It's official. We're headed to a new adventure in the Midwest after being on the West Coast for 8 years. We've been spoiled by the weather and to be honest, I'm not looking forward to navigating through ice, sleet and snowy roads again. But, I am excited about the challenge of meeting new friends and learning the area!
It's purging time. I'm working on the playroom (which has been reduced to our "catch all" room) and am starting to assess what we want to keep and what needs to be passed on. There's a ton of stuff I can't even get to because of all the things in front of it! EEKS! I've got my work cut out for me!
But the move isn't on my mind right now. There's a ton of other things going on and I've got to focus on those things for now. When I think of the past couple of months, I am so thankful we can trust God with every minute detail of our life. He cares about everything from the hairs on our head to the tears we shed.
It's been rough riding through the ups and downs of Jacob's emotions after his job loss, but I can testify that Isaiah 43:1-3 will encourage you no matter what you may be facing. The NLT puts it this way....
"But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
Isn't it great to know you're NOT alone? You will get through this season of difficulty and soon, this too shall pass.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
"I Want A Pet Baby Elephant When I'm Older" and Other Wishes Made By a 5-Year-Old
I had a traumatic time getting blood drawn for my annual physical this morning. The nurse wasn't happy that I requested the butterfly needle. Always ask for the butterfly needle!!! It's a lot smaller than the alternative. Then, she had a hard time finding a good vein. Apparently, I have small veins. The tube connected to the needle was in a knot and she had a hard time untying it. Then she couldn't connect the little plastic thingy on. I had a bad feeling as I watched her re-swab me for the 4th time with alcohol. I think she was buying time. Then, the unthinkable happened. As she removed the safety cap off the needle, she managed to poke herself with it! I calmly suggested she should just find someone else to do my blood work. She was quite happy to pass the buck to the doctor.
After three times of pure torture getting pricked in several different places, the doctor finally jabbed me in my hand and painfully, extracted my blood. OWWWWWWWWWW!!!! I'm thankful there are other doctors I can go to after this experience. The only thing that kept me from going over the edge was having Michael sitting on the chair beside me. Having small children close by will motivate you to practice self-control instead of crying like a big fat baby when things hurt!
Homeschooling with Michael has been really fun and tiring! Today, I set the timer so he could do some independent reading (I really don't remember learning to read in Kindergarten!). After seven minutes passed by, he asked if he was finished yet. Umm... no. Then he wanted to have a snack so I gave him a little bowl of mandarin oranges. When he finished, he went back to the couch to continue reading and asked me how many more minutes he had to read. I told him he had 20 more minutes and he goes, "20 more minutes?!? This independent reading is exhausting me! I wish I didn't have to read so many books!" Ahhh... wishes! If wishes were gold bars, we'd be rich!!!
In the car today, Michael and I had this entertaining conversation. It went like this...:
Michael: I want a baby elephant for a pet when I'm older.
Me: Okaaaaaay. Why do you want a baby elephant for a pet?
Michael: Because they will never forget where to go and where things are kept.
Me: Well, what will you name your baby elephant and where are you going to keep it?
Michael: I will name it Splasher because elephants like to splash water and I'm going to keep it in the backyard.
Me: Do you know what baby elephants eat? What are you going to feed it?
Michael: I'm going to feed it... [Long pause] peanuts because elephants like peanuts.
Me: Okay, now you just told me you want a pet elephant because they never forget where to go and where things are kept. But elephants can't talk. How will you know what your elephant is saying?
Michael: Oh, that's easy. The baby elephant will just point with his trunk and that's how we'll know where to go and where things are.
Of course. Now why didn't I think of that?!? I love how simple everything is for children, don't you?!? Michael doesn't think of the logistical issues of having such an enormous "pet." He's already thought it through in his head and that's that! His little boy faith is unwavering in conviction that all is well when it comes to housing a baby elephant in the backyard. Can you imagine how our HOA would react?!?
His faith makes me think of the verses in Psalm 91:1-2. I like how The Amplified Bible puts it...
1HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].
2I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!
Our family has been experiencing this kind of faith in God through Jacob's job loss situation. Even though the future is uncertain, we can lean and rely on God. And, we can dwell in the shelter of the Most High with confidence because rest is found in His shadow.
After three times of pure torture getting pricked in several different places, the doctor finally jabbed me in my hand and painfully, extracted my blood. OWWWWWWWWWW!!!! I'm thankful there are other doctors I can go to after this experience. The only thing that kept me from going over the edge was having Michael sitting on the chair beside me. Having small children close by will motivate you to practice self-control instead of crying like a big fat baby when things hurt!
Homeschooling with Michael has been really fun and tiring! Today, I set the timer so he could do some independent reading (I really don't remember learning to read in Kindergarten!). After seven minutes passed by, he asked if he was finished yet. Umm... no. Then he wanted to have a snack so I gave him a little bowl of mandarin oranges. When he finished, he went back to the couch to continue reading and asked me how many more minutes he had to read. I told him he had 20 more minutes and he goes, "20 more minutes?!? This independent reading is exhausting me! I wish I didn't have to read so many books!" Ahhh... wishes! If wishes were gold bars, we'd be rich!!!
In the car today, Michael and I had this entertaining conversation. It went like this...:
Michael: I want a baby elephant for a pet when I'm older.
Me: Okaaaaaay. Why do you want a baby elephant for a pet?
Michael: Because they will never forget where to go and where things are kept.
Me: Well, what will you name your baby elephant and where are you going to keep it?
Michael: I will name it Splasher because elephants like to splash water and I'm going to keep it in the backyard.
Me: Do you know what baby elephants eat? What are you going to feed it?
Michael: I'm going to feed it... [Long pause] peanuts because elephants like peanuts.
Me: Okay, now you just told me you want a pet elephant because they never forget where to go and where things are kept. But elephants can't talk. How will you know what your elephant is saying?
Michael: Oh, that's easy. The baby elephant will just point with his trunk and that's how we'll know where to go and where things are.
Of course. Now why didn't I think of that?!? I love how simple everything is for children, don't you?!? Michael doesn't think of the logistical issues of having such an enormous "pet." He's already thought it through in his head and that's that! His little boy faith is unwavering in conviction that all is well when it comes to housing a baby elephant in the backyard. Can you imagine how our HOA would react?!?
His faith makes me think of the verses in Psalm 91:1-2. I like how The Amplified Bible puts it...
1HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].
2I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!
Our family has been experiencing this kind of faith in God through Jacob's job loss situation. Even though the future is uncertain, we can lean and rely on God. And, we can dwell in the shelter of the Most High with confidence because rest is found in His shadow.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
"Wow. I'm Worser Than I Thought." and "Please Make This Harder!" Funny Stuff From a 5-Year-Old.
Michael and I started Kindergarten a few weeks ago (probably right after I posted my March 7th entry!). I had forgotten how time intensive homeschooling is. We usually start early between 7:30 to 8am and work until a little past 12. Then we continue doing school while we're waiting in the car for Krista while she's in class or at skating. My brain is tired! And we've only done math, science, history, language arts and phonics. We haven't even started art, music or handwriting yet.
The good thing about doing Kindergarten at home now is that I'm able to assess where Michael is academically. He begs me to make things harder and then tells me this... "Everybody thinks I love school but I don't. I love the iPad more." Thank you for clarifying that, Michael.
Since school has been taking up all my free time, I've barely had time to read. Usually, I'm through at least 10-15 book reviews already for my monthly newsletter. But sadly, I've only read 4 books so far! A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman is an Amish mystery that's the second book in her series, A Shishawana Amish Mystery. Tracie Peterson's Chasing the Sun is a historical fiction that ends with a cliff hanger! I can't wait to review book 2 in that series to find out what happens! I don't recommend M.K. Gilroy's Cuts Like A Knife for bedtime reading. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the inevitable and it was not a relaxing feeling. At all! Thunder and Rain Charles Martin would make a great movie! It's a romance and the story will melt even the hardest of hearts.
This morning, Michael was playing on the iPad in our bed. I heard him say, "Wow. I'm worser than I thought." He's a funny child! Tonight he was on the floor staring in the carpet and out of the blue, he goes, "I wonder what's going on inside the carpet and what happening in there." I don't think I want to know!
Last night, Jacob and I went to see our friend Greg perform at a family friendly Live! Improv Show (www.cleanupcomedy.com). It was so refreshing to laugh through the evening because things were funny without the swearing and dirty jokes other comedians think make their material so "stellar." Not.
I never got into the Drew Carey Show, but found his Whose Line Is It Anyway? improv show pretty funny when we weren't cringing at the inappropriate comments. Well, Clean Up Comedy's improv show is in the same style but SO much better! The evening flew by and I can't wait to go back again!
Jacob had his second interview this past week and now we're back in the waiting cycle. Waiting can be so difficult when you fill your mind with "what if's" and other such scenarios, right? I do tend to over analyze things when something is so out of my control, but hankfully, I can meditate on Isaiah 26:3-4. I love how the NLT puts it...
"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock."
This is a much better solution, isn't it?!?
The good thing about doing Kindergarten at home now is that I'm able to assess where Michael is academically. He begs me to make things harder and then tells me this... "Everybody thinks I love school but I don't. I love the iPad more." Thank you for clarifying that, Michael.
Since school has been taking up all my free time, I've barely had time to read. Usually, I'm through at least 10-15 book reviews already for my monthly newsletter. But sadly, I've only read 4 books so far! A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman is an Amish mystery that's the second book in her series, A Shishawana Amish Mystery. Tracie Peterson's Chasing the Sun is a historical fiction that ends with a cliff hanger! I can't wait to review book 2 in that series to find out what happens! I don't recommend M.K. Gilroy's Cuts Like A Knife for bedtime reading. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the inevitable and it was not a relaxing feeling. At all! Thunder and Rain Charles Martin would make a great movie! It's a romance and the story will melt even the hardest of hearts.
This morning, Michael was playing on the iPad in our bed. I heard him say, "Wow. I'm worser than I thought." He's a funny child! Tonight he was on the floor staring in the carpet and out of the blue, he goes, "I wonder what's going on inside the carpet and what happening in there." I don't think I want to know!
Last night, Jacob and I went to see our friend Greg perform at a family friendly Live! Improv Show (www.cleanupcomedy.com). It was so refreshing to laugh through the evening because things were funny without the swearing and dirty jokes other comedians think make their material so "stellar." Not.
I never got into the Drew Carey Show, but found his Whose Line Is It Anyway? improv show pretty funny when we weren't cringing at the inappropriate comments. Well, Clean Up Comedy's improv show is in the same style but SO much better! The evening flew by and I can't wait to go back again!
Jacob had his second interview this past week and now we're back in the waiting cycle. Waiting can be so difficult when you fill your mind with "what if's" and other such scenarios, right? I do tend to over analyze things when something is so out of my control, but hankfully, I can meditate on Isaiah 26:3-4. I love how the NLT puts it...
"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock."
This is a much better solution, isn't it?!?
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Overheard this... "Krista, You Know What? I Wouldn't Want to Live in the Amazon Rain Forest..."
Blogging has been on the bottom of my "Things To Do List" lately because Michael and I started Kindergarten together last week via the California Virtual Academy (CAVA). I love the K12 curriculum but the work load is daunting as we try to catch up on work from September to the present! At this moment, we're about a gazillion units behind, but we're having fun!!! Math is a breeze (He's begging me, "Please make this harder!"), of course (obviously, his math genes are from Jacob who claims he used to do math pages when he was a child...just for fun! Weirdo! I've told him that is NOT normal behavior!!!). He's enjoying the stories in Language Arts (we haven't started on the handwriting portion yet), Phonics, Science and History.
I don't remember having Science or History when I was in Kindergarten, do you? He's learning the 7 continents, their location and position on the globe, some of the countries in each of those continents and what's famous there (the Sahara Desert in Africa, the Great Wall of China, the Amazon Rain Forest, etc.). It's unbelievable how much he's absorbing!
Yesterday, Michael informed me that there should be 6 senses. He listed them: sight, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting and talking! I love how he thinks! We still have to fit art and music in our schedule at some point, too, but for now, we'll take one day at a time :o)
In between doing school with Michael, making the daily runs for school and skating for Krista, MOMSnext and being a mom and wife, I'm trying to read Karen Kingsbury 's latest, Loving (I love it!!!) and Chasing the Sun by Tracie Peterson (it's very intriguing!). I need more hours in my day!!!
Actually, I'm thankful for every day we have. Jacob still hasn't gotten a job yet, but he's starting to get some interviews. Things can always be worse! Recently, he was diagnosed with an age related macular degeneration in his right eye, so we're praying for total healing. Krista is working hard at school (thank God she's finally caught up in everything except for one test in Science) and she's preparing for an upcoming skating competition. Michael is...well, Michael and his random questions hurt my brain, but I love them! He's a funny child!!! Life is full :o)
Our future is uncertain, but I know God is good and He's in control. It brings to mind some verses I learned when I was in middle school and high school. I like the NLT's version of Proverbs 3:5-7...
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
He's got it, so. just. let. Him. do. His. thing.
I don't remember having Science or History when I was in Kindergarten, do you? He's learning the 7 continents, their location and position on the globe, some of the countries in each of those continents and what's famous there (the Sahara Desert in Africa, the Great Wall of China, the Amazon Rain Forest, etc.). It's unbelievable how much he's absorbing!
Yesterday, Michael informed me that there should be 6 senses. He listed them: sight, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting and talking! I love how he thinks! We still have to fit art and music in our schedule at some point, too, but for now, we'll take one day at a time :o)
In between doing school with Michael, making the daily runs for school and skating for Krista, MOMSnext and being a mom and wife, I'm trying to read Karen Kingsbury 's latest, Loving (I love it!!!) and Chasing the Sun by Tracie Peterson (it's very intriguing!). I need more hours in my day!!!
Actually, I'm thankful for every day we have. Jacob still hasn't gotten a job yet, but he's starting to get some interviews. Things can always be worse! Recently, he was diagnosed with an age related macular degeneration in his right eye, so we're praying for total healing. Krista is working hard at school (thank God she's finally caught up in everything except for one test in Science) and she's preparing for an upcoming skating competition. Michael is...well, Michael and his random questions hurt my brain, but I love them! He's a funny child!!! Life is full :o)
Our future is uncertain, but I know God is good and He's in control. It brings to mind some verses I learned when I was in middle school and high school. I like the NLT's version of Proverbs 3:5-7...
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
He's got it, so. just. let. Him. do. His. thing.
Monday, March 5, 2012
March Ed. of Five Star Books & More by The Reading Mom newsletter
I started adding my book cover pictures and after adding two, the picture loader went on strike! Oh well! I'll try again later...
Enjoy this month's selection of Five Star picks :o) Happy reading!!!
Enjoy this month's selection of Five Star picks :o) Happy reading!!!
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