Hmmmmm....

Figured I would do a quick update. Knowing me, nothing is ever really quick. I'm so long-winded! Don't worry....I know it. :)

I have decided to not go back to school as originally planned. So once I'm done with the two classes I'm taking now, I'm done. After much prayer, I know that I would never be able to apply myself 100% to homeschooling if in the back of my mind, I'm worrying about homework and passing my own courses. I received all of Aidan's books for next year from ABEKA. He is going to be doing the video course which is actually online instead of the DVDs. That saved us a $100. Woohoo! Mattea will, of course, be using mostly Rod and Staff. I'm also going to a huge homeschool convention/book sale in Atlanta in May to stock up on some other items. I'm really excited. I do know that to create the environment that the kids need to help them enjoy learning, I have to be fully committed. I know now that I will be able to provide it. I'm very excited.

We have also been having some allergy trouble with Zane. He has always had little patches on his body and we thought it was just dry skin. Recently, within the last month or so, they have been getting really bad. I took him to a naturepath and she said that his immune system was very low and he was put on immunity boosters as well as Vitamin C. I also switched our laundry detergent and his lotion/bodywash. His skin was so sensitive that I also had to watch what everyone else was using. (Bye bye bath and bodyworks for me!! SNIFF.) We noticed a marked improvement and then it went downhill, fast. We returned from a mini-vaca in Gatlinburg, Tn and I started to notice the rash on the insides of his elbows, the backs of his knees, and the tops of his feet getting worse. By Sunday evening, the insides of his little arms were blistered up and oozing. He would also scratch at his arms and so he was an oozing bleeding mess. It was horrible and I felt helpless. At that moment, God spoke so clearly, and told me it was diet. Starting the next morning, I took him off of all wheat, dairy, eggs, gluten, etc...you get the picture. Within 24 hours, we noticed a marked difference. By the end of the week, it was pretty much gone. I took him to our regular doctor to make sure I was on the right path and he gave me a cream to clear up the rest. He said that it was a form of eczema but allergy related. Next week I will be starting the process of figuring out which food/foods we need to be aware of but I honestly believe that it is dairy/egg related. Call it gut instinct. So we shall see!

That's about it though. Looking forward to some nice weather. We have been oh so rainy. Nothing compared to what is going on up in Idaho though. I almost had to complain about my balmy 68 degrees. I do have some beautiful colors to look at too! Aidan has 3 ball games this weekend and Mattea has 1. Hopefully I will have some good pictures to put up.

Tithing

I shared in my last post my tithing issues. I am very excited to share that I now "GET it." I have always understood why tithing is so important as laid out in Malachi. I hated the thought of how I have so many times robbed God! It has just made me sick. Yet I still fearfully made out the check...sometimes. So yesterday in church our pastor explained the church budget using specific numbers and it CLICKED. They have a BUDGET. I do our BUDGET. I understand things in terms of bills and I finally understand that my tithe helps our church pay bills and support missions and outreaches. They NEED our tithe to meet their monthly obligations. Do you know that I smilingly, happily, and willingly put our check in the basket? I don't know why it made such a big difference but I just get it now. God is so AWESOME that He was able to get through my thick skull in a way that I would understand. I eagerly await helping our church meet their budget as God so faithfully meets ours! Thanks for your prayers.

Happy New Year!

Okay....I know most people HATE New Year's resolutions. I am amongst that lot of people. However, I do like the idea of a fresh start. Maybe this year, being older and wiser (???????), I will keep up with some of them. Now, I promise losing weight is not at the top of the list. I gave that up like 5 New Years ago! Listing these makes me feel as though I should be going to confession but I know I have only friends here. When you read this, just send a prayer heavenward and I will REALLY appreciate it. :)

Ready for my very first "confession"? The #1 "fresh start" is......TITHING. We are so blessed but I have such tight fists. It isn't Buddy at all, only me. I can't believe, having grown up tithing that I would have such a hard time writing that check twice a month. I hate the way it makes me feel when I don't do what I'm supposed to do. God has sent me very gentle reminders too. He is just so loving! I kid you not, the months I tithe we are have more than the months I don't. I just hate that I'm blatantly doing the wrong thing. Prayerfully, this year will be different.

Next up FOR SURE is paying down debt. I can not tell you how this one turns my stomach. I HATE the fact that we are not debt free. I don't count our house and I only partially count our cars but the rest...it needs to go! It will take great discipline and (gasp) budgeting but it CAN be done. I just hate that we are so blessed but can be so frivilous. GRRRRRRRRRR!

Let's see....I think after that would be something a bit more fun. :) Buddy and I are planning to plant a garden this year with the kids. Growing up we always had massive gardens which I avoided whenever I could because of all the work. Now, with children, I'm actually planning my own! It is amazing what we do for our children. The kids are so excited though and I hope I don't fail them.

Patience is scattered amongst all of these. Since I'm homeschooling Mattea and dealing with a little toddler too, I have made leaps and bounds on this one. On a side note, I set up our school room downstairs in the basement. It is lacking a few (wanted, not needed) items but since I just did our budget, those will have to wait. It is so great to be able to go downstairs, do school, and then go back upstairs. We are away from all distractions which is perfect for me. I'm terrible about trying to muli task. Mattea enjoys having my undivided attention. Not to mention all the ROOM!!! When I get things more the way I like them, I will post pictures. Oh, Aidan likes the "school room" so much that he even mentioned wanting to stay home next year! I couldn't imagine homeschooling both of them. I'm praying about it.

Alrighty then...hope you all enjoyed the confessions! Looking forward to some feedback.

6 Years

I love this man!!! I'm so excited to have just experienced 6 great years of marriage with Buddy. I love how through everything, Christ still remains at the center of our relationship. That is how we make it happen. This year has been a busy one too. New career, new town, and bought our first home. Thankfully, no new pregnancies. :) Sorry Meg!

Ode to the SEC Championship AL vs Gators!!!

Chillin' waiting for the game to start.

Oh Tim Tebow, don't fail us now!

We WON! Go GATORS!!!!

The Moving of the Spirit

On Sunday night we attended our church's Christmas production, "God Speaking." It was amazing. The amount of time, effort, and talent put into it was obviously astronomical. We chose to keep Aidan and Mattea with us instead of leaving them in the baby-filled nursery. (Sorry Zane!) My friend Meghann has often spoke to me of the importance of children staying with their parents a,nd Buddy and I have started to do this with great results.



Before it started, Mattea asked us if she could walk up to the front to look at the stage. My friend Sarah was sitting with us and so I said sure figuring we could keep an eye on her even though there were a billion people. All of a sudden she disappears. We were looking for her when Sarah says, "Isn't that your daughter?" Sure enough, this glowing body with bright pigtails is bouncing across the stage. Oops!! I made Sarah go get her. :) I wasn't going up there. It was just in time too because by the time Sarah got up there, a lady was trying to coax Mattea off the stage and all you could see were pigtails bouncing as she firmly shook her head. Sarah had to drag her off. Mattea desperatly wanted to sing and dance up on stage. Hopefully next year!!!



During the program, one of the songs was "Mary, did you know?" Most of you know what a moving song it is and they had set it to scenes from "The Passion." They showed a tasteful amount of the movie, portraying what was needed and one scene it showed Christ on the ground, bloody, and being beaten. Mattea sat straight up and with a gasp said, "What are they DOING to Him?!" She was horrified. I quietly explained as best I could and she, with tears running down her cheeks, asked why He had to die? I again explained and she just sat back and watched, still with tears. Later, they had a scene where a homeless man was led to a makeshift manger by an orphan girl who was to portray Mary with her babydoll as Jesus. (I told you, it was AMAZING.) She left him at the manger and he was sitting in front of it with his head down, sobbing. Mattea whispered anxiously why he was crying. I told her it was because he needed Jesus in his heart. She cried and said "Why doesn't he ask Jesus in his heart? He needs Jesus, Mommy! Can we help him? Please, Mommy, he NEEDS Jesus." Buddy and I were a mess. Her heart was so heavy. It was incredible to watch the Spirit move and yet so painful at the same time. She sat in rapt attention as Pastor Bruce gave the invitation. When we were in the car on the way home, she sat quietly (a miracle in itself) the whole way home still crying silently. When we got home, we asked her why she was so sad. She said because she didn't want Jesus to have to die. Aidan, ever the optimist and little logic, told her that Jesus only had to die once and that it was over now. He was alive so its okay. Mattea then tearfully begged me to pray to God and ask Him to help her know that Jesus was okay and that He was alive. Of course we immediatly prayed over her asking that God reveal Himself to her and comfort her. A few minutes later, she came to us with a big smile saying "I can feel God put His arms around me! I know that Jesus is alive and God told me. I'm so happy!" She went to bed with a smile on her face.



Words can not express what it feels like to know that God has used Buddy and I to position our children to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. We have often prayed that our children would come to accept Christ at an early age and I am believing that it will happen. I believe, with them being in the 3rd generation of christians that there is a special blessing on them. Thank you Father for allowing us to be used by You in bringing Your babies closer to You.

Switching from Fall to Christmas!!!

Sorry...but I LOVE prelit fake trees. I'm such a traitor. :)

My tree putter-upper hero.

I know there is alot of controversy amongst Christians on the celebration of a "secular" christmas. We, however, have yet to be convicted by the Holy Spirit on specific celebratory details. This is how our pastor puts it; "In essentials we have unity. In non-essentials we have liberty but in all things we have charity, or love." Until we are led in one direction or another, we will remain sensitive to the moving of the Spirit and respectful of how others celebrate.

We have felt a strong conviction in one area though. A deep disgust at the gluttony of todays generation has been particulary overpowering this holiday season. A dear friend of ours has 4 children and has shared this with us. If 3 gifts were good enough for Baby Jesus, it is good enough for us. I love that! We have prepared our children for that and they really have a good understanding of what Christmas is about. We are also undertaking several charitable programs this season. We are going through the kids things and they are anxious for their toys to go to the "right boy or girl." I refuse to let our children get sucked into the wastfulness and "gimmes" that this time of year brings. It turns my stomach when I hear of some children's wishlists. Literally thousands of dollars can be dropped in no time at all. Yet ask them to give something up and one would think they had been asked to cut off their right arm. DISGUSTING. We use this time of year, as a teaching tool. As christians, we are simply making the best out of any given situation.