Were You Wondering???

Were you wondering where I was?? I gave up Internet until after the girls were in bed at 8 for Lent. I have found that by 8pm I am so tired that I can't post anything!!

I have so much that I want to share that I really don't know where to start.

I have been reading a book to my girls every evening called Beautiful Girlhood . My understanding is that it was written in the early 1900's by Mabel Hale, but was updated a bit by Karen Andreola. She took out some of the things in the book that could be seen now days as offensive (I have know idea what was changed), but left the beautiful language and way of viewing a woman from the early 1900's. We have enjoyed it so very much! Each evening snuggling in my bed together and sharing a luscious chapter of this book has been a blessing each evening. I highly recommend it and I am in the process of ordering some for my pregnant friends that are having girls!!

There are many blessings lately that I would love to share with you! Our house has been a much calmer place to be lately. I think there are many reasons for this, but I would have to say that one is our increase in time together in the Word! Praise God for His beautiful Word that fills us up when we need it.

It is so easy, as a mom and a woman to get caught up in the world. Whether it is keeping up with the Jones', having our children excel in things, or even the amount of time we give, it is so, so, so very easy to fall into a competitive mindset. I am so blessed that I have a God that can forgive my wrong-doings, because there are many!

Another blessing...I have been a bit worried about a petichial rash that has been popping up on Brianna. It disappeared last Tuesday and had stayed gone. She did, however, have a few other minor, but odd things pop up during this time. Nothing I would take her to the doctor for, but it kinda nagged at me. Every time I would pray for wisdom as to what to do about going to the doctor she would get a new, but vague symptom. On Monday I prayed specifically that if she needed to go to the doctor that God would allow that rash to crop up again that day. I went home from my prayer walk, asked to look at her feet and legs and it was there all red and icky looking!! I was so thankful for wisdom as to what to do! We went on Tuesday, of course the rash was gone again, but they were concerned about the rash as well as the new little things that popped up so sent her for tests today.

I think it is so neat how God understands that we sometimes need a clear, human easy to understand answer!! So we spent the day hopping from the lab to the hospital, praying we don't catch the flu and washing our hands at every sink we could find :)

Yet another blessing and clear human answer...I had a meeting last week for a team I am on at church. I had been praying on the way to the meeting that if God wanted me to step down from something that he would lead someone else to ask to do it so I could have a clear answer. At the end of the meeting, someone, not knowing that I led the children's chorus, excitedly asked if we needed a leader and expressed her willingness to lead it!! Can't get much clearer than that!!

So if you have been wondering where I have been, you see that I have spent the last week soaking in the Father's words and enjoying my time sitting in the passenger's seat while He drives me down the road of my life!! I don't even have to read the map!!

Choose Joy!!

This weekend I was blessed to have the opportunity to attend a conference for mother's. What a great thing it was to experience hour after hour of encouragement and focus from other mom's!! I took so much away from this time that I can't even attempt to blog about it all.

What I do want to blog about though is choosing joy. When you look around, you see so much that God gave us to bring us joy! What a mighty God we serve that would take the time to be so considerate!! There is beauty all around us if we choose to see it!!

From the minute that I left the conference the attack has been on! From extreme car sickness on the way home to a flooded kitchen, to no water for the kitchen sink, to having serious breakdowns from the girls I feel it has been non-stop. Brianna's rash is back and bright! I cut through a plug that was plugged in behind my bed and nearly started a fire! All of this in less than 48 hours.

There is a difference! Praise God!! I know He is working in my heart when I am able to have these things happen and never raise my voice. Iknow He is working when I am able to let my pride subside for a while and allow people to see my house as less than perfect because my children need me.

I have prayed and prayed for a change in my heart. I have studied, read, prayed, discussed and longed for a new heart. I am not there yet, I am still a selfish, prideful, controlling human, but my heart is changing!!!

I see it now! I see what my focus is. I see where I need to head. Praise God I have found the hand to hold!!

It is so easy to get caught up in doing "good" things, especially things we think are good for our children. Academics are good, church is good, friends are good, but none of these things are God. My stress, my worries, my control, my judgement are all due to a lack of focus!!

Today I choose joy! Today I choose faith! Today I choose God, He has already chosen me!!

Love and Logic

Those words sound so simple, especially when it comes to parenting. Love your kids and it is only logical that they will do what you tell them. Makes sense to me!!

We had a fantastic speaker yesterday at M & M Mom's. She spoke on loving your children unconditionally. Frankly, when I heard the topic I thought, well, of course we love our children unconditionally! Oh, but God placed this speaker in my path at just the right time. To further show my RE ignorance, I did not know that she was Rachel's mom!!

Anyway, she helped me see that though we were using choices and consequences to promote responsibility and accountability, I was still hanging on to my being responsible as well. She has helped me step back and take more time to be the supporter instead of inforcer. Really great change here!!

On the love side of things, I was able to go out last night with several friends of mine. We met at Olive Garden and stayed until they kicked us out to close! Then we hopped over to Barnes and Noble's Starbucks to get another hour!! I love my friends and I love having time to hang out and visit with the girls!!

This weekend I am heading out to a convention/retreat. It is a time for mom's to get away from the younger snotty nosed set and visit! A time to sleep on clean sheets and let someone else cook!! I am really excited about it. I am blessed to have a husband that encourages me to get out for things like this :)

Brianna's peticiah rash has finally gone away!! Hooray!! Sickness seems to be everywhere, but we have been blessed with a healthy winter thus far.

Sorry about not posting as much. For Lent I have given up surfing the internet (including blogs) until the girls are in bed. By that time I am so tired that I have not had the energy to post!! I will get back into the swing though!!

Have a great week!!!

Jumping Up and Down!!

Good Evening! I am jumping up and down happy that I have Rachel to read and grade Bri's papers!! What an answer to prayer! I even have Steve willing to help as well. What a blessing that is.

Today Bri has a nasty cold, but none of us have had that yucky stomach bug that is going around or the flu!! Hooray! Brianna still has that petechial rash. It is lighter on some days and darker on others. Today it looks pretty light so I am hoping that it is going away.

Lent began on Wednesday. I think it is a really great way to spend time in reflection and prayer. I have gotten rid of several bad habits through the process of Lent. Around five years ago, I would watch 2 hours of Soap Opera's a day. I really did not have the time to do this, nor do I think what I was watching helped my in my walk with Christ. Giving them up for Lent was what I needed to get me out of the habit and helped me give them up for good.

I see Lent as a time for me to reflect on the last year and how I have transformed. Has it been for the better or worse? This year I can see much clearer some of my weaknesses and sins. I think my 40 Days of Nothing exercise brought this on. I know God is molding me, I just get impatient!

Anyway, I read this week about some fellow bloggers having spiritual fumbles and I thought I would share that I have been there too. The past couple of weeks I will get up for my prayer time and Bible study and go through the motions, but I feel it is one sided. I know it is not, that is why I keep on, but it is discouraging.

Sorry about the choppy post! Hope everyone has a great evening!! And...you must come to M & M Mom's on Saturday!! The speaker will be awesome :)

HELP WANTED!!!

Please, oh please if there are any of you from RE that are gifted in the grammar/writing department, I need help!! I am looking for someone who would be willing to grade Brianna's literature reports for me. I just don't think I am doing a good job in that department!! I would be willing to pay you, cook a dinner per paper for you, sign over my first-born to you (well, maybe not that!!), I just need help!! We are talking about 2 papers a month. One is usually about 3 - 4 pages and the other is usually a bit longer.

Thanks :)

And The....

2008 Science Fair Winner in the High School Category for C. and D. County Homeschool District is....








Hooray Brianna!!!

She now advances to the TI regional fair in March where there is scholarship money at stake!! The judges loved her project and the amount of research that she did. They offered some great tips as to how to make her analysis better before regionals.

She is thrilled as are we. I am so proud of the hard work, thought and dedication she has put into this!!

WooooHooooo!!