OH MY!!!!! I really just want to do one stinking camp out where Joseph can pitch a tent and cook a meal! It seems like such a small task right. It turns out to be the hardest thing in the world to accomplish. Every single time a camping trip is planned the weather interferes. I am not talking a misting rain, I am talking pouring floods, and snow storms.
There is an upcoming trip planned for Monday. A day which the weather forecasters are now saying will be snow filled and cold.....so will we ever get this trip behind us????? I am not sure, but we will keep planning and drudging along till we get there. Still looking to find a family of Sabbath keepers who has accomplished this so that I can get some tips!
Stay tuned!
Jennifer
1.30.2010
Do you miss it? Are you coming back? How do you really like being at home?
All these questions and more were the topics of most of my conversations yesterday. I was summoned to " the office" to meet with the new VP and the even newer Director of my department to discuss "my role". Now I know that I am a hard worker and that I am being productive, however, I have been in management long enough to know that, those qualities are not always enough to keep you employed.
So yesterday morning I got up at 4:30 am, showered, dressed in work clothes (UGH), and heels (double UGH), make up (don't even get me started) and headed off to the office. I have been back for lunch a couple of times since I left a year ago, but this was my only "full" day back.
The good news is right now, what I am doing is enough to keep me employed. I thank GOD every day for where he is allowing me to be right now. I have the best of both worlds, I am home with my kids, but still employed and able to make the money we need to keep us comfortable.
Honestly I don't miss it, I miss the people I have worked with for the last 11 years. I miss the interchange of ideas, the challenge that it gives my brain to reason and understand new concepts, to create new solutions. I do thrive on that.
But one thing I realized yesterday was that I still do that in homeschooling. Although it is a different and less complex process. I have to find the best way to reach my children. How can I teach my daughter her phonics and make it stick, what works best for my son reading aloud or silently, what do I say to get him to understand the Geometry formulas. All those things still challenge my brain, just in a different way.
As for all the above questions, I looked at everyone and said, I miss you! I am NOT coming back full time, I couldn't do that to my kids. I love being at home! I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I will put it aside from time to time and come down and visit you.
So much to do, it is the weekend and everyone is home today because the weather is to bad for them to leave for church. Going to Griffin next weekend for a visit and having a yard sale, so the rest of the attic has to be cleaned before we leave to get rid of all the junk!
Have a wonderful weekend!
So yesterday morning I got up at 4:30 am, showered, dressed in work clothes (UGH), and heels (double UGH), make up (don't even get me started) and headed off to the office. I have been back for lunch a couple of times since I left a year ago, but this was my only "full" day back.
The good news is right now, what I am doing is enough to keep me employed. I thank GOD every day for where he is allowing me to be right now. I have the best of both worlds, I am home with my kids, but still employed and able to make the money we need to keep us comfortable.
Honestly I don't miss it, I miss the people I have worked with for the last 11 years. I miss the interchange of ideas, the challenge that it gives my brain to reason and understand new concepts, to create new solutions. I do thrive on that.
But one thing I realized yesterday was that I still do that in homeschooling. Although it is a different and less complex process. I have to find the best way to reach my children. How can I teach my daughter her phonics and make it stick, what works best for my son reading aloud or silently, what do I say to get him to understand the Geometry formulas. All those things still challenge my brain, just in a different way.
As for all the above questions, I looked at everyone and said, I miss you! I am NOT coming back full time, I couldn't do that to my kids. I love being at home! I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I will put it aside from time to time and come down and visit you.
So much to do, it is the weekend and everyone is home today because the weather is to bad for them to leave for church. Going to Griffin next weekend for a visit and having a yard sale, so the rest of the attic has to be cleaned before we leave to get rid of all the junk!
Have a wonderful weekend!
12.29.2009
Reflections
A new year is about to dawn in our lives, in just a couple of days 2010 will be here. Now I have never been a resolutions person. I honestly can't recall one year where I have truly made a new years resolution. Do you know why???? Because for me every day should a new resolution. On the off chance of sounding like a 60's hit song knock off..... Yesterday is gone......... 2009 is gone, well pretty much.
Was 2009 a good year for you? Some of us think of it as a tough year, the economy, work, stress, school, life all those things build up and we look around sometimes and just want to scream.
2009 was a different year for me. I went into it doing something I have never done before, being a stay at home, homeschooling Mom. It has been an adventure, we have tried two different methods of homeschooling this year, taken field trips, made family trips, and enjoyed a much more family time than ever before. However, there have also been screaming fits, crying, frustration, and aggravation. I think we have finally settled into a routine, but it is ever changing and evolving, but I think that is okay, I think that is the way it is suppose to be. I feel better about what my kids are learning, how they are learning and where they are learning. I love getting to see how their minds work and watch something click in their brain. You know that little light in their eyes when you watched them learn something new when they are little? With homeschooling you can see that every day no matter how old they get. I am ever thankful for that, especially with Joseph who will be 12 this year, is already going through puberty and will be gone in the blink of an eye.
I believe that God gives us free will to make decisions, that he has a plan for your life and in that plan he places situations and people in your path, how you react to these elements though is your choice. God can't make your choices for you, if he could we would all belong to him and follow all of his commandments.
Today as I was washing dishes I was thinking of my life, and wondering if I had made the decisions that God would have had me make. I have to think I did okay, I am sure I didn't do it all the right way, the Lord himself knows of all the times I have fallen, and sinned, and had to pick myself back up and keep going. But I have to believe that right now I am where he wants me to be. I feel at peace with it. I won't tell you it is easy and some days are harder than others, but I love my husband, my kids, my home and my life.
2009 was a good year despite all the minor annoyances, everyone I love is still on this earth for me to see, talk to and love, and sometimes that is the thing you have to be most thankful for. We are all still here!
Happy New Year, I hope 2010 finds you all well!
Jennifer
Was 2009 a good year for you? Some of us think of it as a tough year, the economy, work, stress, school, life all those things build up and we look around sometimes and just want to scream.
2009 was a different year for me. I went into it doing something I have never done before, being a stay at home, homeschooling Mom. It has been an adventure, we have tried two different methods of homeschooling this year, taken field trips, made family trips, and enjoyed a much more family time than ever before. However, there have also been screaming fits, crying, frustration, and aggravation. I think we have finally settled into a routine, but it is ever changing and evolving, but I think that is okay, I think that is the way it is suppose to be. I feel better about what my kids are learning, how they are learning and where they are learning. I love getting to see how their minds work and watch something click in their brain. You know that little light in their eyes when you watched them learn something new when they are little? With homeschooling you can see that every day no matter how old they get. I am ever thankful for that, especially with Joseph who will be 12 this year, is already going through puberty and will be gone in the blink of an eye.
I believe that God gives us free will to make decisions, that he has a plan for your life and in that plan he places situations and people in your path, how you react to these elements though is your choice. God can't make your choices for you, if he could we would all belong to him and follow all of his commandments.
Today as I was washing dishes I was thinking of my life, and wondering if I had made the decisions that God would have had me make. I have to think I did okay, I am sure I didn't do it all the right way, the Lord himself knows of all the times I have fallen, and sinned, and had to pick myself back up and keep going. But I have to believe that right now I am where he wants me to be. I feel at peace with it. I won't tell you it is easy and some days are harder than others, but I love my husband, my kids, my home and my life.
2009 was a good year despite all the minor annoyances, everyone I love is still on this earth for me to see, talk to and love, and sometimes that is the thing you have to be most thankful for. We are all still here!
Happy New Year, I hope 2010 finds you all well!
Jennifer
12.20.2009
Just a thought
We cannot change anyone, that change has to come from within them, it has to be their choice to change.
Whether or not we agree with the beliefs or actions we can't make them change. A person makes a change because THEY want to be different, either that change is for the good or bad. We can choose to love and accept them as they are or not, but nothing we can say or do will change them.
I can not pray for change, and when I get it say " Oh wait God I didn't want it to change that way, that wasn't what I wanted....do it this way!" I have to say thank you God and look for how that answer to my prayer can help me grow as a person, to keep my eyes open for how God will use this in the lives of those around me.
As adults we go looking for the things we didn't feel that we had growing up. Those things that we search out are the things that we have felt we were missing all along. What will your children go looking for?
Okay I know all of that was random, but it was what I was thinking....and that is what blogging is all about!
Whether or not we agree with the beliefs or actions we can't make them change. A person makes a change because THEY want to be different, either that change is for the good or bad. We can choose to love and accept them as they are or not, but nothing we can say or do will change them.
I can not pray for change, and when I get it say " Oh wait God I didn't want it to change that way, that wasn't what I wanted....do it this way!" I have to say thank you God and look for how that answer to my prayer can help me grow as a person, to keep my eyes open for how God will use this in the lives of those around me.
As adults we go looking for the things we didn't feel that we had growing up. Those things that we search out are the things that we have felt we were missing all along. What will your children go looking for?
Okay I know all of that was random, but it was what I was thinking....and that is what blogging is all about!
12.18.2009
The most wonderful time of the year...........
Well it has been quite a while since I blogged. Sometimes I think I am too busy to blog, and sometimes I think I am not in the mood to blog, sometimes I think that I don't know how to keep my mouth shut and blogging will just get me in trouble! Most of the time I am right :)
Today I am basking in the glory of God's provision. Everyday I am thankful for the way God provides for my family. Over the last year our income has decreased by more than half. In spite of that we have continued to maintain our same lifestyle with very few sacrifices. We don't buy as many new clothes, we have started to shop at thrift stores and we think before we buy things that we don't need. But we have not suffered or done without one thing. Our bills are paid, our home is just as warm (or cool) our bellies are full of food and we are blessed!
This time of the year I miss my family more than any other time. I have such wonderful memories of the holidays. The holidays were the time of the year when there was always candy being made, houses decorated, presents wrapped, gifts hidden, wishes granted. I don't think there was a year that when there wasn't something that was thrilling. There was always some one thing you wanted more than anything else, something your heart was set on, but your mind held the doubt that it would show up under the tree. Either it was so popular that you weren't sure it could be found, or so expensive that you thought it was out of the question. It was always the gift that was last at our house, but it was always there :) My parents did everything they could to get us everything we wanted! Looking back though it isn't the presents I remember as much as it was the time, the dinners, the gatherings, the Christmas Eve at Nannie's with homemade candies and a meat & cheese tray, a fire in the living room, the tree twinkling, a pile of gifts under the tree. "The boys" would all climb under the piano so that we couldn't see the new underwear they got for Christmas. Christmas music was always playing and everyone was in a great mood. Every year we had to wait on Aunt Jo , my grandmother's sister, to get there before we could open presents. We kids would be squirming around and fairly bouncing off the walls by the time she got there. I am not sure she even made it in the house before we started opening stuff! Even as we got older we still gathered every year and we had a wonderful time.
I truly miss the holidays! I miss all the love and joy and peace, but in my house in order to have peace I have given up on trying to have a Christmas this year. Before you become outraged for me let me explain. There is no where in the world that I want peace more than my very own home. The only way to have that peace is to play the game. It doesn't take away who I am. It just takes away the stress. I have prayed many times about my religious convictions, about the changes my husband has made and if I should make those same changes. Truthfully there are many things that I agree with him about..... but not everything.
And so I am ever thankful for God's provision for me. Every time I think that I am getting down or discouraged or disheartened by the sacrifices I have made to have a happy home; God provides me yet another opportunity which keeps me going. I won't go through all the various things that God has done for me.... they are too numerable. God is blessing me now, allowing me the opportunity to make lovely holiday items for other people. I can imagine these items in homes around the US. I can imagine children and adults reaching into their new stockings and finding candy, toothbrushes, oranges. I can help to make other's holiday beautiful and that is a great thing and I love it.
I wish each and every one of you a wonderful holiday, a very Merry Christmas! I wish all of God's blessings for all of you this Christmas and all year long!
Jennifer
Today I am basking in the glory of God's provision. Everyday I am thankful for the way God provides for my family. Over the last year our income has decreased by more than half. In spite of that we have continued to maintain our same lifestyle with very few sacrifices. We don't buy as many new clothes, we have started to shop at thrift stores and we think before we buy things that we don't need. But we have not suffered or done without one thing. Our bills are paid, our home is just as warm (or cool) our bellies are full of food and we are blessed!
This time of the year I miss my family more than any other time. I have such wonderful memories of the holidays. The holidays were the time of the year when there was always candy being made, houses decorated, presents wrapped, gifts hidden, wishes granted. I don't think there was a year that when there wasn't something that was thrilling. There was always some one thing you wanted more than anything else, something your heart was set on, but your mind held the doubt that it would show up under the tree. Either it was so popular that you weren't sure it could be found, or so expensive that you thought it was out of the question. It was always the gift that was last at our house, but it was always there :) My parents did everything they could to get us everything we wanted! Looking back though it isn't the presents I remember as much as it was the time, the dinners, the gatherings, the Christmas Eve at Nannie's with homemade candies and a meat & cheese tray, a fire in the living room, the tree twinkling, a pile of gifts under the tree. "The boys" would all climb under the piano so that we couldn't see the new underwear they got for Christmas. Christmas music was always playing and everyone was in a great mood. Every year we had to wait on Aunt Jo , my grandmother's sister, to get there before we could open presents. We kids would be squirming around and fairly bouncing off the walls by the time she got there. I am not sure she even made it in the house before we started opening stuff! Even as we got older we still gathered every year and we had a wonderful time.
I truly miss the holidays! I miss all the love and joy and peace, but in my house in order to have peace I have given up on trying to have a Christmas this year. Before you become outraged for me let me explain. There is no where in the world that I want peace more than my very own home. The only way to have that peace is to play the game. It doesn't take away who I am. It just takes away the stress. I have prayed many times about my religious convictions, about the changes my husband has made and if I should make those same changes. Truthfully there are many things that I agree with him about..... but not everything.
And so I am ever thankful for God's provision for me. Every time I think that I am getting down or discouraged or disheartened by the sacrifices I have made to have a happy home; God provides me yet another opportunity which keeps me going. I won't go through all the various things that God has done for me.... they are too numerable. God is blessing me now, allowing me the opportunity to make lovely holiday items for other people. I can imagine these items in homes around the US. I can imagine children and adults reaching into their new stockings and finding candy, toothbrushes, oranges. I can help to make other's holiday beautiful and that is a great thing and I love it.
I wish each and every one of you a wonderful holiday, a very Merry Christmas! I wish all of God's blessings for all of you this Christmas and all year long!
Jennifer
11.14.2009
The longest week
The longest week in my household is the one right before we go to visit family. Everyone in my house loves to make the trip 2 hours south to visit our extended family. It is where all the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins are. Where we can visit with everyone, share memories, make new ones, and just have fun.
So in my house, for the kids and I that trip is a much anticipated one. Time never seems to drag on as slowly as it does when the visit is in sight. We scheme, negotiate and work harder, so that we can make the departure just a little bit earlier.
The next trip is just over a week away! We haven't seen our families since September. That is a long stretch, as I try to make it down once a month or so. It will be hectic and busy and full of visiting and eating and fun! I think we have it worked so that we will get everyone in.
So here is wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving, filled with love, laughter, family, friends! May this be the shortest week for us all so that we can get to the good stuff!
So in my house, for the kids and I that trip is a much anticipated one. Time never seems to drag on as slowly as it does when the visit is in sight. We scheme, negotiate and work harder, so that we can make the departure just a little bit earlier.
The next trip is just over a week away! We haven't seen our families since September. That is a long stretch, as I try to make it down once a month or so. It will be hectic and busy and full of visiting and eating and fun! I think we have it worked so that we will get everyone in.
So here is wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving, filled with love, laughter, family, friends! May this be the shortest week for us all so that we can get to the good stuff!
11.04.2009
The Boy Scout Journey
WOW! That is all I have to say... thanks. Okay Okay I will explain.
As you all know Joseph has been in scouts for 6 years now, he went through cub scouts from Wolf to Webelo II and earned his Arrow of Light. He also earned every Webelo pin that you can earn and he worked hard for his awards. Of course as any cub scout parent will tell you, they work just as hard with their boys for those awards. They plan events, meet dens to carry out camping, hiking, attend meetings, and generally steer their boys in the right direction.
In March of 2009 Joseph crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. The first meeting we attended I noticed something significant, there were no other Moms. Well I mean to say that the Webelo scout Mom's were the only ones that were there. We lined up against the wall in chairs and prepared to watch our "big" boys do boy scoutly things! We were proud, excited, we watched with great anticipation..........CHAOS ensued. 20 or so boys from ages 11-18 piled into the room, they were noisy, pushing, laughing, rough housing. The room came to attention twice that night, once for the opening and once for the closing. The boys were reverent and respectful during the pledge, and the prayer. Other than that I couldn't figure out what was going on, if anything.
I have since learned that in spite of what I see and hear, things are happening, maybe not what you would expect but the boys are changing. Bonds are forming and friendships are growing and it spans the age groups of the boys there. The older boys direct the younger ones. The transition from Cub Scouts has been a big one. We Moms are used to getting the boys in line and directing what they do and keeping them on track. They don't need us for that any more! It is amazing that a Mom can say 10 times, "put down the screw driver, don't poke it at people" and the activity never stops. All it takes is once from one of the older scouts and the screwdriver goes down.
With all this said, I love Scouts. I have enjoyed getting to know the other parents, I have enjoyed getting to know the boys. I have never met a better group of boys than those in our Troop and I am biased. So in August when we went out to help with an Eagle project at a local park, I was really excited to hear Joseph say that he did want to pursue his Eagle rank. I was equally sad to hear Joseph tell me that he wasn't going to make any exceptions with regards to observing the Sabbath in order to attend any scout events.
The Eagle path presents different challenges in our family due to the no work or other play on the Sabbath. Most all Boy Scout events occur on a Sabbath, and there is a book full of things that you need to do to reach your Eagle rank which are mostly occurring on the Sabbath. So when the last camp out came around and Joseph didn't attend because of the Sabbath, he and I had a talk. We discussed whether or not it was going to be worth it to continue down the Scout path.
To make a long story a little bit shorter, we decided with the help of our ScoutMaster, that I would attempt to help him get where he needs be on this path to Eagle by volunteering to lead events not on the Sabbath. Since we have a few boys who are homeschooled I am hoping that this will work out well.
My first event is coming up. I am planning a camping trip for the Monday of the week of Thanksgiving. All the boys are out of school that week so it seems like the perfect time to get an overnight event in. I am searching for camp sites, trying to find adult volunteers so I have 2 deep leadership, and imagining what in the world I am going to do with these boys during this camp! Brian has to work because he is furloughed later that week, so I am doing this one on my own!
I hope you will all be praying for me as I will need it!!!! A LOT!!!!
My upcoming blogs will most likely be about scouts and this crazy journey, so stay tuned.
As you all know Joseph has been in scouts for 6 years now, he went through cub scouts from Wolf to Webelo II and earned his Arrow of Light. He also earned every Webelo pin that you can earn and he worked hard for his awards. Of course as any cub scout parent will tell you, they work just as hard with their boys for those awards. They plan events, meet dens to carry out camping, hiking, attend meetings, and generally steer their boys in the right direction.
In March of 2009 Joseph crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. The first meeting we attended I noticed something significant, there were no other Moms. Well I mean to say that the Webelo scout Mom's were the only ones that were there. We lined up against the wall in chairs and prepared to watch our "big" boys do boy scoutly things! We were proud, excited, we watched with great anticipation..........CHAOS ensued. 20 or so boys from ages 11-18 piled into the room, they were noisy, pushing, laughing, rough housing. The room came to attention twice that night, once for the opening and once for the closing. The boys were reverent and respectful during the pledge, and the prayer. Other than that I couldn't figure out what was going on, if anything.
I have since learned that in spite of what I see and hear, things are happening, maybe not what you would expect but the boys are changing. Bonds are forming and friendships are growing and it spans the age groups of the boys there. The older boys direct the younger ones. The transition from Cub Scouts has been a big one. We Moms are used to getting the boys in line and directing what they do and keeping them on track. They don't need us for that any more! It is amazing that a Mom can say 10 times, "put down the screw driver, don't poke it at people" and the activity never stops. All it takes is once from one of the older scouts and the screwdriver goes down.
With all this said, I love Scouts. I have enjoyed getting to know the other parents, I have enjoyed getting to know the boys. I have never met a better group of boys than those in our Troop and I am biased. So in August when we went out to help with an Eagle project at a local park, I was really excited to hear Joseph say that he did want to pursue his Eagle rank. I was equally sad to hear Joseph tell me that he wasn't going to make any exceptions with regards to observing the Sabbath in order to attend any scout events.
The Eagle path presents different challenges in our family due to the no work or other play on the Sabbath. Most all Boy Scout events occur on a Sabbath, and there is a book full of things that you need to do to reach your Eagle rank which are mostly occurring on the Sabbath. So when the last camp out came around and Joseph didn't attend because of the Sabbath, he and I had a talk. We discussed whether or not it was going to be worth it to continue down the Scout path.
To make a long story a little bit shorter, we decided with the help of our ScoutMaster, that I would attempt to help him get where he needs be on this path to Eagle by volunteering to lead events not on the Sabbath. Since we have a few boys who are homeschooled I am hoping that this will work out well.
My first event is coming up. I am planning a camping trip for the Monday of the week of Thanksgiving. All the boys are out of school that week so it seems like the perfect time to get an overnight event in. I am searching for camp sites, trying to find adult volunteers so I have 2 deep leadership, and imagining what in the world I am going to do with these boys during this camp! Brian has to work because he is furloughed later that week, so I am doing this one on my own!
I hope you will all be praying for me as I will need it!!!! A LOT!!!!
My upcoming blogs will most likely be about scouts and this crazy journey, so stay tuned.
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