Friday, September 30, 2011

Blast From the Past

My heart is melting! I just found these pics on one of my old cell phones. I was deleting everything off of the phone so some friends can use it, and I came across these precious pictures from 2007-08. They are so unbelievably cute and sweet that I just had to share.








Thursday, September 29, 2011

Thoughtful Thursday

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new EVERY morning; great is your faithfulness.

~Lamentations 3:22-23

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Phone Fun

I snapped this pic with the camera on my phone (not an iPhone -hint,hint) while we were waiting in the van for Carson to finish his piano lesson this afternoon. Those two are such cuties!


Saturday, September 24, 2011

Decisions, Decisions

The effort of decision is the greatest effort of life.

~Charlotte Mason

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Thoughtful Thursday

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

~C.S. Lewis

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Living By Prayer

O God of the open ear,
Teach me to live by prayer as well as by providence, for myself, soul, body, children, family church; Give me a heart frameable to thy will; so might I live in prayer, and honour thee, being kept from evil, known and unknown. Help me to see the sin that accompanies all I do, and the good I can distil from everything.

Let me know that the work of prayer is to bring my will to thine, and that without this it is folly to pray; When I try to bring thy will to mine it is to command Christ, to be above him, and wiser than he: this is my sin and pride. I can only succeed when I pray according to thy precept and promise, and to be done with as it pleases thee, according to thy sovereign will.

When thou commandest me to pray for pardon, peace, brokenness, it is because thou wilt give me the thing promised, for thy glory, as well as for my good. Help me not only to desire small things but with holy boldness to desire great things for thy people, for myself, that they and I might live to show thy glory.

Teach me that it is wisdom for me to pray for all I have, out of love, willingly, not of necessity; that I may come to thee at any time, to lay open my needs acceptably to thee; that my great sin lies in my not keeping the savour of thy ways; that the remembrance of this truth is one way to the sense of thy presence; that there is no wrath like the wrath of being governed by my own lusts for my own ends.

The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
Edited by Arthur Bennett

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Birds: A Masterpiece & A Poem

Art work by my 4 year old who never ceases to amaze me!

Answer to a Child's Question
Do you ask what the birds say? The sparrow, the dove,
The linnet, and thrush say, "I love and I love!"
In the winter they're silent, the wind is so strong;
What it says I don't know, but it sings a loud song.
But green leaves and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing, and loving, all come back together.
Then the lark is so brimful of gladness and love,
The green fields below him, the blue sky above,
That he sings, and he sings, and forever sings he,
"I love my Love, and my Love loves me."
~Coleridge

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Schooling Confuses

Schooling confuses teaching with learning, grade advancement with education, a diploma with competence, and fluency with the ability to say something new.

~ Wendy Priesnitz

Friday, September 16, 2011

More Every Year


Today is our 11 year anniversary! I can hardly believe it has been 11 years since our wedding day and that we have been together for 14+ years. Wow! Time sure does fly. I am so blessed to have married my best friend and I can't say enough about what a great husband and father he is. I love him more every year and I am looking forward to the next 11 years.

Our Wedding Day
9/16/00


I loved our cute little cake!
The topper reads:
"Hand in hand and heart to heart,
Joined in love that will not part."

Here we are last year about a week before our 10th anniversary.
September 2010
 
And just for fun.....
Here is our High School Senior Prom picture.
May 1997

 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful: it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

~1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Thoughtful Thursday

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

~Matthew 11:28-30

Sunday, September 11, 2011

My New Motto


I found this folder at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago when we were school supply shopping, and as soon as I read it I knew I had to buy it (I probabaly should have bought 2 or 3). I took a picture of the folder so I could upload it to my blog and Facebook. I think I'll make it the background on my phone and computer as a reminder because this is so much easier said than done for me, and I know this is something I need to work on (see my last post).

~Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Friday, September 9, 2011

The Shepherd

By William Blake
How sweet is the shepherd's sweet lot!
From the morn to the evening he strays;
He shall follow his sheep all the day,
And his tongue shall be filled with praise.

For he hears the lambs' innocent call,
And he hears the ewes' tender reply;
He is watchful while they are in peace,
For they know when their shepherd is nigh.

I just read this poem in one of my homeschooling magazine and while I love this picture of homeschooling I was also struck by it. I, as mom and teacher, am the shepherd and my sweet kiddos are the sheep. I follow my sheep, my innocent lambs, all day. I must nurture, care for, protect, and watch over them. My tongue should be filled with praise, but I know I fail at this more often than I care to admit. My prayers for this school year are that I will have patience, that I will manage my time wisely, and that I will be the shepherd my children need. I pray that my sheep know that I am always near and that I love them more than words can say.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Vacation Pics (finally)


I am finally getting around to posting some pictures from our big family vacation back in June (yes, I know that it was 3 months ago, but I've been swamped I tell ya!).

Anyway, this was our first year going on vacation with my family and we had a blast. We had a rental house up on Lake Erie and everyone had a great time. The weather was really nice, and although the water was cold the kids didn't mind. In addition to spending time on our lake beach we also went to Cedar Point, African Safari Wildlife Park, and Put-in-Bay, and had many adventures along the way...















Thoughtful Thursday

The heart of man plans his way,
but the LORD establishes his steps.


~Proverbs 16:9

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Totally Swamped

For about the last month we have been so busy and I have felt swamped almost everyday, and that is why I haven't blogged in awhile. Here is just a sample of what has kept us (especially me) so busy:
1. We started our 2011-12 home school year on August 23 and for several weeks leading up to our first day I was busy planning and making sure we had everything we needed. So far the year is going well, although there are days when we barely manage to get the basics done.

2. Our homeschool group has kept me very busy as last week our Co-op started and I have had lots to do with class registration, payment, planning, organizing, scheduling, etc. I also helped plan a Co-op human anatomy class for our kindergaten and first graders. I was supposed to co-teach the class as well, but I am so busy at Co-op that it is very hard to do, and it was an absolute answer to prayer when my sweet and wonderful co-teacher asked if I wanted her to teach so I could be free to manage Co-op as needed. I was seriously close to pulling out my hair when she emailed me this offer and I am SO thankful.

3. Last month we started the process of becoming licensed foster/adoptive parents by taking 9 (of 12) Pre-Service Training classes. Each class is 3 hours long and we did them in 2 weekends. The first weekend we took 3 on Friday, 2 on Saturday, and 2 on Sunday, and the second weekend we took 1 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. We still have 3 more to do and those will be in November. After we have completed all of the training classes we will be ready to submit our application and begin the homestudy process. I have no idea where all of this will lead, but we felt called to do this and to follow the path wherever it may lead.

4. Add to all of this our regular activites (b-day party, fun days and lunches/dinners with family and friends, piano lessons, dance classes, etc) and day to day life (meals, laundry, cleaning, etc) and you have the makings of a very full calendar.

I don't think our schedule will be getting any lighter, but I have made a pact with myself not to add anything else (except for the church small group that we agreed to host/facilitate starting next Sunday - ha!). I hope to get back to blogging more regularly sometime this month because I have really missed it.