Letting Go...

Letting go... saying goodbye... whatever you want to call it, it is hard. You tell yourself it's time, that he's ready, you're ready...but are you really? I know he is, but am I? My momma heart says no.

I can't write what I am feeling right now because as I sit here pondering it all, I feel that uncomfortable lump in my throat, and the words blur as my eyes fill up with tears for the thousandth time this weekend.

So, until I can adequately express my thoughts here, I will just leave you with some photos of moving day...

father and son, trying to get the wireless connection for their laptops

son and roommate, still working on the wireless connection

all settled in now

A New School Year

We started school this week. So far, so good...

I always look forward to the new school year! I get excited about our new books, what we're going to cover for the year, etc, etc. The kids get excited about their new books...for a little while anyway (lol). The newness wears off quickly once we settle into our routine...getting up early again after being lazy for most of the summer seems to be hard for us. I always say I'm going to be more disciplined through the summer break -- stay on a schedule, not letting them sleep in so much, continuing with our reading, etc. -- that lasts for about a week! So it is usually a little difficult to get back into the swing of things for us.

But I have to say this week has gone relatively smooth...considering it is the last week that my oldest son will be here with us - tear, tear - and we have been somewhat busy getting last minute things ready for him. Tomorrow's the big day...college orientation for him, letting go for me. But, I digress...

I was a bit concerned about what curriculum we would use this year. I had intended to use Heart of Dakota for both of my kids. A good friend of mine uses that with her kids and they absolutely love it! However, we had some 'slight budget restraints' this year...the truck needed a new tire, the van needed 4 new tires, among other things that needed to be replaced, college fees and amazingly overpriced college textbooks (which was a very large sum despite the fact that I bought them on Amazon.com for half the amount it would have cost in the college bookstore). Anyway...with all the other things clamoring for our money, I decided to just buy the bare necessities this year and use all the other stuff that I've purchased over the years and never got around to using.

I decided that both of my kids need a good dose of grammar study this year, so we are using Easy Grammar for both my 8th grader and my 5th grader. My daughter (8th grade) is using A Teaching Textbook's Pre-Algebra, Apologia's General Science, Sandi Queen's The Standard of Modesty Bible Study for Young Ladies, a writing unit and copywork passages from Learning Language Arts Through Literature, and a few biographies and some other classic works of literature to round out her language arts.

My son (5th grade) is using A Beka Books 5th Grade Arithmetic, Apologia's Zoology series for science, cursive handwriting practice and spelling lists from A Beka Books, and some of the books he will be reading this year are Christian Liberty Nature Readers and biographies of some great Americans like Noah Webster, Billy Sunday, and Ben Franklin.

We also spend time reading together each day. I read to them from the Bible each morning, as well as from books which have spiritual significance. For instance, right now we are reading a readaptation of John Bunyan's classic, Pilgrim's Progress. I also try to read biographies to them; we are reading Eric Liddell by Catherine Swift. For history, since I have SO many books about American history on my bookshelves, I decided we would spend this year delving into American history. Right now we are reading George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster.

The Lord is so good; He provides! I may not be using what I thought would be the best for them, but He knows what we need and He always provides. I am excited about the new school year and I can't wait to see what it holds for us!

some photos of Kate doing her first science experiment of the year...

Simple Things

I just finished reading a friend's post over at At His Feet.... She has posted some pictures of her girls in a sunflower field. Simple things...that's what she talks about. How right she is! It is amazing how much joy we can glean from the simple things in life if we will only take the time. So many times I feel like I am rushed or on the go too much to truly appreciate life's little treasures (provided by God, of course).

Lately though, God has been speaking to my heart about this. You know from my previous posts how my children and I have been trying to make a little sanctuary in our backyard to attract birds. We have truly had a delightful spring and summer from that little bit of effort we put forth. We sit outside on the patio or at the kitchen table and watch the birds come to our feeders and birdbath. We keep a basket with bird guides and binoculars handy and when we see a different bird, we pull out that field guide and learn all about the bird. What joy we have found in this simple little act!

Another "simple" act we enjoy is just sitting outside with the puppies. They are so playful, we all sit and laugh just watching their antics...it's hilarious...and so good for us as a family. Laughter is good medicine...it bonds us together.

Another simple pleasure for me is a daily walk my husband and I take each evening down our dirt road. Sometimes the kids accompany us, sometimes it's just the two of us. And lately, the puppies have been tagging along. It's amazing how much joy I have received from just taking a walk! But really, it is more than a walk...the talks dh and I share...the flowers we see on the side of the road, the bugs we see (and try to identify, lol) scooting across our path, and lately the deer tracks that my husband stops and points out to me ("let me show you how to tell if it's a buck or a doe," he says). I don't know how much of our walk is truly exercise (lol), but I do know that it is definitely food for the soul.

God knows this, and He wants us to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. It is His way of blessing us. I don't know about you, but I sure feel alot less stressed and alot more blessed when I use the eyes He gave me to enjoy the simple (yet amazing) beauty that is all around us.

Blessings!

On the Road Again...

You may remember that I posted a while back about my dear fil having hip replacement surgery...well he was never able to return to living alone at his home. He has been living with his daughter and her family. She (and her family) have gone on a short vacation for a few days, so we drove to Alabama to stay with him. We've had a nice visit, and my sil will be back today.

My dh decided to combine this trip with a business trip he had to make anyway. So my neice came up to stay with fil and my kids, and I came on this trip with dh to corporate offices in Birmingham, Alabama for two days. I'm enjoying my time alone with dh, but I sure do miss my kids. Will be glad to see them tomorrow ;) I went out to sit by the pool to read, but all I could think of was how much fun my kids would have in the pool if they were with us. Sad, I know, but dh is not here with me during the day and I can't help but think about my kids.

Our Beach Vacation

We are back, and I am missing the beach already! My family loves the beach and we usually choose a beach vacation each year. Sometimes we go other places on vacation, but usually it's the beach.

My husband loves to go to different beaches, and this year he found a place for us to rent for the week at a place called Indian Shores, Florida. It's between Clearwater and St. Pete Beach, in the Tampa Bay area. It was so nice.

I love everything about the beach...playing in the ocean, snorkeling, searching for shells, building sand castles (as well as other creations from sand), sitting under a big umbrella reading a good book, feeling the breeze on my face and the sand under my toes, watching the beautiful sunsets. I love sitting on the balcony at night, listening to the waves crashing on the shore...so peaceful. Yep, I'd love to retire to a little place on the beach some day :)

Of course, I really love all of God's great creation. From listening to the waves crashing on the ocean shore to seeing beautiful mountains ablaze with color in the fall to just sitting in my own backyard in the evenings listening to the crickets chirping, I enjoy it all. Isn't He grand to share all this beauty with us? And shouldn't we be so grateful? He is so good!

Independence Day Celebration

Our July 4th celebration lasted all weekend long.... on Friday, we bought a few "little" fireworks to do at home. We always have fun...even if they are not the big magnificent ones that we see at fireworks shows!

On Saturday, the 4th, we played outside (well, first we did alot of yard work...trimming shrubbery, etc.) Then dear hubby grilled out for us...yum! The puppies enjoyed a leftover bone from our meal!

We went to see the "big" fireworks display...fun! Here we are waiting for the show to begin...

Watching the fireworks....

And on Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed our time at our church's annual picnic at the lake....and there was much fun to be had by all...from swimming in the lake to watching the kids from the shore or the dock...from riding in the boats to riding the jet skis...from tubing to skiing. And of course, there was all the great food!

Of course, we had a great time. And this weekend is certainly a reminder of how blessed we are to live in a nation where we have so many freedoms...especially the freedom to worship the One, True God in a right and proper manner. And may we always remember those who gave their lives to ensure that we live in a free nation. While we owe our forefathers and the service men and women a debt that can never be repaid, may we never forget the One who gave His life to truly liberate us from darkness. How grateful I am to be blessed so abundantly by a God who loves so greatly!

Blessings!

New Puppies

Well, I can't believe we've already acquired another dog this
soon...two actually! Puppies!! We said we were not going to get
another dog right away. Funny how puppies have a way of making
you change your mind (lol)! They are just too darn cute!!

We were at our pastor's house last night for the youth bible study.
In the summer, our youth pastor has bible study at various church members' homes...he teaches the lesson, then everyone eats and
swims. Anyway, our pastor's wife was showing us the puppies that her dog (which was not supposed to be able to have puppies) gave birth to. They are a Lab/Setter mix. Their dad is a black Labrador Retriever with some brown markings on his face, and their mom is a white Llewellin Setter with brown markings on her body. The puppies are just beautiful! They look more like the Lab, but they do have some features of the Setter. They should make awesome hunting dogs! But we don't bird hunt (not enough to train dogs, anyway).


So...how did we end up with two new puppies??? Glad you asked!
She's trying to place them in homes because they already have
three dogs and can't keep seven puppies. And her husband says
they have to go! Of course I can't say no to such cute little faces!!
So my daughter and I picked out two little fellas and off to home we
went with them. In this case, I felt that it would be easier to ask
forgiveness rather than permission from dear hubby...after all, he
wasn't there to be won over by their cute little puppy-dog faces.

When he saw them he said, "Honeeeyyy......." and I said, "I know,
I know, but I had to rescue them! They said the puppies that
didn't go to a home were going somewhere!" And of course, it was
only a matter of minutes until he was completely won over by
their cute little puppy-dog faces, not to mention their cute little
puppy-dog antics.

They did very well for the first night away from their family.
That's why I wanted two puppies. It has been my experience that,
when taken away from their families, puppies do better if they
have a sibling. We put them in the laundry room for the night,
with a baby gate separating them from the kitchen. They did
really well. We didn't hear them cry at all during the night.

So, although we had no intentions of replacing Scamp right away
(we really can't replace him), our two new additions, Maverick and
Rascal, are helping to ease the pain of losing him. We are glad that
God brought these precious little pups into our lives!

Summer Daze

Thanks to all of you who posted kind comments about the loss of our family pet. It is hard not seeing him run to greet us when we walk outside, but we are coping.

I'm sorry I've been away from my blog for so long, but it's been really crazy around here. Daughter's softball schedule has been taking up a good portion of our day throughout the summer. Rec dept All-Stars softball is over for us now; her team received third place in the district tournament and only the first place winner goes on to compete in the state tournament (awww). But she is interested in joining a travel ball team to finish out the summer. We'll see...

Here she is at bat

Here she is at the position of catcher

Oldest son has a summer job at a pizza restaurant to keep him busy and to put some spending money in his pocket! He's doing a great job of saving most of his earnings....Amazing how much more careful he is about what he spends his money on now that he is earning it, rather than receiving an allowance from us!

Youngest son is just having a blast this summer...playing with friends...doing nothing...enjoying the days!

Dear Hubby is doing what he always does...working...taking care of us. I know that he is counting down the days until we go on vacation...counting today, it's 13 days until we leave...woo-hoo!! We are going to the beach for one week (the gulf coast side of Florida). We can't wait!

And I am recovering from gall bladder surgery. I had the surgery one week ago today and I am recovering well...Just very sore, trying to take it easy and do very little until I heal. But that is hard for me...I'm not used to sitting around doing nothing! I spent the first few days in the recliner doing absolutely nothing (physical, that is...I had plenty of time to stimulate my brain through books, puzzles and games). Now I'm getting around pretty well, but still not 100 percent yet...hopefully by next week I'll be back to normal. My family has been wonderful through it all...waiting on Mom hand and foot, dividing up my jobs among themselves (in addition to their regular chores). And the meals from our friends have been absolutely wonderful! I couldn't ask for things to go any smoother than they have. I am thankful.

Well, now you are caught up on what's been happening in my life, so I'd better get to reading about what's been going on in yours.

Blessings!

Saying Good-bye...

Today is hard...We had to say good-bye to our beloved Scamp, our bassett hound. My dh called me this morning at 6:30, on his way to work, to say that he saw Scamp at the edge of the road. He had been run over this morning. We live on a dirt road, but we are close to the paved road where he was hit. I had to tell the kids...so heartbreaking. My youngest child doesn't know yet because he spent the night with a friend and is not home now. A dear neighbor from the dirt road behind our house stopped by on her way to work this morning to make sure we knew. She said her husband saw him this morning and moved him out of the road...and told me how much they would miss Scamp...how he came to visit them every day. Needless to say, we are heartbroken. Scamp was such a good dog...a good friend. But he was too much like his father...he liked to ramble. We knew he was always roaming off in the woods behind our house to visit folks, and rambling down the dirt road. He always accompanied us on our walks down the dirt road, and tried to follow my oldest son on his daily runs. We will miss him!

Graduation...And Life

Well, we made it! Graduation is over. Bittersweet...I didn't cry as much as I thought I would. God is gracious. He has sustained me. I know He will continue to sustain me. It was a wonderful ceremony. I have been to a graduation ceremony from this school a couple years ago and was very moved (and impressed). Amazing...every part of the ceremony pointed to God...praising Him through it all.

I am proud of my son, of his accomplishments. Yes, I'm thrilled that he's smart, and that he was salutatorian of his class. I'm pleased that he has been surrounded these last four years with Christian friends, who encourage each other in their moments of weakness. I'm so thankful that all of his teachers are Christians who share their passion for Christ on a daily basis. But more than this, I am so thrilled and thankful that my son has a passion for Christ and that he is in a vibrant, growing relationship with his Savior.

I know these are the reasons for the satanic attacks we seem to be under so often. The devil, our adversary, is roaming about, seeking whom he might destroy. I know he can't destroy our souls (because Jesus holds them in His hands, PTL!), but he does seek to destroy our Christian testimony! That serpent of old, the father of lies constantly tempts us in our areas of weakness. He seeks to entice us continually. He promises what he cannot deliver. And I sometimes grow weary of fighting the battle.

But I am so very grateful to my heavenly Father, for He hears me when I cry out to Him. He delivers me from the oppression. He holds me in His arms while I weep. And He delivers what He promises! He promises me rest. He knows that I am weary and He gives me rest. He is my Rock and my Salvation. He is my ever-present help in times of trouble. Praise Him for He is holy...praise Him for He is love...praise Him for He is my shield! I will glory in Christ alone!

Countdown to Graduation

Wow! I know you're getting tired of hearing me say it, but....life is moving FAST! Graduation is only six days away!! I'm not ready! I was hoping to have a scrapbook of his high school years ready for display on his graduate's table, but I don't know if that will happen...I'm only finished with his junior year. I guess I might be able to make it by graduation night, but I was hoping to have it ready for the graduate reception at church this Sunday night! I guess we'll see how fast I can work on it tomorrow.

Honors Day was held at his school this past Wednesday. He is Salutatorian of his class. His best friend (who will also be his college room-mate) is Valedictorian. It's a small Christian school; there are only 12 seniors. I've been so busy with end-of-the-year activities for him that we haven't accomplished much of what I'd planned for homeschool this month with my other children. I've already warned them that we will still be in "school" after he finishes. But that's okay...learning is for a lifetime. And I'd already planned to do more reading throughout the summer anyway!

May the joy of the Lord be yours in abundance.

Life

To quote my irl friend, "When did life move from fast to FAST?" That's definitely what it feels like around our house right now. Seems like everything happens all at once! I'm ready for summer now so we can slow down a little (sort of...daughter plays softball during summer, so we are on the go, but not as much as now).

FIL continues to improve (praise Jesus!). He is doing quite well with his therapy sessions. My dh teases him, saying they'll have him running steps before they're done!

Older son's baseball season is over now; we made it to the second round of state play-offs! However, he is in that "let-down" mode, kind of moping around the house because he has played his last "high school" game ever. I can tell he's in that transition mode; he's ready (sort of) to graduate and move on to a bit more independence, yet he's not sure if he's quite ready. Understandable...I'm not quite ready yet, either! Here are some pictures of the baseball games:

He plays 3rd base.

Younger son and mom

And yes, he did catch this pop fly; I just snapped the picture too soon! Timing is everything!

Here we are stopped at a Bass Pro Shop on the way home from the games. LOL, other people are there shopping and I'm taking pictures!

There were tadpoles in this water, and I was afraid I was going to have to fish my kids out (lol)!

Life is certainly moving forward. We've been having the best time watching the birds around here. Funny how last year we studied Apologia's Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day and we didn't seem nearly as interested in the birds then as we are now! We've also had fun watching the metamorphosis of the tadpoles we collected. I've enjoyed seeing the colors appear in my yard, how everything has turned from the dull browns of winter to the vibrant hues of summer! And I say summer instead of spring because around here we experience maybe about a week of two of spring-time, then we charge right into summer! I really do enjoy this time of year! Except for the mosquitoes!

Recently, we met with some others from our home school group and learned about composting, and we were able to make our own smaller version of a compost bin to take home. Afterwards, the kids just played together and had a great time. We moms enjoyed the time of fellowship as well.

By the way, we finished reading The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Spear today. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend that you do. It is a very good book!

An Update

My fil continues to improve. He is residing in the rehabilitation/therapy unit of the local nursing home. The doctors told him he has to stay for therapy for 20 days; as of today, 5 days down, 15 to go! He is doing very well, but we continue to covet your prayers.

On a side note, he was released from the hospital on the day after the first case of swine flu was diagnosed in the state of Georgia; the patient was admitted into the same hospital where my fil was located. This pandemic has now hit "close" to home for us.

We will be traveling to north Georgia today for my son's baseball games. His team has made it through the first round of the State Play-offs, and is in the second round this weekend! It's a double-header today. Gotta love baseball!