Saturday, August 30, 2008

Another post

Ok I know it may seem I am hijacking other people's posts, but this is a really good article about boys and rather timely considering our roof-walking event this past Sunday.

All of you mother's of boys, please read. And all of you mother's of girls, please read to understand.

Warrior or Wimp:How not to raise Mama's Boys

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Today was one of those days when I questioned everything, especially homeschooling! But God, in his infinite wisdom, had already provided encouragement.

I found this post on a blog that helped me.

The Lost Children

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Up on the rooftop, stomp, stomp, stomp...

I always knew this day would come. Here is how it all went down.

We came home from church this afternoon. Robbie was in the other room and I was in the kitchen getting lunch together, when I heard this noise. That's odd, I thought, it sounds like there is something on the roof. If you have ever been through a hurricane type storm, you know that after the storm has passed there are a lot of critters that get stirred up. So I naturally thought that it was some sort of critter that was trying to find his way back home. Albeit it sounded like a large critter, but in my drive to get the gang fed, I dismissed it. SO then I heard it again! This is the part where I raised my voice a little and said, "Robbie there is someone on our roof!" (to some this may have sounded like a scream, but I am sure it was not.) To which he replied, "No there's not!". To which I replied emphatically,"YES. THERE. IS." To placate the hallucinating wife, Robbie goes outside and guess what? There was someone on our roof. Not just any someone, but a boy someone, with the last name O'Brien. Yes my beautiful boy was on the roof. He had been thinking about this for awhile, as evidenced by the step stool on the trampoline. He was literally running on the rooftop, wind blowing in his hair, smile on his face! And what do you think was his plan for getting down? If you guessed jumping off the roof and onto the trampoline, you win! Robbie calmly explained to him the idea of angles and trajectory and if he hit the trampoline in the wrong spot he would go flying into our neighbors yard. To which my son replied, "Oh! I did not think about that!" (Thought to self, "DUH! Obviously!") With the help of dad, he finally made it down safely and all is well!

Part of me wanted to strangle him. But then another part of me wanted to tell him how proud I was of him, because he went on an adventure!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Treasures in Jars of Clay



My husband sent this picture to me saying that when he saw it he thought of me!

I thought this was a poetic picture of the ministry of a mom! We are broken vessels that carry inside smaller jars of clay that (hopefully) give living water to others!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Playing in the rain!


OK! My children have been stuck in the house for too long! So what does any good mom do? I sent them outside to jump on the trampoline in the tropical storm. Don't panic! This was earlier this evening, before dinner, when it was just raining a little bit sideways! It really is not as bad as they show on TV! They loved it! They came in very wet, but with memories.

And here is me letting Summer play in the rain! This was before dinner and it was a little windy. There was a little rain!

We are starting to feel the wind here a lot more and it looks like it may hit land right near us, if not on top of us! So we will be stuck in the house again tomorrow. Not looking forward to it, but at least we still have electricity (which means AC!). Please let us have electricity tomorrow!

Fay!

The first day of school was Monday for us and the public schools. Then they(meaning the County) canceled public school for Tuesday and Wednesday because of Fay. But I am still schooling my poor children! They think it is incredibly unfair!

We have actually been very fortunate, because we have had very little effect of the storm. It has rained, but even that has not been severe. We will see what she will do this afternoon, but so far so good!

Monday, August 18, 2008

First Day!

Well, we survived our first day of Homeschooling! I absolutely loved it! And my boys were very eager to get started, even the negative one! I had to juggle the girls, but they did pretty good too! I know that every day will not be like this, but I am glad today was!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Sweet boys!

I have been very sick for the past two days, in bed with a fever kind of sick! But during my times of semi-consciousness I realized I have beautiful boys. My boys really took care of me. One would come in every so often and check my temperature with the ear temp thingy. One made me chicken noodle soup. And the other would make sure I had something to drink whenever I needed it! I just love them! It is days like today that give me hope!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Into the great Unknown!

Well, I have finally done it! I have made the leap of faith and journeying into the great unknown. I have sent off the letter that will tell the School Board that I am homeschooling my boys! Yes, you read correctly! I will be homeschooling all three boys, with two little ones under foot. This is something I have been thinking about for a long time!

I have one child that is incredibly excited about this, one who is cautiously optimistic, and one that is royally ticked off. This should be fun! But seriously I am excited about this new step in our family journey. I have prayed about this for awhile! I am scared, but more of that excited kind of scared! You know the kind that makes you have butterflies, knowing it will be tough but at the same time worth it (I hope!).

I have had a wonderful woman give me a lot of curriculum and resources that are wonderful (her youngest child is about four years older than Trey). She has been a godsend, not only providing me with these things but encouraging me as well.

So, please say a prayer for me!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Conversations with my boys!

My boys were watching TV tonight and one of the characters let out a very loud burp and this is the conversation that followed:

R: Man, that was the biggest burp I have ever heard. Besides God!
Me: Does God burp?
T: Well, He can do anything!

End of conversation!

Friday, August 8, 2008

Everbody's Somebody's _________!

Everybody's Somebody's Weirdo!

I read this bumper sticker a while back and it has always stuck with me. More recently I have been thinking about it in a different way.

We (meaning Robbie and I) have a circle of friends, peers and acquaintance's. They have a wide range of opinions and ideas. Here is the idea. Among these people, we are viewed in many different ways. There are some who say we are way to conservative on our ideas and opinions. Then there are some who say we are way to liberal. What is funny to me is the fact that we are still the same person no matter what. We do not vary our ideas based on which company we are in.

So this is where the bumper sticker comes in.

Everybody's Somebody's Conservative or Everybody's Somebody's Liberal!


What I have to be reminded of is that someone's label does not define me. But rather God shapes me into the person He created me to be.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Transitions

I really don't like transitions. The thing is I don't mind change. In fact I kind of like change, but I like it on my own terms. But right now I feel like I am in a kind of spiritual transition. I am not sure how to explain it! I feel like I am growing out of my old shell and I feel incredibly vulnerable. I want to hide myself away until I can figure out what my new shell is going to look like.

I did some research about this process in the animal world. When hermit crabs molt, they bury themselves in the sand, because they are vulnerable to attacks from other hermit crabs. After reading this I was kind of relieved, because that is exactly what I want to do. And this is a natural process, to grow and develop a new shell. What I have noticed is that those around me don't understand this process so they are pressing in on me to "make sure I am OK". I am OK, just growing a new shell!

I wonder what it will look like! I hope it is pretty!