Updates....

Ahhhh.....It has been way too long!  I don't really even know where to begin but I know of at least one friend who keeps up with my life events via my blog, thus...this is for you sweet girl!  I love you!

The BOY:  Where to begin?  My heart continues to be in a constant state of bewilderment although I have a peace of truly trusting God and his sovereign plan.  The ups and downs continue and as soon as I think there is some stability something happens, sometimes I can pinpoint what was the catalyst and sometimes I can't, and everything is fluctuating again.  I love this boy like he were a son, yet I have no control over anything regarding his life.  The Lord put it on my heart a few months ago that my main purpose with this boy is to pray for him as a mother prays for her children.  That is the only control I have been granted.  My heart aches when weeks go by when I barely have any contact with him and the little that I do is on FB through quick little messages.  Again, I fully am trusting the Lord.  I have learned a lot through this whole experience and am ever so grateful for those learning lessons.  I have been reminded that I can only have so much control over my own girls' lives and will have to learn to trust even more for the Holy Spirit and Lord to move in their hearts.  I have learned that it is truly okay to LOVE without FEAR!!   This has been HUGE for me and I can see now how the Lord has used this lesson to prepare me for an upcoming new chapter in my life.  I have also learned a lot about the GOSPEL and TRUTH! 

The girls:  They are growing and changing like CRAY.ZEE!  They have hearts that are deep and wide for ministry!  They love being part of the ministry of the Pregnancy Care Center and the Boy!  At one point when things were especially rocky with the Boy, they said, "Can we do foster care and get an older brother?"  Seriously?  NO!  ;)  They amaze me over and over again with their compassion!

The upcoming school year:  I made it no secret that last year was definitely a struggle.  Every.single.part!  This year, we are STOKED and have already started.  Scott is going to be the history teacher for the year (totally jealous as I love what the Lord brought me to for our history curriculum this year).  Here is our curriculum line up in case anyone is interested:
Math:  Math-U-See Gamma/Delta
Literature:  Chronicles of Narnia + Dickens Christmas Stories (December) + Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors (February)
Language:  Primary Language Lessons/Intermediate Language Lessons + Grammarland (Awesome & FREE!)
Vocabulary: Word of the Week (Sandi Queen) & English from the Roots Up
Spelling:  Spelling Power + Spelling Wisdom
Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting
Personal Bible:  Kay Arthur Bible Studies for Kids
History:  Genesis through Deuteronomy + Egypt (Simply Charlotte Mason) with information also from World of Adventure
Geography: Africa (Simply Charlotte Mason)
Science: Jack's Insects (Simply Charlotte Mason) + Apologia Botany
Art: Nature Journaling with co-op + Artist Studies from Confessions of a Homeschooler
Music: piano, choir, violin (Anna) + Composer Studies from Confessions of a Homeschooler

The Pregnancy Care Center:  I have been increasing my time with volunteering.  Seems crazy probably to you once you see the list above, but it has been a good thing.  It has made me really hone in on how I use my time.  Because of this, Scott has been more involved with some of the schooling, which I think is really, really good for him and the girls! 

Well, that is it for now. 

Like Paul...

Ok.  I am nothing like Paul.  Nothing.  However, I can somewhat imagine how he sometimes might have felt when he had to pen some of those letters to the early churches.  Or when he was disappointed from time spent discipling new believers only to have them then walk away for their sinful desires?  Or the demanding emotional, physical, and spiritual ups and downs of ministry?  Last week was an upper.  This week, some situations are still uppers and then another one has hit rock bottom, or seems like it.  ARGH!!  It is truly exhausting loving people who are broken & hurting, choosing to believe lies rather than truth without feeling used and abused.  It is exhausting and heartbreaking to see people have rebellious hearts and rejecting the One who loves them most.  Sometimes I feel it is too much of a gamble yet other times I know that I don't know where the wind blows so I am encouraged to remain diligent, pressing on in love.  My fear is my own broken heart.  Yet I am reminded that I know the One who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 

Get out of town....

One of my most favorite momma's wrote this amazing post on her blog and I want to encourage you to take the time and go check it out.  You will be so encouraged!! 

Waiting for Someday

Wild Onions & Flowers

Been fishin' & hikin'

The sweet boy loves to fish!
There is a large, stocked pond on the farm.
So we take our learnin' to the pond and do some fishin'
and it has been good for the soul!

Been doin' some hikin' too...
and learnin' in the woods....
and it has been good for the soul!

And we invited the sweet boy's family
since they all love to fish
to the large, stocked pond on the farm
to do some fishin'
and it has been good for the soul!

I'll admit....so you can judge

Sometimes I am just in the mood for a little country, the kind from when I was a teenager and the songs made you think there was a perfect life somewhere out there for you.  The perfect life that involved a handsome cowboy, a picinic on a sunny day or under the stars, a dance with no music, and most definitely an old Ford truck.  I don't know why this stuff still appeals to me because there is no such life that is truly a country music video.  I've been thinking how this music really affects the minds of youth, even myself as a youth.  On one hand it makes me want to crack up laughing...but I think that is because I know the Truth.  For all of those who don't "get it", I ache because they are longing for a fake reality.  A fake reality only sets up unrealistic expectations which will cause all kinds of issues.  I guess I survived.  Nevertheless, it is somewhat amusing to me to listen to my Faith Hill Pandora station (minus Garth - gag!!). 

Oh...I also have a Celine Dion station on Pandora, which plays Boys II Men, Backstreet Boys, and the such. 

Truly Exhausted

I want a vacation!
I want sunshine!
I want water!
I want some serious Vitamin D in it's most natural form!
I want sunscreen!
I want sunglasses!
I want a big glass of ice water with slices of valencia oranges!
I want to hear the laughter of little girls!
I want sand (shocking, but yes...I need sand)!
I want summer!
I am truly exhausted!
Ministry never ends...whether it be a mother's ministry to her children,
a wife's ministry to her husband,
or her personal ministry for the kingdom.
I know ministry never ends.
I don't want it to.
I love serving and loving.
However, I would love & welcome a season of rest.
I hate to say it because I don't want my rest to come at the expense of a new hole.
Yet, as the theme continues, I am trusting the Lord.
His plan is supreme.
It is perfect.
His ways are higher than my ways.
His thoughts are higher than my thoughts.
Whether I get the rest I am dreaming of,
or the hole I am worrying about,
I will press on in ministry.
Because I am here...
FOR HIS GLORY
and HIS glory alone!

(Interesting note:  I originally had written "I need" on those beginning statements.  As I read back over the post, I realized HE knows what "I need" so it is more "I want.")

Roller Coasters

Roller coasters have always been a thrill I have enjoyed.
My dad introduced me to them when I was just old/big enough to ride.
Every summer we made a trip to Cedar Point and I would cling to his strong arms.
I trusted him to keep me safe and not to put me in harms way.
He was my daddy.
Course, as I have gotten older, I am a little more choosey about the coasters I ride.
No more wooden ones for me....except maybe for the classic Blue Streak.
Now the girls cling to either Scott or myself IF they even work up the courage to give it a try.
However, real roller coasters at the amusement park are far from the emotional roller coasters of life.
There isn't much of a thrill to life's coasters.
Just worry....and trying to remember we shouldn't worry.
However, my dad taught me a very important lesson when he would ride the coasters with him.
I can trust the ride if I cling to my Father.
He does not desire to put me in harm's way.

Double Digits!!!

My precious firstborn turned 10!!!  Yes...I am super late on posting about her birthday, which was in March.  It was a bittersweet day as the sweet boy's momma's funeral was in the morning and then we left for a day of fun in Columbus.  Her present from us was a coupon to get her ears pierced (which she hasn't felt the courage to do quite yet), a family bowling trip, and then a "Groupon" for a cooking class.  I had purchased 2 for the price of 1 thinking Anna would go with her but Anna wasn't quite to sure about it so we invited a friend.  The cooking class was in Gahanna so we went early for a "KIDS EAT FREE on TUESDAYS!" deal at Mongolian BBQ at Easton.  We stopped at Archiver's too because she really enjoys scrapbooking.  Each girl got $5 to spend.  We made a trip in to Trader Joe's too because seriously...we LOVE that place!  It was such a grand and special time because my mom, sister, and nephew joined in on the fun.  I love the special"ness" of celebrating birthdays!!

A Birthday Tribute

The sweet boy's momma celebrated her first birthday in heaven a few weeks ago.  Of course, this was painful for her family.  The sweet boy wrote a tribute to his momma that would make any mom's eyes water.  His precious cousin put music to the lyrics he wrote and put together a video.  It was priceless and I know the sweet boy's momma's heart would have been so touched.  The family went to the cemetary and each one wrote a note to their momma, put it in a balloon, blew the balloon up with helium and sent their notes to her.  The sweet boy came over the next day for tutoring and asked if we could have a birthday party for his mom.  Of course!