizzie, sporting her new winter coat (hehe)

I fill a stocking for everyone... even our furry and feathered friends...

Christmas morning

I love Christmas! I love the sights, the sounds, the smells associated with this special holiday. I love decorating my house, inside and out... stringing lights along the roof line, hanging wreaths on the doors, draping greenery around doorways, mantle and porch rails. Picking out a tree, putting the lights on it and hanging the ornaments. Hanging the stockings by the fireplace, placing the nativity scenes around the house.

I love having hot cocoa with my kids after we finish decorating the tree. I love baking cookies with my kids to share with loved ones. I love watching them make a gingerbread house each year. I love going caroling with our Awana group at church. I love that we memorize and recite, as a family, Luke chapter 2 each year. I love reading special Christmas stories with my family, celebrating the Advent, anticipating the arrival of a savior.

I love picking out gifts for friends and family, thinking about each one, and what they mean to me, how they have blessed me. I love going to celebrate Christmas with our families. I love getting together with them, I love our time together, our visits.

I love all our traditions and the special things we do to celebrate Christmas each year... but more than this... more importantly than all these... I love the WHY of our celebration. I am literally amazed anew, every year, at God's remarkable gift.

I'm amazed that He would leave glory, descend from His throne. That He would wrap Himself in human flesh. That He would choose to be born to the poorest of parents, to be born in a stable. That He would choose to announce His arrival to lowly shepherds.

I marvel that He left the glories of heaven, that He came to this earth. To make a way for sinners, to close the gap that eternally separates us from Him. That He died for the sins of mankind. For my sins. Yes, that is the marvel and miracle of Christmas. That is why we celebrate.

For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord ~ Luke 2:11

Catching Up Again

2010-12-20T23:51:00.000-05:00

We've had so much excitement around here, I can hardly stand it! Where to begin?

I guess I'll start with the wreck... Kate and I were involved in an auto accident last Wednesday afternoon. We are very fortunate; we sustained minor injuries. CT scans revealed slight concussions, cervical spine sprains, a sprained ankle. We are still very sore, and I continue to have headaches and neck and back pain. But, gratefully, no broken bones or more serious injuries. Unfortunately, my Explorer did not fare so well.

I don't yet have an update on the repair status of my vehicle. And unfortunately, the "at-fault" status is still up in the air as well. The lady who ran through a red light at the intersection and hit me claims to have been part of a funeral procession that was already about 350 feet down the road. The police report doesn't accurately portray my side of the story, and it doesn't include the statements made by eyewitnesses at the scene.

Today I had to go to the police station to write out my statement of what happened, and the eyewitnesses were asked to come in to write out their statements, as well. The chief of police came in to talk to me about it, but, thinking back on what he said, it all seems so absurd. He said this case might go to court, because the "code" is not clear on just how far away a car can be from the rest of the funeral procession, and still be part of the procession. If that is the case, it seems to me that the city should be required to post a police officer at the intersection to direct the traffic, and to make sure there are no stragglers racing through red lights trying to catch up with the procession.

On to the fun stuff... we traveled to Alabama over the weekend to have our Christmas celebrations with our families. Here are some pictures detailing our fun!

my parents

Nana & Papa with some of the grandkids (why can I not remember to take a picture while everyone is still there??)

Granddaddy and my kids

I had to take Will back to the doctor today *sigh*. He started feeling sick again on Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday night he had a temperature of 103.6 and was complaining of a sore throat. I wasn't sure if this was related to his previous illness, but the doctor said it's not. This time he has tonsillitis, so she called in a prescription for Augmentin.

And we are leaving tomorrow, going to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for a short vacation. We will be coming home on Christmas Eve day. It is getting late and I am still not finished packing... Judging from the lack of noise at this moment, I assume that my husband has tucked everyone into bed already, as we plan to get an early start in the morning. We are all very excited! I suppose I should log off this computer and finish packing so that I can get into bed myself.

Goodnight!

Update Pt 3

2010-12-14T23:41:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while...

Will was pretty much over whatever he had within a week of the blood work and testing. I was waiting to see what the results would be, to find out what he actually had.

We finally heard back from the doctor after two and a half weeks of waiting. The results? Inconclusive. Seriously??? She said that's what the pathologist said in the report. There is evidence that he has been exposed to/and had mono at some point, but it is inconclusive as to exactly when. I really don't understand. And the doctor told us that she has seen this kind of result twice in her years of practice.

So, that's what we're going with... that it was a combination of strep throat and mono. There is really no way of determining otherwise.

As for the rest of the family, no one else has had mono or strep, but there has definitely been some sort of bug hanging out at our house. We have all been sick... and not all at the same time. It has kind of lingered. Head and chest congestion, cough, runny nose, etc. Not the flu, but close. I thought at one point that I might have had bronchitis, my chest hurt so whenever I coughed and even when breathing! So let me tell you, if you've never tried Mucinex DM, it really works wonders! That's what we've all been taking, along with vitamin C tablets and immune support/echinacea/zinc gummies. We are on the road to recovery, but it's been a long, slow process!

Here are some pictures of our Thanksgiving celebration with our family.

my niece and my youngest son

my daughter and another of my nieces

my niece and my oldest son

my nephew and son playing the wii

two of my nieces

my daddy and me

The day after Thanksgiving is THE big game in the state of Alabama, The Iron Bowl -- Auburn University vs University of Alabama. Football is big in the south, and in this rivalry the lines are clearly drawn. It is not unusual to have divided houses when it comes to picking your team!

grandfather and granddaughter

my husband and me

ready to watch the game

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our families. We are so abundantly blessed -- great food, wonderful family, good friends. I don't ever want to take this life for granted. God is so good! Even in the midst of all this sickness *smile*. I hope you had a blessed holiday as well!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34