In the midst

In the midst of all of the homeschooling, I am finding rare moments where.....where I see God doing so much with me and my children. It's something about just looking at them and your the one giving them instruction (yes, some of it includes "Go to time out." "You need a nap" and the likes), but your seeing them excited that their Mommy is teaching-not just phonics or spelling, but the word of God, how precious!
 While it has been a roller coaster ride-two weeks in, it has been truly what God has set in place for the next year to come-ya know....that CHANGE.
 Yes, it's still coming. And He's preparing us for it.....now just waiting on Him. You see....I'm ready. I'm ready to dive in. But there is too much to do yet before I can fully jump, so to speak. Just like giving birth. It takes 9 months to develop that baby and then many (sometimes less) hours to deliver that precious gift. That's almost, maybe what it's like. The pain. The joy. The pressure. The overwhelming expectation of what is to come......yeah, that's what this feels like!

On another note, our Little girl turned 4!! Hard to Believe!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JORDYBUG!! We love you!

(This is when she was like 2...I just love this outfit, it's a fav!)

Oh vey! I have much to post about, but too many kiddos to teach right now. So I'll post when I can!

I am held by.................

Grace.

Image from www.Gratefulimages.com (some friends of ours)

When I think about my life, when it's upside down...I go to these words....

Genesis 19:19

Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die

Exodus 33:13 

Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

Exodus 33:17

And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

Psalm 84:11

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Jeremiah 31:2

Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

Psalm 84:11

For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalm 119:56

This I have had [as the gift of Your grace and as my reward]: that I have kept Your precepts [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them].

Matthew 5:8 (Whole Chapter)

Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous--possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!

Acts 15:11 (Whole Chapter)

But we believe that we are saved through the grace (the undeserved favor and mercy) of the Lord Jesus, just as they [are]

1 Corinthians 15:10

10But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.

{{UPDATE}}Urgent Prayer Request!

Grandaddy is doing a lot better, but still your prayers are certainly coveted. We are still believing for a complete healing!

Thanks again!

My husband's Grandfather just entered the ICU this morning and has a very dismal report.

 A report that we DO NOT Believe.

We are praying for a complete miracle!

He was previously in a nursing home for rehabilitation after a 5 heart bypass, they were even planning

for him to be home next week. Please pray for a complete miracle!

Psalm 107:20

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions

1 Peter 2:24

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Smithsonian Part 2

If you missed part 1, you can check it out here!

Next stop was the Smithsonian Castle. It was so beautiful!

And then we went to the Natural History Museum....

Silly Boys....there's no water in there!

The one thing the baby really liked and cried when we left.....FISH..go figure!

Stay tuned to part 3!!! It's my Favorite!

It's Official...

I've now begun my homeschool journey...It's Official.

Today went swimmingly well for the most part. Pres loved his lessons and did really great-amidst the 3 breakdowns that were caused due to a lack of sleep thanks to an older brother! For some reason my 11 year old thinks that the rooster crows at 6:45am (I don't know where he received this wonderful gift from, but I pray it lasts until he gets old and gray-just during my term, could it please not crow until atleast 8am?? Um...hello?!)! And if he's not awake enough for you, here comes Jordybug fussing "sissy needs her pants changed..she's stinky!"...What fun!!

Anywoo....The boys definetely need a laptop. They can't get their work done on the same computer-even with taking turns. We'd be here all day! Oh well! Here's to surviving the first day of homeschool! Now I'm off to enjoy one of these and a nap!

And no, I don't care about the calories-I deserve it today!! MMMMMMMMM.....Yummy!

Now off to nap-and I'm cutting the phone off to!

A baby is born!

Yay! Baby Lilyana Grace was born today! My best friend, Carmen, delivered her healthy baby girl this morning! For privacy reasons, I will not share photos of the baby until I have her parents permission....Until then, I'll just share a previously preggo pic of Carmen! (p.s. I'm such an excited "Auntie"!!)

Smithsonian...I am in Love!

Yesterday was our little family vacation to the White House (too bad we didn't get an indoor tour-we are still waiting on approval, which takes up to 6 months!), the National Mall where all the Smithsonian Museums are and the Lincoln Memorial. It was a blast and I am totally in love! This is a must go vacation for any family!

I do recommend that you go early on a weekday and plan to stay until late evening, because there is just too much good stuff to see to miss it! We didn't go to the zoo, however...that will be another day trip to take!

Let's begin our journey to D.C.!!

A little bit of fun and boredom for the 2 hour trip....

And a snack for the little one....

And we're here!

Hello, President Obama, Whatcha' doin'?

It was prettier than on t.v. (and no we didn't see the President-bummer)

That's what the sign says...but try gettin' past all those FBI agents at the gate!

First Museum stop.......Air and Space Museum! (a boys dream!)

My pilot boys......

And my favorite pic from that Museum...

Stay tuned for the next 3 posts......

Wordless Wednesday...Avery's birthday Party

Homeschooling here I come!

Countdown begins. We begin school next Tuesday. My dining room has now become "School Central"! I have a wipe board up and the table is just waiting for us to jump into lessons. The kids are waiting with great anticipation!

I'm excited and filled with awe at how God does the things He does. I know God has called me to do this and I need not fear. I was reading my homeschool devotional (so good btw) and it hit the nail right on the head...

"Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." ( Jeremiah 33:3)

Uh...Hello! Speak to me, Jesus! I have been fretting over all this homeschooling stuff, but every time I sit down to read the curriculum or look over things, the more peaceful it becomes. It's like the calm, His spirit kinda calm. Ok..Ok...am I only talking my language??

Not only that, but I really feel like I just want to be in God's presence all the time. Not worrying about silly stuff, but waiting on Him.

Homeschooling.....Here I come!! And I'm ready!