School Days, School Days, Good Ole Golden Rule Days.....

Two and a half weeks people.  That's all that's left of this summer.  Am I ready to get back in the swing of things?  Yes, of course NOT!  The summer always goes by too fast.  But, I must be mature about this because it's going to happen whether I want it to or not! 

My oldest daughter is raring to go!  She absolutely loved being home schooled last year so she's ready to start already.  Once again, we chose to use Abeka Academy.  It worked very well last year for us, and her scores proved it.   In addition to Abeka, she is also taking piano and art.  I found a really neat art curriculum that is self-taught, which is a good thing since I can't draw very well.  The art curriculum is Artistic Pursuits.  Not only does it teach how to draw, but it also teaches about famous artists and their work.  For piano, she takes lessons one evening a week and during school, will practice her lessons for 30 minutes three days a week.  She's also involved in choir at our church so I consider that a part of her schooling!  I can do that since I'm her teacher - right?

One thing that I get asked about alot is if she gets any social time with friends.  It frustrates me because the "social" time at public school was very negative.  She gets plenty of social time with her friends.  In fact, too much at times!

My other children will start back to elementary school.  This is my oldest boy's last year at public school.  Next year, he will also be homeschooled.  Eventually, I'll have them all back home again one last time before they venture out on their own.  It's rather sad to think that I only have about ten more years before they're all grown up and out of school.  Ten may sound like a lot, but the way the last ten have gone, it will be here before I know it. 

So, the school days are almost here!  Are you ready?

When someone you love becomes a memory, your memory becomes a treasure - Author Unknown

A Tribute to a Great Lady

After a few months of a break from blogging, I'm ready to write again.  I didn't necessarily need a break from my blog, I've just  been on an emotional roller coaster since the middle of May and couldn't seem to collect my thoughts. 

My husband made an emergency trip out to see his mother in the middle of May.  She was very sick, but was refusing to go to the hospital.  My hubby made her go to the hospital and she was immediately admitted.  It turned out that she had a severe urinary tract infection that had been let go so long that it infected her blood.  One thing led to another and she ended up having an emergency surgery to close up a hole in her colon.  After the surgery, she started bleeding internally and it went downhill from there.  She was diagnosed with congestive heart failure a few years ago, so the doctor was concerned that her heart would not be able to handle all of the stress.  Sure enough, it didn't.  Thankfully, we were able to make it to Odessa in time for my husband to say goodbye.  On June 5th, she died within thirty minutes of his arrival.  It happened so fast, that our heads were left spinning.  Anyway, I wanted to share my thanks with all of my friends and family that were praying for us.  She was a great lady.  It would take quite a while to write about how much she inspired me and helped me over the past 16 years.  I will save that for another time. 

In all that happened, I am so thankful that we have wonderful, supportive church families. Pastor McLaughlin and Pastor Harris were right there for us over that very difficult week. I honestly don't see how people are able to function without a pastor and church family who cares for them. We are very blessed.

God has been good to us as we deal with our grief. Will we ever get over it? No.  From experience with losing my own mother, we never get over it, nor should we. But we do learn to deal with it.  God has comforted us and while we miss her so much it hurts, we know that if we live the way God wants and requests of us, we will see her again one day. 

A few days after she died, an old song came to mind that I believe God gave me.  I can just picture Mimi shouting up there because she's made it, and there's no pain or suffering for her any longer.  That old song that came to mind is "Shouting on the Hills of Glory".  So, Mimi, you keep shouting on those hills and we will see you when God calls us home too!

There'll be shouting on the hills of glory

Shouting on the hills, shouting on the hills

When we reach that land of which we've heard the story

There'll be shouting on the hills of God.

Time

Time is such a precious thing that I wish I had more of.   As you can see, my blog is starting to get stale because I've not had time to really update it like I would like to.  The last few months, I've felt that I'm barely keeping my head abover water so to speak.  I'm sure everyone feels that way at some time or other. 

So, to all my bloggy friends, I've not forgotten that I have a blog.

Expander, Retainer, Braces

We now join the millions of other parents who have children in braces.  My oldest got her top braces put on today.  She started out with an expander to widen her pallet, then wore a retainer for 4 years.  Now it's on to braces.  She's excited about them.  In about two weeks, my boys will start their orthodontist journey. 

All I see right now is $$$$$$$$$$!