Life Happens

Okay so I know it has been awhile but as the title says LIFE HAPPENS! What a time! We have welcomed number five (yes I said five) into the family on Christmas Eve of all days:) Been replacing the engine in the suburban for the last seven weeks. Yes for those of you wondering have not gone anywhere while Brent is at work. Ready to pull my hair out! There have been some huge changes at work along with some other decisions we have had to make. Computers dying (don't ask). Being sick for three weeks and then the kids getting it. Ugh! I would complain but there is a country song playing right now reminding me that it "sounds like life to me". I have to remember that. I also am trying to remember James in that to, "Count it all joy my brothers when you encounter trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

I have to look at the small victories. For instance, I got out of bed this morning, fed the kids, and got them dressed. Even small achievements need to be acknowledged some days. That is what makes the big achievements even greater!

I do have to say I thank God for Dave Ramsey and for our church for running that class. We were able to get our emergency fund fully funded and when the engine died on the burban, money at least was not one of the stressors. I thank God we did not have to go into debt to swap out the engine:) Looking at our stressors right now though I would have to say that when you get out of one stressor you sure add another. Like school, it is so easy to stress over am I doing it right. The Lord had to show me that as long as I am being the example and putting Him first while teaching what He has guided us to teach then the rest is up to Him. Thank God He covers the gaps as needed.

My poor Daniel has eczema pretty bad and is sleeping a lot on the Benadryl the Dr put him on. Hopefully it will clear up and I don't have to slather him up like a greased pig much longer! Bekah has discovered mommies hot chocolate! What an adorable child, she is quiet and learning how to exert herself. Ari has become a true princess, just waiting for that Prince Charming to come along. David is a soldier today that likes to build. What a creative black and white child:)
Ania is sure coming into her own and growing by leaps and bounds. The conversations and questions that we have been having sometimes blow my mind! I think wait a minute you are only ten years old, you aren't supposed to be asking this or have knowledge of these things yet. She truly is becoming a godly young woman quickly and I hope that time goes by a little slower....

Another Year

We have started another school year. Thankfully I am much more excited about this year. We are starting on time and have a much better outlook and game plan this year. Whether we follow it or not is another story!

Ania's reading is improving even more. Her writing is wonderful. She loves science and is a wiz at math!
David is learning to read and is already reading some words. He also enjoys science and is a wiz at math!
They are both learning spanish and art together with Ari's help. What a different dynamic this year with a one year old running around! They are also both taking Tai Kwon Do and doing splendidly! Sometime in the near future they will both be sparring. I have noticed more confidence in both of them as well as bodily awareness. I am thankful we were able to find a Christian teacher that does not focus on meditation and some of the other things with martial arts. He has been very supportive of leaving your day at the door and parents in general. While he does like to chat the kids have been learning allot and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Hey anything that gets them right to sleep at night is awesome!

Spring Fever

So I couldn't take not doing something the other day. I got to cleaning as family is coming in a couple of weeks and I needed something to do....not that I don't already but I needed a distraction. I rearranged the loft. I like it better and will hopefully be able to get through some projects that are just sitting there waiting. I am going to do some garage sailing this summer and hopefully find some organizational things instead of just the totes that we have.

The kids have been suffering too. They have been riding their bikes on the snow and slush as well as through lovely mud puddles and coming in crying because they are stuck. It has been great though to see them running around.

The curriculum fair is this next week and I cannot believe I get to go this year. I didn't think I would be able to for awhile. The great thing is I can get everything ordered early and not have to worry about it......big relief! I have stressed over this the last couple of years and will not have to this year. Although I have been changing my mind a few times about what I really want to do with the kids this yeat. Ahhh, the fickle mind!

Baby Goats

The new friends and farm that we visited was an experience. We got to see newborn baby goats. The kids got to touch and feed them. What an adventure! Every time we now drive by they ask if we can stop.

Ari just kind of looked at it and reached out. The goat then started nibbling on her fingers!

New Musical Talent

Ania started violin today. You can hear my screams of pain from here I hope. Actually, she did really well today. Better than I could have ever hoped. She is excited and thrilled with the sounds she was making. She found the strings, each one individually and made it sound good. Mark is helping and we are hoping that she will stick with it. So when you think of her please pray for that. She hadn't been to thrilled with the piano and has been bugging me about it for the longest time. Thank goodness that Idea pays for it and we didn't have to. Although the Lord worked it out that we are able to borrow one from a friend at church until we are sure it is something that she will stay with. Mark is helping with body position and enjoying a good chuckle for us and our ears. I think I am going to buy a pair of good ear plugs tomorrow!

Doing Something Right

The last couple of days I feel so good about school. I have changed some things we are doing and the order in which we do them. Trying to get David through before he gets to antsy. We are doing Bible together instead of separately which is much easier.

I find that when I am antsy and in a hurry it wears on the kids. So my goal lately is to not rush and just enjoy the time with them. We are doing magnetism in Science and Ania is loving it. David isn't required to do it but he loves doing the experiments with her.

School, Patience, and Perseverance

What a day yesterday. We had a difficult school day, but the best part is we worked through it. Thank God for His grace and the wisdom of mom! Going through that just puts me in my place. I remember putting mom through so much of that and it is not fun to be on the other side of it. So mom (and dad) here is a huge I am sorry and apology for the years and years of what I put you through. Thank you for the wisdom and love of so many years of going through the same thing.

It's funny, Ania has been listening to Odyssey. She got a new one from Grandma for Christmas and the one she has been listening to constantly is about patience and perseverance. Hmmm, do ya think the Lord is trying to tell me something? I get it, I get it! Even my Bible study has been about patience and making every thought captive to Christ. What a huge thing to work on! But I am loving the results of the lesson. Life is so much sweeter when I make every effort to ask (and I know this is a cliche but) what would Jesus do?

Museum Trip

The kids and I went to the museum open house this last weekend. It was neat. Ania could have stayed forever. They had the labs open for the public. They were skinning a seal in one and they warned us but I said no problem we are from Barrow.

Scheduling

Well I finally got the schedule written out for school. Now that it is December! We had such a good week. We didn't follow it completely but at least most of it and I finally feel like I accomplished something. It feels good to look back on the week and be able to say Yes I did something!