I'm back!!!!

As you can see, I was MIA for a few days. It was greatly needed, but I can't seem to catch up.

I went to Louisville, KY on a business trip with a few friends. The ride was nice, especially since I didn't have to drive. It only took us 11 hours and 40 minutes to get there from Lafayette. We arrived in Louisville on Friday afternoon and I got home about 3:30 am yesterday. I went to bed as soon as M went to work (about 5 am) and slept until about 10 am.

I didn't sleep as long as I would have liked because I missed the kiddos too much. They were staying at my in-laws in TX and I had to go pick them up. This was my first trip w/out baby L and I have to say.... it wasn't too bad. I actually got a full night sleep the second night we were gone. The first night we were in the hotel, they tried to freeze me out so I didn't sleep too good. Actually, the temp would have been perfect if I would have been properly prepared with more blankets, but since I wasn't.... I almost froze. I survived though and that's what matters :-)

In regards to catching up, I told a friend of mine that is a new mom, that we would walk together when I got back. Unfortunately, we can't seem to find 30 mins anywhere. How is that possible that I don't even have 30 mins to take a walk around the neighborhood? I think we're going to be able to go tomorrow.... As soon as I do my Bible study, take the kids to story time, take a friend that's going through cancer a bottle of Mona*Vie, get groceries, and go to the post office. Oh yeah, I have to feed the kids and myself at some point. Then, I'm planning on going to church too.

Poor K hasn't been able to do much school work lately. We got about an hour in tonight. Of course, it was after 8 pm when we did it, but at least we did something. That's one of the great things about homeschooling, it can be done anytime. Nights are good for us, because then he doesn't have to miss playing outside during daylight hours.

You know... as much as I feel as though I can't catch up, it's not until I sit down at night or tell someone about my day that I feel or even notice the busyness of the day. I have a wonderful God that allows me to handle the day gracefully. Now... it's time for bed though - G'nite!

"...but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles: they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 41:31

I Can Eat Again!!!!

Yeah! My tongue only has one small ulcer on the tip of it. I was able to eat some food yesterday and am feeling much better. Just in time to go out of town.

My first trip without either of the kids. I'm feeling a little sad about it though. I have a strong feeling I am going to come home and baby L is going to have a tooth. She was up a couple of times last night whining. As soon as I gave her some tylenol and her pacifier she was good for a couple of more hours.

She's had some crazy diapers the past couple of days and she hasn't really wanted a bottle too much. She's ok with eating real food or nursing, but hasn't really "drank" too much. So, we shall see what happens. I've come to terms with the fact that even if I do miss seeing her the day she gets her first tooth, I have a lot more firsts to have with her.

I love my life as a stay at home mom!

Carry your Cross

I recieved an e-mail the other day about cross carrying. I really enjoyed being reminded that there is always someone else with a bigger cross to carry.

I called my husband, M, at work the other day to let him know I was about to go to the Dr. It had been 5 days since my tongue had started swelling. I had lost my ability to taste, I couldn't eat, and I was having a hard time swallowing. I had been on a liquid diet for 3 days. For those of you that know me, I love to eat realy food. I actually lost 3 pounds and can fit in my pre-baby L jeans again... Anyway, as we were talking, he asked me if I was going to take the kids. LOL!!! Of course, what else would I do with them? He then told me he would help, but he left work early to go to the Dr. too.

Well, we both ended up at the same Dr.'s office and waited in the same room together so it wasn't too bad. Seems we both have a viral infection. He had to get a shot in his hip while I was given on over the counter remedy. We're both feeling better now.

Although I long ago stopped feeling sorry for the problems I have, I couldn't help but wonder if there was anything else that could happen. It had been one of those weeks.

When I got home I had an e-mail telling me a friend of mine in her 30s is going into pre-op on Tues. Oct.14 to have a brain tumor removed. This young mom has 4 young kids. When I texted her to let her know I was praying for her, she immediately called me. You NEVER would have known she was carrying a heavy cross. The only thing she asked me to pray for was for her to not get a cold. ALL 4 of her kids have colds right now. Her getting a cold right now would only delay her surgery.

Luckily, her and her husband are able to stay home full time with their kids. They have homes in Michigan and Florida. She mentioned that they had been trying to decide where to spend time recently and this sealed the deal for them. The entire time we talked, she had such a wonderful attitude and really didn't want to talk about her trials or what she was going through.

Thank you Terri Brady for being a wonderful example of a strong and courageous woman!

We should carry the crosses we have trusting and knowing that God will allow us to use it to get to the other side.

"... we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, " Romans 5:3

Obedience

A few minutes ago, while I was taking a nap with K, I was awaken with the urge to read my Bible. For some reason, I waited. I didn't get up, thinking just a few more minutes. Then, Psalm 119:5 came to me. I immediately got out of bed and took out my Bible to read, "Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!"

Wow! Talk about a slap in the face.

I sometimes wonder why K doesn't always obey me the first time I ask/tell him to do something. I now realize I'm asking him to do something I don't always do. Had I got out of bed with the first urge, I probably would have read something different, but instead I needed to be gently reminded to be steadfast in obeying His commands.

6 months

Baby L turned 6 months today.

We celebrated by going to MOPS, eating at Sonic, going to the hospital to visit a good friend that just had a baby, going to Chess Club to hand out homeschool directories, watch K drive his new jeep, and then visiting another friend that just got home from the hospital with their new baby. It was a busy day. In the midst of it all, I did manage to take some pics.

Caps for Sale

This is one of our favorite books. Caps for Sale by Esphry Slobodkina. You should hear a 3 yo try to say that name. I think the spelling is right. I've said it enough that I should know how to spell it, but the book is in K's room and he's sleeping right now.

It's about a peddler that walks through town trying to sell caps while balancing caps on his head. During his walk, he decides to take a break and rest near a tree. While he was sleeping, some monkeys in the tree took his caps and he had to figure out how to get them back.

We didn't do as much as we normally do, because of our crazy week, but I posted a few pics of K trying to balance caps on his head.

He's still wearing his p.j.s and his "crazy" socks from Awana's Crazy Sock Night.

K, coloring a booklet I found online. You could interchange the hats, faces, and shoulders to make different characters.

Only at home can you do school in your p.js. I love it!

12 days of Homeschooling

This was sung at one of our Homeschool Conventions and I thought it was wonderfully cute and wanted to share it.

Sung to the tune of The 12 days of Christmas. Enjoy!

On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?"

On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Do you give them Tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fourth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about P.E., do
you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fifth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the sixth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU ARE S0 STRANGE, what about P.E. , do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the seventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the eighth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the ninth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the tenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the eleventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to College, I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: "They Can go to college, yes you can do this, they can have graduation, we don't like the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they are missing nothing, we'll homeschool forever, WE ARE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., and we give them tests, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!

On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me, where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will help us, we'll join a sports team, and we'll homeschool legally.