Taking Sick Days...

OK moms, let's talk sick days for a minute. If you were a working girl before kids, you know you always had sick days. If you felt under the weather, or even a full blown illness, you could call in sick and stay home and rest... in the quiet. 

When we have kids and start homeschooling, however, sick days seem to feel nonexistent. Why is that? Husbands still get sick days. They can call in whenever they need to, and stay home hiding out in the back room feeling lousy. But we moms don't feel like we are able to do that. 

The biggest reason, obviously, is the fact that we have little people running all over the place who don't really care if you feel bad. They still need and want to be fed (EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.), and they have endless energy that needs to be used up. Another reason we don't give ourselves permission to have sick days is that we are totally and completely responsible for our kids' education. If we miss a day, what is going to happen to them? Are they still going to learn everything they need to know and get into college one day? Are they going to be failures in society because you neglected them for one sick day? The thought is just too much to deal with!! (Add a touch of sarcasm as you read that, please...)

The truth is, your kids are not going to fail in life because you are sick one day. Life is going to go on. In fact, they will be so much better off if you JUST ADMIT that you need to rest because you feel bad, instead of trying to muster up strength and ending up a grouchy zombie of a parent who's snapping at everybody in their path. Trust me. I know this from experience. It's OK to say you need to call a sick day. 

Last week, I had just such a day. Lucky for me, I had this little gem on my shelf! I had checked out this Lego Brickumentary from my library the week before, and we hadn't had a chance to sit down and watch it. I really was thinking it would probably be something just to kill some time and give them an excuse to watch TV. But oh my! It was so packed full of great history and science and all kinds of other information! And an hour and a half later, my girls turned off the movie and went to try out some of the cool things they'd seen with their own Legos. Perfection! 

So I wanted to give you a few quick ideas for some creative, EDUCATIONAL things you can keep in your back pocket (or on your shelf) for days that pop up that you just can't make anything happen. Because those days WILL come up. 

1. Keep movies on hand! Any kind of documentary, history, geography video will work! But please, make it a fun, kid-friendly one! Something that they will actually enjoy! Your local library is a wealth of resources! Look for something like Drive Thru History or Liberty's Kids. 

2. Pull out board games! We all have them stashed in a cabinet somewhere, and most of us rarely pull them out. So when you DO pull out the board games, everybody is excited about them. It has the potential of keeping your kids busy for hours! Plus, it's a great family bonding time for your kids. 

3. Check out Youtube! Think about the things your kids are interested in, and then let them look up Youtube videos all day on that subject. If they don't have anything in particular they want to learn about, you can check out something like Mr. Demaio, who has a ton of cool videos that are all educational! My girls have binge watched Youtube videos of Appalachia's Homestead with Patara, and learned a TON about homesteading, farming, and chickens! 

4. Go to your library often and keep a great selection of books at your house! I have a shelf dedicated to our library books (so they don't get lost and cause me to have to pay ANOTHER FINE!). If I just can't get anything together, I send my kids to the library shelf to choose one of the great books we've got waiting. We always have a selection of history, geography, science, and just fun reading books. Just know, these are fun, engaging books, and not just rote facts. That is so boring! Get fun books that will cause them to WANT to read!

Those are a few ideas to get you going. But there are lots more to pull from if your kids get tired of those things. School does not have to be a wash just because you need a break day. And you shouldn't have to pull it together to teach your kids if you're sick. You can feel good knowing your kids are still doing something educational, so you aren't a failure of a mom. And you can go take some meds and go to bed! (Or you might enjoy propping up on the couch watching that movie with them!)

Paleo Coconut Flour Waffles

It's Friday night. My two oldest have gone to hang out with friends, because now they both have JOBS and can pay for eating out on their own, and because they can both drive themselves - sadness and happiness all at the same time. Hubby is on call this week, and he ended up heading to work this evening. Supper has not been on my radar AT ALL today. Baby girl and I spent most of the day in town just hanging out together and grocery shopping. So tonight, with everybody gone different directions and me being NOT in the mood to cook anything, I pulled out our Friday night favorite - WAFFLES! They are quick. They are easy. They are delicious. And there is very little clean-up - HOORAY! 

~Now, I need to make a disclaimer here. Since I last posted about food (which was several years ago), my diet has changed exponentially. As in, you wouldn't even believe some of the crazy healthy things I now eat that I never would have considered before. And I don't really bake bread anymore, because I am completely gluten-free. I am also grain-free and dairy-free, and I limit the amount of nuts I consume. I pretty much follow a Paleo diet now. That said, if you are used to traditional glutenous foods, you may find it a little different at first. But these waffles that I'm about to show you are PHENOMENAL! Seriously! ~Disclaimer ended now....

I have been making waffles on Friday nights for the past several weeks, and I LOVE IT! It has become something to look forward to. The best part about waffles (besides the taste!) is that it can serve as kinda the base for anything you want to layer on top. Our favorites are fruit with honey or peanut butter with honey. (Honey is a must! Or syrup, I suppose, if you just don't love honey.) 

Start with a great recipe... like this one! 

Seriously, all you do is throw everything into your blender and mix it up. Easy peasy. And only one container to dirty up. 

Pour it into your waffle iron in batches.

And JUST LOOK at how lovely those things turned out! You would never realize they were made with coconut flour! 

I let the girls put whatever toppings they wanted on each of their waffles. Happy girls!

The weekends are for fun and relaxing. Sometimes I cook a lot on the weekends to get ahead for the next week, but I much prefer to take it easy and cook light or not at all. You are not a bad mom if you feed your kids waffles for supper... or cereal or toast or sandwiches or whatever. And yes, Friday night is almost over now. But let me just assure you, Saturday night waffle night is every bit as awesome as Friday night waffle night. So plan a quick, easy, and fun meal for your family this weekend. You will come out looking like the mom-superhero that you are! 

The Gift of Alone Time

Fall in the Deep South is not really much different than the summer. We still have mosquitoes, temps in the upper 80's or more, flip flops, tank tops, gardens that are still producing, and a few of our friends are even still swimming. It makes me very sad how much I still have to run my air conditioner, when I really long to open my windows and doors and let in the fresh air! But alas, we run the AC or we melt.

But a few days ago, the weather was actually nice! Not really fall weather, per se, but still, it was pleasant to be outside. So hubby pulled out the hammock and strung it between two trees. He loves a good hammock, so he, of course, was the first one to be in it. But as the day went on, a few other kids made their way out there to enjoy the relaxing day.

I was inside doing something, can't remember what (probably having coffee...), when I happened to look out my front window. We had all been inside for awhile, and I really didn't realize anyone was still out in the hammock! (Bad mom, I know.) When I looked outside, I saw the sweetest feet and legs just swinging away in that thing. My baby girl had gone outside with her "ideas" notebook and pen and was taking her turn.

Now, I have to tell you, my first thought was, "Oh no, she's all alone! I need to go take my coffee (or whatever it was I was doing) outside to go be with her!" But in that split second, another thought came in my head. "Why in the world would I want to interrupt that? What exactly is wrong with her being alone?" The answer: ummmm, absolutely nothing!

Having some time to ourselves these days is rare. Especially for kids! As parents, we think we need to entertain them every second of every day. We must fill all their waking moments with things that will create lasting memories for them. We buy into the belief that, if we aren't crazy busy doing things with our kids, we somehow aren't good parents. So we run from one activity to the next, never slowing down to just BE.

The problem with that is that we NEED alone time! OK, yes, we are created for community and need friends and people. True. But on occasion, it's OK to just be still and quiet and alone. It's in those times that we can really think, feel, understand ourselves. If we never allow ourselves time apart from others, how will we ever be able to dream and create and imagine? When we always are with a crowd, or even just one other person, we are always hearing someone else's opinion on life and things and whatever. But when we have time all by ourselves, we can take a few minutes to really process what WE think about something, what WE want out of life, what WE dream up.

So I took a step back. And I left her all by herself, alone. She had her pen and her notebook, and that girl was swinging up a storm and daydreaming and creating things in her head. And why in the world would I interrupt that?

Time alone is a gift. Don't rob your children of that time by scheduling every minute of every day for them. And don't let someone rob YOU of time alone. Because it's in those moments you get fresh perspective on life. And then you are ready to jump back in and tackle the world!

Who's in Your Circle?

Yesterday was co-op day. It's kind of weird, because we've had co-op on Wednesdays for so many years. When the change to Tuesday was made for this year, it was GREAT! Like, I can't even tell you how much I love having co-op on a day other than church day! But it does throw my week for a loop, as I now am always feeling like I'm off by a day. But whatever.

I suppose I have just been overly sentimental lately thinking about this whole co-op thing, since my oldest is now graduated. (That fact also is weird, because I'm not usually an overly sentimental, cry-y kind of person. But lately, oh my geeze Louise, it's been crazy bad!)

We started participating in co-op about 7 or 8 years ago. Things were so very different. I had a toddler, a 4 year old, and 2 kiddos who wanted some friends. It was a struggle to get there each week, I'm not gonna lie. Baby girl ALWAYS missed her nap, which made the day SO. VERY. LONG. I had health issues that I didn't even realize at the time, but those issues made me exhausted every co-op day nonetheless. We stuck it out for 2 years, and then I needed a BREAK!

After those 2 years, we started back to co-op and have been going ever since. It's gotten so much better in terms of enjoyment! Baby girl doesn't need a nap anymore (though I still do!). Everybody dresses themselves and can find their own shoes - HAPPY DAY! I no longer need to pack a diaper bag or even their lunches, because they pack their own! Everyone can find their own classrooms, which means I only need to be responsible for me. The fact that I don't have to think ahead for 4 other tiny people has been huge! One of my kids doesn't even go to co-op anymore because of being in college, and another drives himself so he can go to work afterwards.

Things change. Our kids grow up. They don't need us to do everything for them anymore. Which is a blessing, but also kinda sad at the same time. The days, at the time, seem to last FOREVER, but the years truly are very short. (Insert sappy moment - ENJOY YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE! Blah, blah, blah...)

Some things I have found comforting, though, are the things that haven't changed at co-op. The mom friends that I made 8 years ago (actually before that...) are still there. I get to see the same sweet faces that I've seen every week for years. Some of these moms started homeschooling at the same time as I, and we are now in the process of graduating kids together. We've been through A LOT in all our homeschooling years! And I love that, what we started together, we are finishing together. They are my community of friends.

There have been many moms who God has allowed to come into my life and then move on again a few years later. Some of them are still very dear friends who I love. And there are new ones who have recently come into my circle of friends that I feel so blessed to know. But I have been especially thankful for the ones God has allowed to be with me for our entire homeschooling journey.

Sometimes it's hard to make mom friends. We get busy with our kids, our house, our stuff. Sometimes the moms we meet have kids different ages from ours, so things just don't click right away. Some of us crazy homeschooling families live way out in the country away from other homeschool people (ahem, that would be us...), so it's really hard to see friends. But I want to encourage you in this... YOU NEED FRIENDS! God created us for community. We were made to need people. And if you plan to be on this homeschool journey for any length of time, you need to surround yourself with a few other moms who will be there for you, talk you through some tough times, pray with you, celebrate the wins with you, and just walk with you through this journey. I am so very, very thankful for the friends God has placed in my life.

How do you find time for friends? Who are the people in your circle? I'd love to hear about them!

They Still Need You, Mama

Lately, I have been realizing more and more the fact that my job as a mom doesn't end just because my kids get bigger. After Britches graduated this past May, I felt lost, like I had nothing to do anymore for her. OK, yes, I still had three others to take care of. But it felt like I wasn't needed anymore for her. I am learning that thinking is so very far from the truth.

She called me today from school. I freak out every time she calls me, because I automatically assume something is wrong or she had a wreck or something. So today, I purposely did NOT freak out. I calmly answered the phone... and something was wrong. SEE! I should have freaked out! It really wasn't that big of a deal. She had locked her keys in her van and wanted to see if I was coming to town. She needed to be at work at 3:00, and it was already almost 2:00. I told her I'd be there in about 30 minutes, and hung up the phone and headed that way. 

When I got there, we both had a good laugh, she promised never to do that again, I told her if she did I'd totally laugh even harder at her, and all was good. She headed to work, and I headed home. 

But it got me thinking. I am so thankful she decided to stay in town to go to college. I had the chance to come rescue her today. I was able to stop what I was doing and show her, in a very real way, that she is very important. She still needed me. And that made my mama heart very happy.

Most of the time these days, she is off doing her thing - studying, working, serving at church, going to her college small group at church. I see her in passing. Things are very different from just a few months ago, and certainly very different from a few years ago. She buys her own food now, pumps her own gas, makes her own schedule, pays for her own schooling - she is very independent. But she still needs her mama. Every day. Even if it's just to have mama at home when she gets here to know that part of life hasn't changed. 

Mama, don't buy the lie that you aren't important in your kids' lives. Don't believe for a minute that they don't need you or want you. Don't ever think that they will get to some magical age that they are grown and can do everything on their own and will leave you behind. Yes, the goal in raising our kids is for them to be independent contributors to society. But even in being a grown up, they will always need their mama. 

You are important. You are needed. You are wanted. 

So What Happened Anyway?

So if you saw my post from yesterday, you might be wondering, "What happened anyway that made you quit blogging for six years?" That is a very easy, and very hard, question to answer.

God has such a way of humbling us.

Back somewhere around 2009, I guess, we started doing children's ministry for the church we were attending. Things were going great. Kids were coming. We were having fun. Everybody was learning about Jesus. It was good.

It was around that same time that I started this blog. Really, it was started as a way for me to have a little sanity. I was homeschooling two kids, had a toddler underfoot, and a crying baby. I needed somewhere to put some adult thoughts on paper, so to speak. It became an outlet for me to escape from the crazy for just a few minutes.

As time went on, the blog began to revolve around our homeschooling journey, which made it super fun for me. I loved doing school with my kids and then posting pics and writing about our day.

More people started reading my blog. I had people asking me questions about homeschooling. And as our children's ministry grew, people started asking me about ministry, too. It was exciting, because it made me feel like I knew something and could share that with others!

I signed up for a mentoring program with a children's ministry coach, which meant now I knew even more. I had a few articles published in a couple of different magazines, so that meant my writing was great, of course. I signed up to do blog reviews for a publisher whose material I was using, and it made me feel like I was needed, wanted, able to offer help to others. I had several other opportunities to help and share with others, and that only served to fuel my desire to be "more". More than just a mommy. More than just a stay-at-home mom. More than.

Let me just pause here for a minute. If you have ever heard the story of Job in the Bible, you know how he suffered. God allowed everything in his whole world to be taken from him, and then God watched to see how Job would respond. Would he continue to praise God and serve Him? Or would Job crumble under the weight of the losses and turn away from God? In the end, of course, Job stayed faithful and was rewarded with God giving him back more than he lost in the first place. He was faithful, so God rewarded. Don't forget that.

Sometimes God gives us suffering to see what we're made of, to see if we will stay true to Him. And sometimes God gives us abundant blessing and growing success to see the same. He wants to see how we will respond to the success, if we'll stay true to Him, if we will continue to seek and serve Him. And this was the case with me.

As life moved forward and things were beginning to succeed and grow in my blog and homeschooling and ministry, I began to think, "Look how good I'm doing!" Now don't get me wrong. It is fine and good to be proud of what we have accomplished. But when we begin to think that WE did the thing, and when we quit seeking God and His plan and blessing, that becomes a BIG problem. I started seeking out ways that I thought would get my name out there. Build a platform. Make myself look better than maybe I actually was. And do you know what happened? God took His hand of blessing completely off of every single thing I was doing.

As long as I was seeking and following Him, God blessed the things. But when I stepped outside of what God had planned, because I was seeking to be "more than" and looking for recognition from the world, God stepped back and just let me have it all. No, He didn't actually take any of it away. He let me have all of the things... on my own.

There is no more solitary, scary, desolate place that apart from God and His blessing. Please do not misunderstand what I'm saying. I was and am still a Christian who deeply loves Jesus. But we can still be a born again Christian and be far from God. It's in those times that He gently, but oh so painfully, calls us back to Himself. Because He loves us. And He desires to be with us. To lead us and guide us. And that is where I found myself.

God slowly began to show me that I was nothing apart from Him. Ministry was constantly a struggle. I couldn't seem to put two good thoughts together for my blog. Nobody wanted my articles. My marriage was hanging on by a thread. And through all the failure (which directly followed that pride), I began to see that I really had nothing of my own to give. I had nothing else to say. No advice to give. No great homeschooling tips. No help for others on growing a children's ministry. Nothing. I had nothing.

That was one of the saddest, lowest times in my life. I've always wanted to be more. And God broke me down to nothing. But praise God, He NEVER leaves us there, and He NEVER wastes a hurt! It took years - YEARS - for Him to rebuild my broken spirit. It took many, many tears and heartache for God to teach me the things I was missing. Here's what I learned.

~ I don't have to be somebody great in this life. I can just be myself. And that's enough.

~ Being a mommy IS an important thing! I don't have to go seeking elsewhere to find very important things to do. I can just be a good mom and love my kids.

~ Taking care of my husband is a very worthy thing. Loving him and tending to the things he needs (like clean clothes and breakfast before work) are very important.

~ Following God and staying close to Him under His umbrella of grace and blessing are the only things that matter. Because when I follow Him closely, His blessings abound. But when I step out on my own and run ahead of what He tells me to do, He steps back and lets me go... without His hand of blessing. I want to be blessed.

So it's taken me a really long time to get back to writing. About a year ago, with my hubby's constant prodding, I decided to start writing a book. I was scared to death to start it. Because I wanted to make absolutely sure it was God's timing, and I wasn't going to just be wasting my time trying to do something on my own. But I felt like maybe, just maybe, God was trying to speak to me through my husband and tell me, "It's OK. You can write again. You do have something to say." So I started writing.

It took almost a year, but my son (who is also my illustrator) and I have finished our book. We're still working through the self-publishing steps, which is proving to be difficult. But we're close. And I have found I still love writing.

I'm tossing around another book idea, but I haven't committed to it yet. I want more confirmation from God that this is the right direction. But I felt like He was telling me it was OK to pick up writing again on the blog. This has always been my happy place. It didn't start out as a place for others. It was just for me. Just for getting my thoughts out. And that's what I want it to be again. If this place happens to bless you, I'm so happy for that! But really, if nobody ever reads this blog again, it is still good. It's still a place I can just enjoy writing for the fun of writing.

My initial thoughts are to play catch up on some of the cool things we've been doing and the things we've learned through our homeschool journey. But those are just my plans. We shall see which direction God points.

Until next time,
Nicole

Welcome Back

Hello there!

It's been almost six years since my last post on this blog. Wow! That is a really long time. There's a good chance most of you who used to follow this blog are no longer here, and that's OK. Maybe you'll come back. Maybe not. So much has changed in six years. Where in the world do I even begin?

Well, for starters, Britches has GRADUATED! I'm not even sure how that happened. It seemed like homeschooling her would never end. But I blinked and she was grown. Now, she's enrolled at the university in our town. I'm very happy about the fact that she has chosen to stay home for at least this first year, because I would be more of a basket-case-wreck-of-a-person than I already am over all this.

And Little Man will be graduating this year! Again, not sure how that happened. Oh right, I blinked. He's planning on going to the same university as his sister, which makes me happy. The two of them have been inseparable since birth, so I kinda figured he would choose to go wherever she went.

Little Sister is a pre-teen who loves all things music, piano, juggling, and chickens. We have somewhere around 30 chickens for her as pets, and she hugs each one every day and tells them all goodnight before locking them up each evening.

And Baby Girl is about to hit double digits! She is spunky and smart and happy, and I am so glad she's ours!

We are still homeschooling the 3 that are still here. A lot has changed in our approach to school, because my children preferred a different way of teaching. And that's OK. We are still extremely laid back in our delight directed approach. But we do use a more independent study approach now, rather than schooling everyone together with the same unit study and lapbooks. Change can be good.

Brient and I, by the grace of God, will have made it to 21 years of marriage this December. That in itself is a miracle. Marriage is hard, people! It's not for the faint of heart. You have to really dig deep and work at it. They don't bother to tell you all of that at the beginning, probably because nobody would ever get married if they knew how dang hard it actually is. But it is so worth it!

A big thing that's changed is that we are no longer in ministry. That's crazy, because I really thought we'd be working with kids forever. A lot of things brought us to that point, and really, I'm so glad we finally stepped down for good. I didn't realize how absolutely exhausting ministry is, and it was really taking a toll on my marriage, my kids, our homeschooling - pretty much everything. Life is so much slower and more peaceful now.

I have learned a few things in the past six years, too. I've learned that...

~ the only good in me is from God, and when I try to do ANYTHING apart from Him, it is crap and fails.

~ we shouldn't do things because we want recognition, but because we love doing that thing and just want the joy that thing brings.

~ pride truly does go before a GREAT FALL. And I learned that, when we are honestly seeking to follow God, He will use that fall for His good to bring about the humility that He so desires in our lives.

~ nothing in this life stays the same. Not jobs or houses, family or schedules, church or friends, health or the lack of - nothing. It's all temporary.

If you've stuck with me for this long in this post, thanks! Maybe we'll talk again in a day or so. But if it's just me on here, that's OK, too. Because I just need to write. Even if nobody is listening. Or if everybody is listening. I just need to write.

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 16

Oh my word, today was lovely! God gave us a chilly but sunny fall day to enjoy as a family. Hubby took off work today, because we had some prep work to do at church in the children's room before we give it a new coat of paint tomorrow. We took all the kids with us, and it ended up being a very great family day!

I was so thankful for the time we all spent together working in that room, pitching in where each could, looking toward a common goal. Even the baby was able to help hold my scissors and tape until I needed it. It was awesome to look around and see all six of us taping up the walls, laying paper on the floor, and each taking a turn at priming the wall. If we had not all pitched in, we would be nowhere near as far as we are. Now, tomorrow morning, we can walk in with the group of team members who have agreed to help paint, and we can immediately start rolling the walls. YAY! Very thankful!

And I was thankful that all four of my kids went outside and helped me pick up pecans while Brient was working on the room. I told the little ones that it was like hunting for Easter eggs, so that made it a really fun game. Because of the help of all four of them, we have plenty of pecans to put in our freezer for the next year. In the Deep South, you only get these golden gems once a year, so I always try to stock my freezer. And I was very thankful that I was given permission to pick up pecans at the church! Very thankful!!

And at this very moment, I am thankful for a warm house and a comfy bed, because my back is KILLING ME after picking up pecans for about two hours!

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 15

Today was pretty much a carry over from yesterday. A day that I just wanted to stay in bed with my head under the covers. I am weary. Very weary. Life has me completely spent, empty. It's not just one thing that has me feeling this way. It's everything - all at once! So today, I'm looking for joy and being thankful in the little things, because, seriously, there is no big thing today.

Where to start... I made more homemade hot chocolate with my kids this morning to enjoy while we read history again. I absolutely love that time of the day! All my kids are around the table (except the baby who goes to play while we read, because she's bored with history), and we all are spending that thirty minutes or so together. Love being with them!

Britches and I worked together on her new micro-business of making and selling beeswax candles. She has been working hard to clean out and melt down some wax that my sweet friend, Amy, gave her, and today we finished the cleaning process. I had the chance to talk to her about how cleaning and purifying the wax was a lot like how God works with us. He keeps pouring us through the filter to get out more impurities. And even when we look pretty good, God looks at us closer and sees that there is still more sin and self that needs to be filtered out of our hearts. And when He finishes with us, we, like the wax, are a beautiful color, are smooth and lovely, and are now USEABLE! I am very thankful for God moments that I have with each of my kids to share with them about Almighty God and His great love for them. A love that takes the time to search their hearts, try them, and see that there is no unclean thing in them. No, none of us will ever get to the point of perfection until we reach heaven, but I'm so thankful that God never gives up on making us more like His Son, Jesus Christ. Very thankful for that!

It was a beautiful, crisp fall day in the Deep South, and I was thankful that my two middle kids were able to get outside and play for awhile. They love being outside, and they were having fun making a leaf pile.

I am thankful for the few moments I had to just sit in the recliner with my youngest and play a memory game on my tablet. She's getting so big (just turned four) and so smart.

And I'm thankful I had some time today to sit and sink myself into a good book that I recently downloaded for FREE (thankful for that!), Hope for the Weary Mom. It has been exactly what I needed right now in my life. It's more like a devotional book than just a reading book, and I have gotten so much out of it. I'm thankful to know I'm not the only person in this world struggling with weariness.

And in just a little while, I will be thankful for the gluten free biscuit recipe that I found a few weeks ago as I sink my teeth into some comfort food loaded with some homemade pear butter or jelly - maybe two biscuits so I can have both! Eating a gluten free diet STINKS, and there are days I just want to throw my hands up and be done. But since this isn't exactly a "diet" that I'm just doing to lose weight or something, I actually have to stick with it. Unless, of course, I want to end up sick for the next week. So I am very thankful for the recipes I have found that actually TASTE GOOD, because, really, not all of them are worth more than going in the TRASH!

So that's my day. Being thankful in the little things over here. And praying for a better day tomorrow.

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 14

Today has been a stretch for me trying to figure out what I'm thankful for. It's been "one of those days" in life that I just wish I could go back to bed and forget the whole day - or, in this case, the whole week. Grrrr..... But since it's Wednesday and I went to church, I still have something for which to be thankful.

I know I've already said this before, but I must say it again. I am so thankful God has called us to this new church to serve these people. We have only been there for a few months, but already I love them. I am thankful for a pastor who preaches right to my heart EVERY SINGLE TIME HE SPEAKS! It's amazing to me how God works like that through that guy. AMAZING! I'm thankful that I still live in a country (at least for now) where I am free to go to church and worship my God. Truly, it is a privilege that many do not have.

And I was thankful for the hot chocolate that my kids and I shared while reading history this morning. That always lifts my mood, and it's such a sweet time around the table with them. Don't know what I would do in this life without them - yes, all four of them (even the baby).

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 13

Today, I am thankful for our library. We went to the weekly craft and activity time today, and all the kids had a blast. The library is a place we have gone since my oldest were just babies, and we always love it!

Ms. Betty B. is our most favorite librarian in the whole world, and, since we have seen her for so many years now, we have adopted her as part of our family.

I love the fact that we can get all the school books we could ever need from that place, and I don't have to pay a dime - unless, of course, I am late returning, which does happen occasionally. If I had to PAY for all the school books we get from that place, well, let's just say I wouldn't be able to homeschool.

And today, I was thankful that a sweet friend happened to be at the library at the same time, and I got to have a lovely chat with her. I don't get to see her often enough, so that was a treat!

 Little Sister just loves picking out books every week!

 My Little Man isn't so little anymore. ~sniff, sniff~

Baby Girl with her good friend and her new doll. 

Yes, I have an older girl, but she was over in the teen section and didn't get her picture made. The fact that she was in the TEEN section is sad enough, because that means she's BIG! NOOOO! OK, enough of that. These are the things today for which I'm thankful.

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Days 10, 11, and 12

This weekend was crazy busy getting ready for ministry on Sunday morning. I was juggling more things than my mind could even remember. I was glad I had the good sense God gave me to WRITE ALL OF IT DOWN! If I hadn't kept a list to check off as I finished each thing, I never would have gotten it all done. So, needless to say, blogging was not on my list of "to-do's". So where did we leave off? Ahh, yes - days 10 and 11, and today.

Saturday, I spent the whole day non-stop moving. I was getting ready for Baby Girl's fourth birthday party with her two sets of grandparents, and her best friend, Little Sister. I am thrilled beyond words that she thinks of Little Sister as her best friend! And they really ARE! I was also cleaning house for said birthday party, which is a never ending event around here. (Probably why I hate it so much! IT NEVER ENDS!) And I also kept moving on getting my things ready for church. I stayed moving from morning until my head hit the pillow. But in the midst of all that going and going and going, I was still thinking of how thankful I am. I was thankful God granted me the ENERGY to do all of those things non-stop.

For many months now, I have had some physical issues that have caused me to be completely run down. And I don't just mean a little tired here and there. I mean like I can hardly pull myself out of the bed I am so exhausted! Add that to my never ending gut issues, and I have just been good for nothing on some days. Nearly every afternoon, you will find me curled up in the recliner or on my couch, because, if I don't catch at least a short nap, I just can't function for the rest of the day - literally. And some days, I have had to take two naps. I totally don't have time for this, but I have finally given in to it and realized that, if I didn't rest, I really would be no good for anything! So Saturday, when I was completely full of energy, and when I was able to keep going and getting things done that I haven't had the energy to do, I was very thankful! God filled me with HIS strength to accomplish the things He set before me, and I was so thankful for that!

And Sunday, I had many, many things for which to be thankful. Church, of course. I love what I do, and I love the new church God has called us to serve. Every Sunday I am reminded how thankful I am that God chose ME to join in his work. I was thankful for that check-off list that I had made the day before that kept me going through the morning! I was thankful for a new team member who stepped into the children's room (I am pretty sure for the first time) to help me out with a quick skit! As I talked to all my workers, I was reminded how VERY THANKFUL for each of them I am, because, without them, I couldn't do what I do! And I was thankful for a date to town with my hubby after church to go to Lowe's and buy paint. Next Saturday, we will be joining forces with several of our volunteers and giving our children's and toddler room an updated look. Thankful for paint and the date with Brient!

Today begins our last week of homeschooling before we take a Thanksgiving break. I was VERY thankful for that fact! And I'm thankful for each of my kids who I get to stay home with and enjoy each day. I'm so thankful God allows me that privilege. I'm thankful for all three of my sweet girls and my very sweet boy. God knew Brient and I needed each one of them.

So I think that catches me up. Are you participating in The Gratitude Project? Share with me some things for which you are thankful!

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 9

Today, I am thankful for time with my family. I love the fact that, nearly every night, we sit down together at supper and share some laughs over our meal. And tonight after supper, we all piled up in the living room together to watch "Herbie Rides Again" as our family movie.

I love seeing my son and Little Sister snuggled up close to each other while they watched. Not everyone can say that their kids actually LIKE being together, much less snuggling during a movie. But all four of my kids love being together and loving on each other, and that makes me so happy. That is a direct result of our homeschooling and the fact that they have to be together a lot and are REQUIRED to learn to work together and get along. The fruit of that - they love being together.

And I got to snuggle up next to my hubby in the recliner, which is always one of my favorite things to do. I am very thankful for that time.

Time with my family is a really special thing to me. My husband works all over the place and isn't always home in the evenings. When he's on call, he often works the weekend. So when we have time together as a family, I am always very aware of what a gift that time is. And I am seriously thankful for that time.

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 8

Here in the Deep South, it is a gorgeous day! The weather has been in the upper 50's with the sun shining. BEAUTIFUL! Today, I'm thankful for the fact that I am able to stay home with and homeschool my kids. If they went to school, and if I worked outside the home, we would miss out on days like this by having to sit inside looking at walls and artificial lighting.

As it is, my kids were out the door by 11:00AM and down in our woods playing and enjoying the day. Oh yes, we did math, spelling, and history before they took off. But for the rest of the day, they have been immersing themselves in delight directed science and nature studies. They have been soaking up the sunshine and fresh air, and enjoying the fall day that God has blessed us with.

On another note, I am glad to be able to stay home, because today I have just felt icky sicky. Fall allergies are catching up with me and I feel it all over. Sore throat, achy, coughing - the works. I am thankful that I no longer have to drag myself up to an office and muster up the strength to stick it out through the day (as I have done many times before I had kids)when I'd really rather be in bed. I'm thankful that, as my kids were enjoying time outside, I was able to rest on the couch and let my body heal itself.

 And lastly, I'm thankful that my husband was able to work from home today. Usually, he's driving all over the northern part of our state. But today was a rare treat for me. He needed to do some work on the computer, so he's been sitting in the living room working all day. It's been great to be able to pop in and talk to him in between schooling the kids, bring him breakfast and lunch without him grabbing it and running out the door, and just having him close today. Very thankful for that.

 Have you been keeping up with The Gratitude Project? What things are you thankful for this day? There are so many things all around us for which to be grateful. All you need to do is open your eyes and look around. God truly does give good gifts to His children.

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 7

It's the day after the big election. For today, I am thankful for my freedom to VOTE! Some people get so upset with the things the government does, and they do nothing about it. Voting is our way to SAY what we think/believe/want for our country and family. Not every country has this freedom. And in truth, I fear that, if things don't change or if God doesn't come back soon, this may very well be one of the last times our country sees this freedom. I was very saddened to see who won the election. Not that I was really excited for the "other guy" to win, either. Personally, I don't think either of them were "worth their salt". But the majority of our country has spoken, very loudly, about the direction they wish for us to go. As I sit back and reflect on that fact, I am thankful for something else. I am thankful that God is STILL God. He wasn't surprised by the results of last night's election. He wasn't sitting up in Heaven looking down going, "Wait a minute! That wasn't supposed to happen!" He is fully aware of the things going on, and He is STILL in control! And I am thankful that I know the end of the story. Yes, I realize the times in our world are very scary and uncertain. I realize our leaders are not all they should be. But this I know: The Bible says clearly that these things must come to pass before the return of Christ. God isn't surprised by these events. He already knows they are coming. He is ready for them. We should be, too. It has been prophesied in God's written word, which means it WILL happen. I can rejoice in the fact that, the sooner prophesy is fulfilled, the sooner we will be taken to Heaven, our real home, to live forever with an Almighty God. And that, my friends, is something really worth my thanks!

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 6

I'm a little behind over here. What can I say? We had a fun filled day yesterday with Baby Girl, and then I was too caught up in the election last night to stop to blog. Time to catch up. Day 6 - I am thankful for my Baby Girl! Yesterday was her birthday, and I just couldn't believe she is now FOUR! She was so funny walking around telling me all day that she was four and a big girl. I totally used that to my advantage! "Big girls who are four eat all their food on their plate." "Big girls who are four buckle their own seat belts." "Big girls who are four don't whine." She had the best day going around telling her brother and sisters that she was now a big girl. My house was filled with more laughter from her than it has been in a long time. She giggled over EVERYTHING! I just sat back and soaked up the sound of her laughter, because, really, it was wonderful. Her smile made my heart sing. And her laughter was music to my ears. Most days, she is a cantankerous little thing who is never happy with what she is given but always wants more or different. But not yesterday. She was just thrilled to be having her birthday, which she has been waiting for since April when Little Sister had HER birthday. We celebrated with a family birthday party of just the six of us last night. As she opened her few presents, she smiled from ear to ear and hugged each thing tight. Then she ran to each of us and gave the biggest, sweetest hugs and thanks. It melted my heart. Baby Girl is a handful to say the least. Some days she wears me slap out! But I am so thankful that God knew we needed her! I am so thankful He blessed our house with her spirit and energy. And I am thankful for the things God teaches me daily (sometimes hourly) through raising this little stinker! She is such a sweetie, and I love her so much!

(She doesn't take a picture without winking.)

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 5

Today the kids and I cleaned the house. Since I have no carpet in my house, it doesn't take long to get dust bunnies all over my house. And they seem to multiply overnight! One thing in this life I really hate to do is clean house. HATE IT!! I feel like there are just so many other things in life that I could be doing and actually ENJOYING, like schooling my kids, being in my garden, planning children's church stuff, or even getting a root canal! All of those would be better than stirring up the dust storm that always comes when I sweep. But I am reminded, in the midst of all that dust and laundry and dishes, just how thankful I am. I am thankful I have a house to clean. I am thankful God has given us a place to lay our heads each night out of the cold and rain and whatever. I am thankful that I have all those floors to sweep, because that means we LIVE in our house and enjoy life. That means I have kids who love playing outside in our woods and always forget to take their shoes off when they come in. It means I have a husband who leaves for work every day to provide for us, and comes in with dirt on his shoes. I am thankful for the roof over our heads and the pillows under our heads. I am thankful that my house is always noisy (for better or worse!), because that means we talk to each other and enjoy being together. It means I have 2 little ones who like to play together and drag their toys out all over that floor I just swept. I am thankful for the mountain of laundry, because that means we have been blessed with clothes to wear, most of which are hand-me-downs from great people that God has sent our way. And I am thankful for the sink full of dishes (and counter full), because that means we have enough food to eat and thus we have dishes to wash. God has blessed our family beyond measure. As much as I still hate cleaning - HATE IT! - I am seriously so very thankful for this house to clean. Oh, and one more thing. I'm thankful that God has given me four little helpers who make the job a little quicker and a little more enjoyable.

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 4

Today is Sunday. So what am I thankful for today?? Well church, of course!! I LOVE going to God's house on Sunday mornings. For as long as I can remember, Sunday mornings have been a part of my life. But this day, I have more reason to be thankful. A few months ago, God called Brient and I to a new church. We had been serving at a church just up the road from us for the last several years, and God told us He had a new assignment for us. So in September of this year, we moved to our new church and began work. I am so thankful God allows us to join Him in His work. The older I get, the more I realize that, as Paul said, in me there is no good thing. I am constantly amazed at the fact that He chooses to use ME in His plans. For that, I am thankful. I am so thankful that the pastor at this church saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself. He hired me as the children's pastor, and began immediately investing in my growth in that role. I am thankful for his support and encouragement. I am thankful that he is pushing me to go beyond what I have done up to this point. I am thankful for the vision that he has for this children's ministry. There are about 20 volunteers working under me, and I can't even begin to say how thankful I am for each and every one of them!! So many children's ministers talk of how hard it is to find volunteers, but in coming to this church, there were already volunteers in place. These people want to see the Kingdom of God grow through kids! They are excited, happy to be there, eager to do whatever it takes to reach kids, and FAITHFUL! There are really no words to say how thankful I am for there hard work and commitment! I am THRILLED to be able to work with them and better equip them for ministry to kids! Beyond words thankful!! And today, I am thankful that I had the opportunity to sing in the praise band. They were short quite a few people today, so they asked if I would help out. It has been over a year since I have sung in church. There are some great people who sing up there, and I was honored and humbled that they even asked me to join them. Church. I am so thankful for the body of Christ. And since God called us to a new place, I am so thankful that He is allowing us to serve at such with such a great body. "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." ~Hebrews 10:25

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 3

First, I would just like to say that these are NOT in order of importance, except for day 1! This year, I am just going with what I am thankful for each day, and not trying to simply go through my list according to the people or things most important to me. Today was our annual Thanksgiving Fall Fun Day for our local homeschool group. This is only the second year our family has gone, but it has been lots of fun! Our group met at the park for a meal together and some fun games and fellowship. As I drove into the park, I was met with rows of the most beautifully colored fall trees, and I was reminded of my thankfulness of God's colors all around me. He could have chosen to make the world blank and boring, but instead, He chose to use the brightest, most beautiful colors for all of his creation. I LOVE COLOR!! When we walked up to the group, my kids and I were met with some of the greatest friends we could ask for. There are mom's who are in the same "boat" as me, and it is so amazing to be able to just talk to them and realize I am not alone. There are some great ladies who have the same "food" issues as me, and it is great to be able to swap recipes and talk about all things food and health. And there are some great homeschool girls and boys who are very much like my own, and know what it's like to be "different" by not attending public school. They are sweet, respectful, and still KIDS who love to play with friends. I was reminded of how very thankful I am that God put these people in our lives. Homeschooling is a day in, day out, never ending way of life, and it's one we would not trade for anything. But I am so thankful that God has allowed us to go through this journey with other great families who are living this calling through thick and thin. We don't see these people every week, but when we do, it's as if we have never been apart. We are able to pick up right where we left off. I am so thankful for these ladies, and I don't know what I would do without them!

The Gratitude Project 2012 - Day 2

When I sit down and really think about it, there are so many things for which I am thankful, it's just hard to pick one for each day. Choices, choices... Today, I am thankful for music. Any of you who have read my blog for awhile or know me personally have heard me say before that music is the key to my soul. It speaks things that my heart wants to say but can't quite find the words. It is the means by which I celebrate the good things in life, and the way I cry out to God when I am lost in this world. When mountains stand before me, I use music to praise my God for the way He will deliver me. I cannot even begin to name all the songs that have spoken the words of my heart even in the last few weeks. But here is one that I want to share with you. It is something that has been in the very front of my mind every single day lately. It is something that the devil tries to cause me to doubt, but my God tells me is TRUTH! My past does not define me. It does not determine my future. I am redeemed. Period.