Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Scratch wanting to live on a farm!

We woke to another dead cat... our new one from last week. We walked out to wave bye to daddy and he was laying dead on the driveway. I can't stand to deal with death of our animals anymore. I'm sure there's a lesson here, but right now I don't see it! WHY??? In the past 6 months we now have had 2 confirmed dead cats, 2 disappeared, 2 dead rabbits, and one dead fish (who we think was eaten by one of the missing cats). Add in the year before that, and we can add a grandmother, a great grandmother, and a great grandfather. I'm tired and weary from death.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Shaoey's 2nd Forever Family Day

2 years already!! I wrote about it on our adoption blog www.journeytoshaoey.com and uploaded some pictures, too!

Helping the economy...

I think I've done my share. Don't forget, each pile has 2 of everything!!

Princess Shaoey

I am noticing a trend in Shaoey's choice of outfits. What do you think?





Introducing yet another new pet... Mao Mao

We were in BLR on Thursday for the repairmen to go their punchlist (usually done earlier than this, but the hurricanes and power outages hindered that) and make a few repairs.

First, we got there and went inside. We were looking out the window and one of the boys saw a large bird in a tree in the yard. We went out to get a closer look and all of a sudden MANY large birds took to the sky from our yard. Here's a picture of what a small part the sky looked like. Multiply this times about 4.... it was CREEPY to see the buzzards circling overhead!!!


Then after the repairmen showed up, we saw a young cat in the yard. This is the picture the kids had me take to email Dad, begging him to let them keep it...


It must have worked, because here's the cat in our sunroom!



Now if I could just sweet talk my husband into chickens and goats and fruit trees and a vegetable garden.... Can you tell I'd really like to live on a farm?

Thursday, November 13, 2008

The "Me Time" debate...

How many times have I felt like I NEED or HAVE to get away, and I do get away, only to come home to a mess (physical or emotional--see the last post "How soon we forget lessons..." for my most recent one)? Or how about when our children interrupt our quiet time with the Lord? I often let all that overshadow my "break" which I thought would refresh me and rejuvenate me. I'm left feeling sorry for myself, dissatisfied and wanting even more. Why is this? Because it is not what will truly refresh me!

The world tells us as wives and moms that we deserve time away. The world is of the opinion that being a wife and mom is a "job." God doesn't see it that way. He has called us into the ministry of being the keeper of the home, a help meet, a beacon of light for our children. If I am looking for fulfillment outside of God's roles for me, I will always come up empty.

Does this mean we are to be around them 24/7, never getting time of refreshment, being a martyr? No. I think it's all in the attitude and expectations. I believe if we stop seeing "our time" (which really isn't ours anyway, it's His) as something we are owed, but put God first, give Him our time and attend to our family lovingly and humbly and with a willing spirit; God will provide refreshment and refueling. It may be in a chance to visit with friends, or go shopping alone, or have actual one on one quiet time with our Lord. Or, just maybe, it will come amidst the chaos of a happy family, or in the quiet morning hours holding a little one that's awoken while it's still dark and needs her mama's arms around her.

I felt led to write on this based on an article in this month's The Old Schoolhouse magazine. The article was from the author's blog entry The "Me Time" Myth. It really struck a chord with me and apparently quite a few once you see all the comments. I really think God has been preparing me for this for a while. I've noticed I don't look for the times away as much. My sweet husband will offer me to go run errands but it just doesn't hold the same "temptation" for me that it once did. I really just want to be home with my family. Friends ask me how I can homeschool and be around them all day. I want to ask them, "how can you not?" They're such a joy and blessing! Their time with us is so short... God has chosen my husband and I to care for His children! What an honor!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

How fast we forget lessons...

And I'm not talking about homeschool lessons.

My husband and I have a standing disagreement about every 4-5 months. Basically it boils down to he wants me to exercise so that we can be together for longer. Of course, I don't want to, exercise that is! I have never enjoyed it. I know intellectually that I need it. I know that it's good for me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I just don't like it.

I was talking to my dear spiritual friend and mentor this morning and she really spoke some hard truth into my life. She reminded me that God commands me to be in submission to my husband; not just in the things I want to be in submission to him for, but in all things. Yes, this includes exercise. When I am not in submission, I am in sin and this results in static in my relationship with God. Wow! I honestly never thought of that! To the best of my ability, I need to be in submission to him. Why have I not been submissive in this area? Well, that would be another sin. I was being rebellious, pure and simple. I wanted unconditional love from my husband, whether I exercised or not. I felt like I shouldn't have to exercise to get his "unconditional love." Guess what? I will never get unconditional love from another human! There is only one person who can fill that hole in my heart--GOD! I was asking my husband to do something he is not designed to do.

You'd think that haven gotten this lesson this morning that I would be on guard. Nope! This evening, I was out grocery shopping and got several calls from my husband. Apparently the princess was very tired and falling asleep. She would NOT let daddy brush her teeth, no way, now how! I come home and the saga was continuing. So, I go and get her off the sofa, brush her teeth, try to get her to potty, and try to put her to bed. No luck. By this time, she is wide awake, albeit GRUMPY! So of course, Mama is grumpy. In my mind (and I'm sure on my face), I am feeling and thinking not so nice thoughts. "Did we really have to brush her teeth tonight?" "Do we really wake a sleeping 3 year old?" "I could be sitting down with a book right now instead of cleaning up his messy situation again!" "It's easy for him to say wake her and brush her teeth. He won't have to deal with an angry princess!" (She won't let him, but that's another story.)

My other first thoughts were, "I'm going to email my ChattyGirls and see what THEY think! I'm sure they'll agree with me!" Then after a few minutes of thinking this, I felt a nudge in my heart. I wasn't being submissive to my husband. If he wants her teeth brushed, then it is my job to respectfully and joyfully brush her teeth. So instead of emailing my CGG (sorry, girls), I decided to share MY lesson from today with you. In what area is God calling you to be submissive to your husband? I pray that this lesson blesses you like I think it will.

Hmmm, maybe I didn't completely forget my lesson today afterall. Now it's time to go apologize to my husband....

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord." Ephesians 5:22 NIV

Thursday, November 6, 2008

More dresses!




Imagine 2 of each!!! :-) Can't wait!!! I had another one ordered from Boden, but I just noticed on the sent email that they only had one... May have to see if I can find one somewhere else...