Christmas in Full Swing

We have our tree and outside decorations are up. We are working on our advent book, The 25 Days of Christmas and preparing our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Savior! What are you doing to get ready this year?

Noah

Many people know about Noah, but he has taken a turn the last couple weeks and it looks like his time on earth is coming to an end. You cannot read his blog without just crying and weeping, but there are some very sweet things occurring as well such as God telling Noah secrets about heaven. How very sweet for his mama to know this, as well as his family. click here to read Please pray for them as they walk down this road.

Thankful

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, are you making your thankful list?

I am so thankful for my salvation, my hard working husband, my beautiful children, my lovely home, the ability to live in this great country with it's freedoms like homeschooling, and so much more. What about you?

Blogging Prayer Requests...

How do you remember to pray for people who are your blogging friends?

When I say "I will pray for you" I mean it, and certainly do not want to say that and not do it. So, I started a little notebook by my computer I bought. I write down in there whenever I see something I need to pray for, or when I say that. Then when I am all done with my computer time, I pray what I have written down.

Praying

I have had such a strong burden lately to pray for law enforcement. I can't imagine the stress and negativity they deal with each and every day.

It started with a little incident at the gas station when I was pumping the fuel. A car full of people who looked to be up to no good pulled up and I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. These were someones babies at one time. Someone once rubbed their hand on them while they wee growing inside their mama's belly and thought about what kind of people they would grow up to be. Maybe they led a rough life and never felt loved by their mama and daddy. Maybe they saw things in their little minds they shouldn't have. Most importantly they did not come to know the saving power and grace of Our Lord Jesus and that is truly heartbreaking.

It made me long for heaven and long to be safe in the arms of God. Shortly after we left there, several cops had cars pulled over and we passed a cop making a u-turn on a very busy road in a great hurry. I thought about all the bad things those cops see and deal with all the time. They meet people in times of crisis mostly. They are hardly ever thanked and how tiring this must be. I know how weary I feel when I have had a long day or week with what I think is a character or heart issue with one of my children, and can't imagine what these guys go through trying to uphold the law and they must at times feel like they are not doing any good at all. They are underpaid and overworked and under appreciated and always expected to be there when you need them. They are however, only human. They cannot replace our need for our Jesus.

I decided right then to pray for these people who protect us from what harm they can, and for God to give them strength and a calm heart. I have prayed often for them and will continue to do so.

Fall is here!

Oh how I love fall!! The weather is wonderful, the leaves are beautiful, the air is delightful, and the whole upcoming holiday season is approaching! This will be the first year without my grandma, but I will be okay. Instead of sitting around our table and giving thanks, she is sitting at the feet of the one who gave her life. How can I be sad about that?

We have been so busy. We went to a Colonial America day and my camera fell out of the bag in the parking garage. It will not open, so I don't have any pictures...

I hope you are enjoying your fall and your preparations are under way, spiritually and physically!

This week

This week we worked on school and writing some papers, getting ready for a horse show, worked on fair projects for the fair that will be here very soon, and tried to clean the house. It seems once school starts around here, that part of our routine gets neglected.

Mr. Brown decided the van needed new tires, so he put 4 brand new tires on there! Man does that thing run smooth now!

The weather has been back and forth, but we can feel fall in the air! Peanut is having some difficulty dealing with it (his lungs are a little damaged from having Whooping Cough) but he is not as bad as this past spring. I am praying his lungs continue to improve!

We have a busy week planned ahead as well, but I am enjoying this busy time. Once winter hits, our activity diminishes and while I enjoy the reprieve, I am ready for that to be over come spring time. I want to enjoy each and every moment we have!

We have some exciting field trips planned this fall, and I promise pictures! We have 2 pool parties on Saturday before the cool weather really kicks in and it is too cold to swim!

Have a great weekend everyone!

When Life Does Not Go Like You Planned

I started writing this post more than 2 months ago, but am just now getting around to posting it. This is a hard post for me to write, and one I have needed to for a while but haven't. It has been a hard several months for me, and I really wanted to process things before I posted about them.

You all know my grandma passed away this spring. About the time she did I started having weird symptoms. Tiredness, a dull ache in my chest sometimes, and I could not eat anything fried at all or I would be sick. OK, thought it was my gallbladder. I did not go to the doctor and just stayed away from bad food. Not too hard since we try to eat pretty healthy anyway.

Fast forward some and a super long story involving the ER, I have a heart problem that can be controlled with medicine. The only bad thing is I cannot be pregnant and take the medicine. I will have to take it the rest of my life. This has been very very hard news for me to take. This means no more biological babies for me, and not because of any choice I have made.

I am okay now. I have processed through it and know that I will be here to raise my children I have. I am so thankful that they could figure this out after a very scary ER visit. I thank God that a person came up with this medicine and that I live in a place and time that makes it possible for this medicine to be available to me.

I also thank God that He allowed me the chance to have 5 babies before this happened. 5 babies they thought I could not get pregnant with or carry to term, 5 children who I do not take for granted! 5 children I have been determined to raise for His glory, and who will see me praise Him through this! "5 children" the phrase I hear in Walmart or the grocery store as if it is a curse or too many.

I am so happy the Lord blessed me 5 times with children and the wonders that come with that. I am glad that despite some different medical things, I was able to have 5 healthy beautiful children.

Long Overdue Update and Pics!

Pear in a cute little pose (She's actually in the tree)


Beautiful Chicken!


Really Pretty Peacock! (and he prances around like he really knows this - it is a hoot!)


What happens around here to the poor animals - they become posed for pics!


Pepper, always smiling


Peach, all grown-up looking


Piglet, very happy with his bike!


Peanut, growing way too fast


And of course, the horse

Ponderings...

Am I the only one who is worried that the first step they take in our new healthcare plan is to offer "free" prevention to limit the amount of new people they might have to pay for?

Sleep

Sleep is hard to come by these days. I don't know why, I am tired but it is not happening. So, what do I do when I can't sleep? I pray. I pray for my family, I pray for others I know having problems or situations or needs. I used to worry, and stay awake and get myself in a tisey. But you know what? The God I serve is bigger than I and does not need my anxiousness. He is capable of working things out without my advise, so I try not to worry and just pray.

I kinda like being awake when I am now. It is like a special time with me and God. I pray for new mothers who are probably awake with little ones, or pregnant mama's needing a little rest before the babe comes. I pray for daddies who are busy working providing for their families. I pray for soldiers fighting and alone and maybe afraid. I pray for neighbors and those without Jesus. I pray for me, that I might be slow to anger and open for what God has asked of me. I pray for my children and know that while they might not always be here in my home, that they be in God's will for their lives. I pray that I have taught them well to serve our Lord.

So what about you? Do you struggle with sleep sometimes? What do you do?

Oh the beautiful days

What beautiful days of spring we are having here! We have been busy with some yard work, planting flowers and cleaning up - a never ending job here it seems!

Windows are open and fresh air is pouring in. I have the sound of music coming from my children - drum beats, guitar chords and beautiful piano notes.

Beautiful days, beautiful flowers and beautiful music - my life is great!

Teena - try this for the owls

Such a long time

I feel like I have not updated any real info on here in such a long time!

So much has happened. My grandmother fell ill and we thought she was getting better when she suffered a horrible stroke in the arms of my mother. She fell, my mom went to get her and she started slurring words and then she had the stroke right there and lost all communication and consciousness. We spent several days by her side and watched her enter the presence of Jesus and God.

She loved Easter and it was really hard to get prepared this year. We buried her during lent and the service was wonderful.

Easter is special, and now more so knowing my grandmother is spending it with our Saviour who rose from the dead after being crucified for us all who accept Him.

So much else is going on around me. I see people each and every day who are so lost, who don't have Christ. It affects so much of their lives. It really is so so sad to me to see this. It makes my heart glad though that these people who are so lost will sometimes ask me or Mr. Brown to pray for them. I do so, and try to witness to them that God is not this genie in a bottle that I must petition, but sometimes it is so hard.

The complicated, yet so simple answer, is they need Jesus. It is that simple.

I was helping my mom take care of my grandmother for so many weeks. Life sometimes takes over what you are trying to do. I am so thankful we home school and could take it easy during that time. I am so thankful to God that I had that time. My grandmother left this world knowing I loved her, and into one's arms who loved her so much He died for her. I cannot be sad for that, I will rejoice!

Lord, as this Easter comes it is my prayer that you will let my words and actions guide others to you so they too will join you when they leave this world!

This is horrible

This is horrid - PLEASE DO NOT CLICK ON THIS WITH YOUR CHILDREN IN THE ROOM - I cannot believe this has not made the news.

In Israel on Friday, a family was murdered. Horrible, just horrible. I am so sad seeing this, and cannot imagine how these parents felt, or how scared they or their children were. Or, the poor daughter who came home to find this.

Pray for this family - and the people who did this. How much hate must you have in your heart to do this? (You will have to pause the music on the right hand side to hear the video - and again PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN ARE NOT IN THE ROOM)



Pray indeed.

Great quote I got today

‎"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."—Mother Theresa

So very long

Sorry it has been so long since posting. We have been sick, with more sickness. Bronchitis, allergies, more coughs & colds. Everyone's seemed to linger and then we would have a little reprive before the next one.

But, alas it has warmed up outside and we are enjoying the beautiful weather!!

Bantams for the fair have arrived and they are so cute, and so are their little eggs! Plenty of yard work awaits us yet, so we will be knocking that out the next couple of weekends...

Moments!

Sarah, this reminds of you! ClickHere You have taught me to treasure the moments!!!

I hope you all enjoy! I found out last night a friend from high school lost her full-term baby girl yesterday. Everything was fine until she delivered, and then everything fell apart. When I checked my email, someone had sent me this. How fitting. We are not promised another moment!

It has snowed twice here in the last month! Sadly, no pictures to share because it did not stick! It has been cold and my electric bill is feeling the pinch! We had a wonderful Christmas and New Yea and I will post some pics real soon.

Between colds and stomach bugs, we have been busy - and my washer has been going almost non-stop!