31 July 2008

Thankful Thursday

It has been a long time since I did one of these posts, and I have so very much to be grateful for.


Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee:

Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good:

for His mercy endureth for ever.


 



~Psalm 118:28&29 

I am thankful that I am alive...and healthy...and even moreso that I have the promise of eternal life...with God...in heaven; how cool is that?!


I am thankful that I live in Texas...even though it is ridiculously hot...almost every day...for months without end; but this is where He has me, so it is where I am supposed to be...and the homeschool laws are great...and I love my church family...and I have wonderful friends here...and a home...and two dogs...and airconditioners...all of which I am thankful for.


I am thankful for the wonderful parents that I was blessed to have been raised by...even though I miss my daddy something fierce...and my mama has alzheimer's...so I kinda miss her in a differen sort of way...I know they loved me...and they loved God too...and taught me about His love.


I am thankful for my husband...who loves me pretty much unconditionally...and would give me anything I want...or do anything for me that is within his power to do...and besides that is a great dad...and incredibly handsome...and does his own laundry...and makes the bed...and prays for me...and is so much more than I deserve...or ever thought I could have.


I am thankful for my children...all seven of them...with their unique personalities...and their talents and abilities...and their challenges...and the many things that God is teaching me through them...and the incredible privilege of being their mama.


I am thankful for God's Word...in my own language...which I can afford...and carry with me...and read whenever I want...or need to


I am thankful for mountains...trees...oceans, rivers, and lakes


for sunrises...cool morning walks...and a warm cuppa tea


for books...and music...and art...and poetry...and for those with the gifts to create beauty...and the desire to share



It's a sign of mediocrity when you demonstrate gratitude with moderation.


 


~Roberto Benigni


 




28 July 2008

Pray for the persecuted church in China

From Marlene Behne, who is the assistant to the editor at The Voice of the Martyrs Persecution BlogVoice of the Martyrs Persecution Blog:



As you may be aware, the Olympics this year are being held in China, and China is one of the world's greatest persecutors of Christians.  This prayer band will remind you to pray for the Chinese who are suffering for their faith while the whole world is looking at China during the Olympics.






The Simple Woman's Daybook

 read more or join in here


FOR TODAY 

 ~ Monday, 28 July, 2008 ~



 Outside My Window...sunrise


I am thinking...what can i give my oldest for her 18th birthday next week?



I am thankful for...God's mercies, which are new every morning



From the kitchen...fresh bread for snack this afternoon



I am wearing...my pj's and robe



I am creating...a shopping list



I am going...grocery shopping



I am reading...The Voyage of the Dawn Treader aloud to my children



I am hoping...for at least one day this week when i will not have to go anywhere



I am hearing...the hum of the air conditioner



Around the house...the weekend mess awaits our attention



One of my favorite things...two this week ~ getting caught in a rainstorm with my three younger children & IKEA dream~shopping with two of my girls



A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:  

cleaning focus: kitchen ~ decluttering focus: laundry ~ a special teatime with Frap




Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...



I found this photo at  stock.xchng

20 July 2008

Sunday Night Random Ramblin' Thoughts

Last week we went to the DMV to get photo IDs for the three children going on our church's Labor Day Weekend mission trip to Saltillo, Mexico.


My husband's passport arrived in the mail.


This week the kids will be doing a few things to earn some money for that trip.  Tomorrow O Special One and Sergeant Elf will be going over to help a lady from church with some cleaning/organizing and take turns watching her baby, and next weekend my husband and J~Man will be painting the same family's fence as well as their neighbor's.


Frap and Sergeant Elf went last year, Frap and her dad went the year before, and Tibby and dad went on another Mexico mission a couple of years before that.  This means that Lulapalooza, Toodles, and I will be the only ones who haven't been south of the border yet.


In homeschool news ~ the kids have two weeks of studies left followed by a one week break.  After that we will only have 13 weeks left for this year which we will probably break up with another two week break.  This year has gone well, and it just seems to be flying.


I went to the library on Saturday with Frap and O Special One.  I checked out three cookbooks:  Totally Dairy-Free Cooking by Louis Lanza and Laura Morton ~ which is okay, The Big Book of Easy Suppers by Maryana Vollstedt ~ which I am thoroughly enjoying and from which I am copying recipes copiously, and The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters ~ which is going on my wishlist!  I also got Behind the Mask : A Book about Prepositions by Ruth Heller ~ which we will be using in our studies over the next couple of weeks.


Also on Saturday I spent most of the evening helping get set up for the Grand Opening of The Christian Home Library.  I will probably be there most of Monday and Tuesday also.  We are so excited about our new location!  If you are in the Austin area come by and check it out Tuesday afternoon, and if you live elsewhere in the U.S. please bookmark our web site, because our plan is to be able to ship nation-wide once we get our inventory catalogued and our database up and running.  (This is still a way off, but it will be worth the wait!)


I am still not caught up in the kitchen (or the laundry, or anywhere else for that matter), but my terrific husband helped out quite a bit over the weekend, so I may actually get it done this week if I can manage to stay home a bit.  I did get menu plans and a shopping list done, so, "Yay me!"


I have taken over Tibby's part-time nanny job since she got a real job at Olive Garden.  They didn't need me any last week (which had a negative impact on my food budget); they need me on Friday and Saturday this week and possibly before that, but I won't know until she calls me tomorrow.


The puppies are finally finished with their vet appointments for shots, etc.  Having a dog is certainly a lot more involved (read: expensive!) than it was when I was a kid.  I cannot believe that in four months we have shelled out over $800, and that doesn't include the food.  We love them though, and they are wonderful, sweet mutts.  They have grown so much.  The SPCA where we got them classified them as beagles ~ HA! ~ Sebastian is 40 pounds already, and Aylin weighs just four pounds less at 6 months old.  They defenitely have something bigger than beagle in their bloodline.


The weather here is miserably hot (90 degrees as I am typing this at 10 p.m.)  this is the 29th day of 100 degree temps in the last two months.  I will never get used to this ~ ugh!


So, in addition to housework (finish cleaning my kitchen), and teaching, my plans for this week are:




  • Monday ~ take girls to help; work in Library



  • Tuesday ~ take boys to gymnastics; work in Library ~ Grand Opening!



  • Wednesday ~ grocery shop if I haven't already; maybe work nanny job; Sgt. Elf's drum lesson



  • Thursday ~ Sgt. Elf's dance lesson



  • Friday ~ Toodles' dance lesson; work nanny job



  • Saturday ~ work nanny job



14 July 2008

The Simple Woman's Daybook

learn more here


FOR TODAY 

 ~ Monday, 14 July, 2008 ~

 


 Outside My Window...windy and grey skies


I am thinking...about an unfortunate situation i find myself in the middle of at the moment



I am thankful for...my godly mama and daddy



From the kitchen...whole wheat pasta with white beans and fire roasted tomatoes for supper



I am wearing...shorts ~ t-shirt ~ barefeet



I am creating...study notebooks



I am going...nowhere else today



I am reading...rockin' granola my latest found blog



I am hoping...that the aforementioned unfortunate situation will be resolved soon and without any more hurt feelings



I am hearing...children's conversation and my windchimes



Around the house...sigh; don't ask



One of my favorite things...watching toodles ice skate last saturday



A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:  

two business meetings ~ a trip to the dmv for photo id cards for 3bkids going to mexico on a mission trip ~ a breakfast meeting with a friend or two ~ special teatime with Sergeant Elf

09 July 2008

I could not have said it any better...

so I won't try.


The Headmistress over at The Common Room has stated it so well; please go read her post on Intoxicated Tweens.

07 July 2008

The Simple Woman's Daybook

learn more here


FOR TODAY 

 ~ Monday, 7 July, 2008 ~

 Outside My Window...the peach and plum trees are bright green in the morning sunlight




I am thinking...i need to make dentist appointments



I am thankful for...my children



From the kitchen...nothing yet



I am wearing...shorts ~ t-shirt ~ ponytail ~ barefeet



I am creating...menu plans



I am going...shopping for dance shoes for Sergeant Elf and Toodles



I am reading...e-mails and blogs



I am hoping...to have a productive week



I am hearing...J~Man fixing his breakfast and Frap starting her laundry



Around the house...the rest of the tribe is still asleep so it is still fairly quiet



One of my favorite things...the silence of sunrise



A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:  

finish cleaning the kitchen ~ puppies to the vet for shots ~ new homeschool dance classes for Sergeant Elf and Toodles ~ a special teatime with J~Man

06 July 2008

New Year Resolutions

My dearest friend always does her resolutions around her birthday.  I think that is a territic idea, and since I celebrated the beginning of my new year nine days ago, here are some of the improvements I would like to make in my life at this time:



  1. get back to walking every morning

  2. make menu plans and grocery shop only once a week following the menu plans

  3. have a set time for teatimes and make sure I am giving that child my undivided attention

  4. have daily read alouds

  5. incorporate the art and music materials I have into our studies

  6. keep the television turned off during the day

  7. make more productive use of my computer time and blog regularly

  8. be more attentive to my husband when he gets home from work each day

  9. call my mom every week


Happy New Year!

04 July 2008

Independence Day

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. . . read the rest


and ponder it


and then read this (hat-tip to KathyJo)

03 July 2008

Trust

Tibby is out with friends today...seven friends...friends from work...friends i don't know...or barely know...friends she chose without me...100 miles away...at an amusement park...in my car.


I kind of trust them.


I want her to know I trust her.


I am having to trust in Him.