Wordless Wednesday

We've made it

We are official residents of Midland now. It sure has been an adventure getting here. Today the movers will meet us at 9 to unload the Uhaul truck. Then we can return it and get to life as usual. Well, I guess there is no "Life as usual" anymore, since life has changed. Living out of an RV will be interesting to say the least. We had major drama finding a park, but it all worked out in the end. I'll have to write about it in detail when I have time. Right now I just don't.

We are in corporate housing also. We are not staying in the RV until I get it put together and organized, plus we have to buy chemicals and so forth. Oh yeah, I need to go buy a mattress topper for our bed so that it will raise the comfort level. We have never slept in there, but that mattress is not good quality.

Wordless Wednesday

Dixie Cajuns' Creations

I have just discovered a wonderful family run business, Dixie Cajuns' Creations. They make beautiful homemade aprons and dolls (and other things). Right now, Feelin' Feminine is hosting a give away for an apron from Dixie Cajuns' Creations. So, go on over there and enter, you may actually get one of these lovely aprons.

If not, you should consider purchasing one, I know I will!

SO very busy

I will be so busy packing this week and getting moved. So, there probably won't be many posts. We'll be in our new spot Saturday and I'll get back to posting. Probably more interesting stuff as I explore the new area.

RV Living...revisited

If you have been following me, you know that last year we had plans to move into an RV and stay for a while. Well, those plans fell through as the person who we got the RV from sold it out from under us.

Yesterday we finalized the purchase of a new travel trailer, our own, brand new. Since Chris has gotten this new job offer in Midland, we have been unable to find a house. We secured an apartment, but being locked into a year long lease was not our idea of a good time. Wait, did I mention how EXPENSIVE an apartment in Midland is? How about the price of a house? It is goofy stupid high.

So, we are going to stay in our RV for a while until we find a house. Even then, having the RV will allow us to travel with Chris and his work. He may be assigned to different areas for weeks at a time.

We will be moving into this new RV next week...will be living there full time starting next Saturday.

I am excited...

Hopefully more news to come on this subject. I am afraid to talk about it as to jinx ourselves.

Let's just say if you knew what we were planning to do about this time last year, it is back on the horizon. :D

House shopping

Well, we found a really nice house for lease in the right area, but it was just too small. :( We will most likely stay in extended stay housing (corp. housing) until we find something "right" for us.

I just wish we had answers, but so far, none except for we have to be out to *this* house by the first. We certainly are going on faith right now. We will have all our answers this week FINALLY. I am excited for the changes for our family. :D

It's not about getting through...

Homeschooling, what an amazing blessing. Even if my 12 year old can't see it right now, I can and she will too some day.

I have her doing Aleks for her math. The program tailors itself to the child, and makes sure they don't fall through any gaps. I had her take a quiz yesterday, on which she did poorly. So Aleks, true to it's promise, is making her repeat the material until she masters is. She got really upset that she lost some of her "pie" (material she had done and they add it to her pie, when it is complete, she advances on). See, she is focused on FINISHING and getting to a higher level class.

I told her "It's not about getting through the material, it is about mastering the material". And there it is folks, one of the most beautiful things about homeschooling. They have a chance to master the material, not just "get through it" as in *other* environments.

There was a day I would have said "public school", but now that we have gone down the road of a private school, I realize that homeschooling is the only way this option is viable. We will keep doing it until it is done. No sliding by here.

Trying hard

I am trying hard to post every day. I think I am boring everyone, but I will keep posting anyhow.

The picture in yesterdays WW is the angel in the garden that serves as my son's eternal resting place. He is at her feet.

Wordless Wednesday

I am busier than a one armed paper hanger!

Okay, as of today we have:

15 days until we leave for vacation and 23 days until we move!!!

YIKES!!!!

So, I am being so busy packing and organizing. I have scaled back homeschooling to just the basics. Math, reading, writing, and grammar. Mostly stuff Michaela can do on her own.

Now, what is the worst part? We don't even know WHERE we are moving to!!! We know the town, but not "where". We have an apartment on hold, but really don't want to be locked into a lease there. We want a house with a yard in a nice area. There is nothing available yet, but there will be, and we don't want to be locked in a lease when we find it.

So, if nothing comes up in the next 15 days, we will be putting everything into storage and moving into an extended stay hotel.

This in itself presents another issue. Some of the extended stays do not allow dogs. I just pray it is a nice one that does permit dogs. *Sigh*

I will be so happy when we have some answers.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Oh my, how you have grown!

Pure exhaustion

That is what I feel after Michaela's birthday party. We went to dinner at Simply Fondue. It was Chris, Wyatt, Tucker, Troy, Michaela, Libby, Joselyn, Megan, and myself. We ate dinner, which took 3 hours.

After that, Chris took the boys home and the girls and I went on to the Westin hotel (over-rated).

Anyhow, the girls didn't got to sleep until 3 something and were up shortly after 6.

I, my friends, am a zombie.

They showed the house and...

So, I left for them to show the house. I came back to lights on, fans off, all blinds and curtains open. That is not what frustrated me most...someone stopped my washing machine. Seriously??? Was that their place to do? I just figured it was done. Took my stuff out of the dryer, was gonna put stuff from washer into dryer, but NO, it was sitting in water. That just flew all over me.

I would have washed the windows if I'd have known they wanted all the blinds open. My kids use window markers to practice writing Bible verses and spelling words on the windows (just fun for them), but there is writing all over them and finger prints on the inside, and muddy dog footprints on the outside. (Guess what the dogs do while the kids write?)

A poem about Motherhood

I Looked Into the Eyes of My Children
a poem by Donna Reish

I looked into the eyes of my children, surprised by what I did see,
For I thought I’d see the face of Jesus, staring back at me.
But then when I observed their hearts, what I saw was a big surprise.
For instead, I saw me—their mother—reflected in their eyes.
All that I wish I wasn’t, all that I’d like to change,
Was reflected right there in their eyes, in many different ways.
All the things I wanted them to change, all the things I disliked the most,
Were merely reflections of me—things I should have already known.
I cried to the Lord, “Forgive me, for pressuring them, you see,
To be things that I am not willing—or even able—to be.”

When I heard an older one say, in a very selfish tone,
“I’ll give you my best toy, if you’ll only leave me alone.”
I saw manipulation take place and knew where it was learned,
For I, too, can be the very same way, the conniving way I spurned.
When I saw one of them wanting the best, I thought, “What a selfish child,”
Then saw myself being selfish in just a very short while.
When I heard one of them talk angrily, I couldn’t believe my ears,
Until a few minutes later, my own angry voice did I hear.
I saw one of them putting frivolities before the things of the Lord,
And then saw me with my magazines, instead of God’s holy Word.

Day after day, God showed me, my children learn what they live,
And before I can help them to change, I must be willing to give—
Yes, give up the things that hold me from being what God wants me to be—
And willing to be an example—of Jesus—for my children to see.
Now when I see negative character reflected in my children’s eyes,
I look into the mirror, for it’s no longer such a surprise.
Instead of asking them to change, I ask God to work in me,
And day by day, changes in them take place—and Christ I am able to see.

Showing house today

The landlords are showing the house today and it is so NOT ready to be shown. So, I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off because I want it to look a bit decent. Originally they told me at 9 this morning they wanted to show it at noon. **freak out** Then, when I made arrangements to be gone during that time, they were able to change it to 5:30. At least that gives me more time, except now I have plans to be somewhere at 1 and have to find somewhere else to be at 5:30. Maybe if the kids help a ton, we'll got to the movies.

We have been sorting, packing, and organizing like mad, and that makes for a lot of weird piles and chaos around the house. I hope whomever is looking can look past the mess.

I think I will put the dogs out with a note to NOT go in the backyard. Think that will work? I hope so.

Wordless Wednesday

So, here I am again.

Wide awake long before I need be. Actually I woke up at 3, it is now 4:15. I think I will bathe the dogs and start getting ready to take Chris to the airport.

I pray things go well for him there today. :D Have a nice day everyone. I will put up my "wordless wednesday" post after I submit this. We'll talk about it tomorrow. :D

Sleep...

Some quotes on sleep...where I intend to be going right now

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. ~Irish Proverb


Life is too short to sleep on low thread-count sheets. ~Leah Stussy

Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds. ~JoJo Jensen

The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

O bed! O bed! delicious bed!
That heaven upon earth to the weary head.
~Thomas Hood

The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep. ~E. Joseph Cossman

I'm not asleep... but that doesn't mean I'm awake. ~Author Unknown

The feeling of sleepiness when you are not in bed, and can't get there, is the meanest feeling in the world. ~Edgar Watson Howe

Work in progress

I am trying to make my blog "pretty". I like this better, but still not where I want to be. I want a pretty header and side bars...so on and so forth. Baby steps I suppose. This is all greek to me. Thank you to the laides at "Cutest Little Blog on the Block" for this background. Now, one day I will make one myself complete with headings and all the cute little things. :D

Up, at 3 AM

Been up for a good while now. Steroids always do this to me.

Oh yeah, did I mention, I am sick. My asthma has been acting up. Now it has led to bronchitis. Got a steroid shot, breathing treatments (inhaler was not working), and strong antibiotics. My O2 level was 89% when I got to the doc. Thank goodness it came up or I'd be typing this from Walls Regional hospital.

Made tuna casserole for supper. Chris hated it. It was okay, but not my favorite. Troy said it was nasty. Michaela LOVED it. Now that I am up and apparently it still hasn't digested, I am loving it way less!

Let's see, what else? I have to have my vehicle at Ford at 8am. My microphone in my Synch is screwy, they have to fix it. I cannot even use it because the person on the other end of my calls hears too much noise. Also, it needs an oil change.

Have I mentioned that it is cold?

Enough griping. Going to surf the net...

Modest Bathing Suits

Okay, we believe in modesty. However, we are aware modesty is subjective. I got DD the cutest bathing suits from a store called "Lime Ricki". www.limericki.com

Their stuff is so high quality, their customer service dept. excellent, and their shipping time AMAZING. I recommend them to EVERYONE. Yes, the price is a bit higher, but worth every dime.

This one is on the "wish list", top first, bottoms that we will get in second pic

This next one is one I ordered for her for her birthday...should be here before Saturday. So cute. Full coverage bottoms, cute back!

I got her this one first...it fits so well! Covers to about two inches below her bottom, but still looks stylish and funky and she LOVES it. (She has the skirt bottom from second pic, not the boy shorts from first)