So Cliché……….

We started back to our HomeSchool Co-op today.

The kids were soooo excited.

We had PE at a local park where they did a “physical fitness test ” type activity…..running laps and then  pull ups.

Then the kids just had a FREE FOR ALL and played for about 30 minutes.

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!!

The kids were STOKED to see all their friends again.

Its such a great MIX of people….

All coming together because we have ONE CENTRAL THING in common.

Homeschooling.

Every time we get together(every Friday) I can’t help but think of what a BLESSING it is to have a group of people who can all COME TOGETHER for the purpose of fun and fellowship.

Even if we are all TOTALLY different in other ways.

We can all learn from each other.

And as HOMESCHOOLERS….we NEED that.

Anyway…..

After PE we headed over to the church to have our classes.

Zeek is taking a SURVIVAL CLASS.

AWESOME!!!

Here is a pic of the list that he brought to me after class:

FLIPPIN’ AWESOME!!!!!

Along with this list he also told me that he HAD TO HAVE a pocket knife that locks because he HAS TO whittle a spear before class next Friday.

LOVE IT!!!!!

And then there was Shashas class.

She is taking EMBROIDERY.

PERFECT!!!!!

Today she learned how to do a RUNNING STITCH.

HERE is her 1st attempt:

I LOVE the fact that Mrs.. Jill had them use the gingham fabric so that they could measure the stitches…GENIOUS!!!!!

And here is her attempt at a straight stitch with NO GINGHAM!!!!!

Pretty Good for a 7 year old!!!!

This goes along PERFECT with her 4H sewing we are doing.

Last weekend we were given a SEWING MACHINE by Jays Mom.

It was his Grandmothers…so sweet.

Shasha was BEGGING for 2 days to open it up and see if it worked.

And when we DID she was one HAPPY GIRL!

Soooo SURVIVAL CLASS and EMBROIDERY….

We are soooo CLICHE’!!!!!

BUT

Its GREAT to be a HOMESCHOOLER!!!!!

CREATING Culture

I have mentioned before that I read a FEW BLOGS …..

THIS is the LIVESAY BLOG.

If you haven’t read it…..GO.

NOW.

COME BACK TO THIS.

AMAZING people….doing AMAZING things.

They are a missionary family of 7(as far as I can tell) that …UNTIL the earthquake….

LIVED in Haiti.

LOVED in Haiti.

WORKED in Haiti.

Now….they are in TEXAS.

“Experiencing” American “CULTURE”.

Read about it HERE!!!

I LOVE that they are RAW to the “Culture” that is so called “AMERICAN”.

And when I say “culture” I mean the materialistic consumerism.

On her latest blog she talked about the children having “fits” because  there is TOO MUCH to chose from.

You know…like 20 kinds of yogurt…or 15 kinds of EGGS.

I can relate because just yesterday I stood in front of the yogurt in the store and walked away with NOTHING because I couldn’t decide!!!!

I makes me think about how in OUR life..we have decided to try and CREATE CULTURE.

We have decided, by living on the “outside” of society,that we will set ourselves apart from “American” culture.

In OUR CULTURE… we have decided to shun monetary “riches” in favor of RICHES of the HEART.

A culture where EXCESS is just that….EXCESS.

We are CREATING a  culture where JAH comes first….not work, or friends, or money.

A culture where doing the RIGHT THING is the ONLY THING.

A culture that is PROUD to be different.

PROUD to LOVE GOD.

A culture of ONE LOVE.

A culture of CHARITY,GRACE, and HUMILITY.

I PRAY that we can MANIFEST this  CULTURE .

I pray that this is a culture that WILL ENDURE the test of time.

For our children's’  sake…..I PRAY.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lovely…….

  “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.” Maya Angelou

Lesson Learned…….

In the last few years homeschooling…..

I have learned about PATIENCE.

HOLDING MY TONGUE.

AND

TIME MANAGEMENT…

Among OTHER things.

Mostly …I have learned that SOMETIMES when you are homeschooling..

LIFE HAPPENS.

Its a different world from the way other people live.

If my kids had been in public school over the last month…

I would have been able to take them to school,

drop them off,

then

Go home and pack, or pay bills, clean house,do laundry,deal with family illness issues, etc.

But Instead…..over the last month …

We have made this journey TOGETHER.

And BOY have I learned alot!!!

I have learned to GROW MY PATIENCE.

I have learned to HOLD MY TONGUE.

I have put THIS verse into practice:

¹⁹My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ²¹Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-20

Not that I was ANGRY…but It WAS frustrating TRYING to pack and move or deal with “illness issues”…..

while the kids were there.

BUT…

I learned.

I TRULY learned NOT to “snap” at them….instead, taking the time to LISTEN to them…

as opposed to…..

just HEARING them, and them sending them “out of dodge”.

(Which we all KNOW is easier!!!!)

I have actually learned to STOP and HOLD MY TONGUE.

Even when I wanted to just “snap” at them …and have them go on their way.

(I know…It sounds YUCKY….But it is REAL.)

I have truly learned to “Let life happen”

because … IT DOES.

I have learned to appreciate the fact that SOMETIMES…

“LIFE-work” is MORE valuable than “BOOK-work”.

And

LIFE LESSONS are the FRUIT of Gods patience.

Maybe …

just maybe….

He has been PATIENT.

Waiting on ME.

SLOW , STUBBORN ME….

to learn THESE lessons.

Maybe …now that we’ve got that down…

we can move on.

I feel a peace in my heart….Like I was GRANTED some sort of key to my life.

A key that allows me to “LIVE INSIDE” my life….

fully saturated by the LOVE that I am BLESSED with.

A key that lets me “JUMP IN” much quicker…..

it lets me be MORE spontaneous.

Doing something….RIGHT NOW.

Instead of making the “I’ll plan for that and do it LATER” promise.

(Which for me…is more like the “That would be great BUT…I’ll NEVER get back to that” NON-promise.)

Which is like being given TIME.

And who doesn't want just a little more  TIME?????

………………………………………………………………………………………………….When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Eccl 7:14

Here is the FRUIT of our SPONTANIOUS GAME NIGHT…..

 

Back in the saddle…..

Two days into our 1st week back to school after our LONG BREAK, and I am LOVING IT!!!!

Its been a LITTLE stressful because we still dont have our “computer station” up and running.

And TO ME….

Having the computer station is CRUTIAL!!!!

Example:

Because of the different ages/stages of the kids, during MATH, LA, etc. I can split them up . I will work with the 2 olders, while the littles do their math work on the computer. THEN…SWITCH.

Much easier than TRYING to teach Pre-K, Kinder, 1st, AND 3rd …AT THE SAME TIME!!!

OTHER than THAT….

Things are going well.

Their RESISTANCE is FUTILE!!!!!

LOL…

Happy Homeschooling!!!!!

 

Priceless Treasures…………..

$7

That is what we gave each of them.

$7

You would have thought each one of them had WON the LOTTO!!!!

They were sooooo excited.

We were on our way to the flea market and they were ready for a treasure hunt!!!

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

As we walked up…I found myself  wondering WHO was more excited,

ME or THEM?????

I remember when I was a kid my parents ALL LOVED to go antique shopping….I remember it feeling like a TREASURE HUNT.

So…

with $7 burning a HOLE in each and every one of their pockets,

we STARTED.

The girls were the first to find something…

We walked up to the FIRST BOOTH we saw and there were at least 25 Build-a-Bears for $5 a piece!!!!

(If you have ever been to BAB, you KNOW that at the store they are AT LEAST $15-if note MORE!)

SCORE!

Shasha picked a pink leopard BAB with eyes like Cleopatra…so cute.

and

Sheba(who wants to be JUST like her sister) got a pink Bear.

They walked away with BAB’s AND $2 still in their pocket.

Malachi was next….

he chose a wooden NINJA SWORD.

BIG SURPRISE!!!!!

AND Zeek very SMOOTHLY convinced him that he would REALLY like the “Mighty Ducks 2” movie.

Which he then PROMPTLY bought for $1.

Again..

We walked away with one happy NINJA WARRIOR and a VHS tape.(YES…we still buy VHS tapes. LOL)

Then there was Zeek.

Zeek is a TECH HEAD.

He LOVES anything that runs on batteries or plugs in.

or

has a screen.

He LOVES THEM…ALL of them.

So after walking the WHOLE flea market in search of Wii game booth……

(We tried to tell him that Wii games are to “new” to be at the flea market yet…he wasn't convinced.)

he FINALLY decided on 2 HOT WHEELS computer cames and a 1/4 lb. of gummi worms.

Walking away from the flea market with 4 HAPPY kids, I couldn’t help but think about how EACH one of them had showed a little piece of their personality.

But MOSTLY..

I couldn’t help but think that I had COME to the Flea Market with my TREASURES!!!

And they were PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE DAY……..

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."  Ephesians 4:2

LOVE DAY……..

Vday…….

Valentines Day…..

Or as my sis calls it, “singles awareness day”(LOL)…….

To our family it is a day to  CELEBRATE LOVE….any kind.

ALL LOVE.

We used to not celebrate ANY holidays….

BUT

A few years ago we started RE-thinking our “LOVE DAY” philosophy.

It is about LOVE after all….and the candy doesn't hurt!

Soooo….

Sunday morning the kids woke up to THIS:

Each of them had their own surprise!!!

NEEDLESS to say….they were EXCITED!!!!

And THIS was waiting for Daddy:

(YES…that IS a heat patch for his back!!! )LOL

And BEST OF ALL……….

THIS was waiting for me!!!!!

 

WOW!!!

I am  soooo blessed to have this TRUE LOVE in my life.

What a DAY….

LOVE DAY that is!!!!!

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

Were BACK……

The last month has been INTENSE.

I packed,

moved,

cleaned,

unpacked,

started a JOB(a few days a week)

AND

my Dad had surgery.

Needless to say….

We have been “Out of the LOOP”..so to say.

We have been OFF our schedule.

Its weird…

I have noticed that  when things got CRAZY this last month-I just wanted to sleep.

Like a STRESS OVERLOAD.

BUT…..

(drum roll)

I am COMMING BACK,

Starting fresh,

turning over a new leaf.

I have felt sooooo UNLIKE myself.

This weekend I am putting the final touches on our schoolroom and we are STARTING SCHOOL OFFICIALLY again on Monday.

I am SOOOOO ready to put my “teacher hat” on.

I love my kids but I cant STAND IT when they are “bored”.

And they have been “bored”.

By “Bored” I mean…..

arguing,fussing,fighting,complaining.

They NEED to EXCERCISE their minds.

I have figured out(I know…I'm slow) that how THEY ACT is almost a direct reflection of how I FEEL.

When I am stressed…they argue.

When I am overwhelmed….they fight.

When I am tired…they fuss.

BECAUSE….

They can feel it from me.

They can feel I am not “into it”.

Today I read Proverbs 27:19……

¹⁹ As water reflects a face,
       so a man's heart reflects the man.

This made me ask MYSELF some things…

Is my heart reflecting  LOVE in  my life????

Am I showing my kids what it is to STAY positive in the midst of STRESS?????

Am I showing them that even when things are hard, life is a BLESSING????

NO….

I am NOT.

Then I thought….

SERIOUSLY????

How FLIPPIN SELFISH am I???

I need to show  my family, friends, and JAH

that I AM APPRECIATIVE,

HONORED,

and BLESSED to have THIS life…

even if at times it is filled with MORE stress than I think I can handle,

MORE tears than I think I can bear,

and more ARGUMENTS than I think I can settle.

I am STARTING FRESH.

Honoring GOD….and being APPRECIATIVE for what I do have.

As of right now….I am opening my heart,

being appreciative for what I do have

BECAUSE

I am TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED.

Answered Prayers…..

God does not stand afar off as I struggle to speak. He cares enough to listen with more than casual attention. He translates my scrubby words and hears what is truly inside. He hears my sighs and uncertain gropings as fine prose. --Timothy Jones

GOD is GREAT!!!!

Give thanks for answered prayers.

My Dad is at home.

Safe.

Recovering.

Thank you for your prayers….

Prayer is not a discourse. It is a form of life, the life with God. That is why it is not confined to the moment of verbal statement. --Jacques Ellul

Hear me, oh Lord…..

Dear God,

Please be with my Father today.

Please grant him strength and courage to face any difficulty that you place in his path.

Grant the surgeons knowledge and a steady hand.

Please be with all those who anxiously await the passing of this crisis.

We will stand steadfast and be patient.

Please hear my prayers , Oh LORD.

Please hear my prayers.

Your loving daughter,

Jana

Truth and Honesty……

INTRODUCTION: I am going to be honest here….if you don't think you can handle it …STOP READING.

Maybe its the move.

Maybe its myfamilys health issues.

Maybe its “homeschool guilt”.

Maybe its ALL of it.

I don’t know.

I can’t put my finger on it.

But I am DEFINANTLY in a funk.

FEAR funk.

ANTICIPATION funk.

I don’t know.

The move has been RELATIVELY smooth.

If you don't count the UNhappy vacating renters we encountered

or

the “cleaning” of the old place.

AND there is SOOOO much to be thankful for.

and so much to look forward to.

But LOTS to do.

My HOMESCHOOL issues are silly.

I have TYPICAL “homeschool guilt” …because the schoolroom isn’t done yet and the kids are not on their NORMAL schedule.

They are fine.

Still smart.

BUT

My families health issues are my main focus right now.

I guess its FEAR.

Fear of the unknown.

Fear of the unexpected.

I find myself fearful.

I know I shouldn’t be…

BUT

I am.

I'm being honest.

I am.

I am scared of LIFE.

Its so fragile.

so FRAIL.

I tell people ALL DAY that GOD is in control.

I mean it…I tell people ALL DAY.

I KNOW HE IS.

But if I'm HONEST…

I say it for myself MORE that I say it for them.

I say it to REASSURE MYSELF.

To convince MYSELF.

Its the TRUTH.

And for the sake of INTEGRITY.

AND

Because I am trying to keep this blog as a “lifelong journal” of sorts…

I want it to be true and to not CANDY COAT things.

So there it is….

the TRUTH.

I am in a funk.

I am worried.

I am scared.

BUT…

I know that Jah will provide ALL THINGS NEEDED.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
       he leads me beside quiet waters,

³ he restores my soul.
       He guides me in paths of righteousness
       for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death, ^[a]
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
       in the presence of my enemies.
       You anoint my head with oil;
       my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
       all the days of my life,
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
       forever.

Louder PLEASE……

Sometimes I think God needs a megaphone.

Something that is REALLY LOUD…

and lets you hear him EVEN when you are  FAR AWAY.

Maybe a microphone would work.

I try and listen.

I LISTEN HARD.

But sometimes it’s as if he is WHISPERING.

God needs a megaphone.

BAD.

Prayer and Preparation….

WOW!!!

What a week…..

Here is the RUNDOWN:

Thursday night we started putting everything IN our house out on the lawn.

 

Friday afternoon we got our 26 foot UHAUL.

That's right …a 26 footer!!!

Then we proceeded to play tetris till it was full.

We kept loading

and

loading

and loading.

INSANE.

THANKFULLY…..Awesome Aunt Amy and Uncle Jeff came to our rescue and took ALL of our SWEET kids to their house at about 5 PM.

Then…we proceeded to FINISH loading up the rest of the stuff into our vans and Josiah's truck.

Which took the ENTIRE rest of the evening WITH help from ROB, MIKE, JOSIAH and KASEY! (Thank you guys!!!…not that they are reading this.LOL)

AFTER THAT…at about 11 pm- with our vans and the U-Haul PACKED in front of the house -we STARTED to clean the old place.

And when I say CLEAN…I mean that in EVERY sense of the word.

Caulk

Putty

Paint

Steam Clean

Deep Clean

CRAZY CLEAN.

And after ALL THAT….

It was now about 3 AM-----and all the stuff was gone, all the carpets were wet, and everything was packed up.

We were TIRED…

I mean -

“Fall asleep on the hard wood floor with NOTHING tired”

FUN.

We woke up at 6:45….

swept our way OUT THE DOOR and went with a HAPPY HEART to our new HOMESTEAD.

THEN….

We STARTED to UNLOAD…..

And the UNpacking still hasn’t stopped.

There is TONS to do and I AIM to start school again on Monday.

Which entails REBUILDING the schoolroom this week….

Whew!!!!

Oh yeah….

we got here to discover that the TANK to heat the stove is GONE….

So we haven't been able to COOK since we got here.

The tank will be here on Thursday..THANK GOODNESS.

I felt like the WORST MOM EVER with a cart full of FROZEN MICROWAVEABLE food.

AWFUL.

Regardless of the CRAP you go thru when you move…it is ALWAYS worth it in the end.

We have lots of work to do.

BUT

every corner i turn seems to have ENDLERSS POSSIBILITIES!!!!

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."
Proverbs 16:3