I'll go back and add this to day 5, but in case you didn't scroll down to see the change wanted to tell you that in addition to everything else that went on yesterday, my best friend ended up coming over to hang out for supper. My hubby made BLTs at my request (YUM!). Afterward we walked over to the nearby football field to watch a local high school football team. My cousin is the coach and my best friend teaches math at the school that was playing. So, I also got to sit next to my Aunt and catch up and see a few of my cousins. It was wonderful weather for football and I truly enjoyed my day.
Today, I woke up to another gift from my mom. This time it is a black and clear beaded necklace and earring set. It's very pretty.
Now we are all going to head out to watch the trail of tears motorcycle ride come through our area and then we are headed to a big Craft Show in town. Then tonight my hubby and I are going to dinner with my cousin and her husband to celebrate our birthdays (her's is the day before mine). It's gonna be such a great day.
I'm am sooooo very blessed!
Showing posts with label Daily Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daily Life. Show all posts
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Birthday Week Day 4
I received another necklace and earring set from my Mom (It's kind of a redish-orange and orange together). I also had a homemade card from my son. I had to take the girls to dance and then we went to Hobby Lobby. We got some fabric for a fall project and I bought (with my 40% off coupon) another quilt stencil. This one is the stipling effect. We came home and did a lot of cleaning. Overall it was a pretty good day!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
To-Do Today
Today's have to list is a little lighter as my day is a little shorter because I'm going to lunch with my Dad and I have a staff meeting and church this evening.
Have tos:
~School with the kids
~Pay Bills
~Cook supper (I have to do this early because I leave at 4)
~Make one key wristlet and a checkbook cover
~At least two loads of laundry
~Order more checkbook covers
~Bottle laundry detergent that was made yesterday (It has to sit overnight before bottling)
Want tos:
~Clean off my desk
~Clean off my dresser
~Straighten sewing area
Update : I've removed all of the extra sewing off of my want to list for the day. I'm having a lot of trouble with mylower back and as of yesterday my right shoulder and neck and I just cannot sit and bend over sewing right now. I'll have to leave those off until I'm feeling much better. Guess I'll keep busy with things that keep me moving. (I am on my 3rd load of laundry for the day.)
Have tos:
~School with the kids
~Pay Bills
~Cook supper (I have to do this early because I leave at 4)
~Make one key wristlet and a checkbook cover
~At least two loads of laundry
~Order more checkbook covers
~Bottle laundry detergent that was made yesterday (It has to sit overnight before bottling)
Want tos:
~Clean off my desk
~Clean off my dresser
~Straighten sewing area
Update : I've removed all of the extra sewing off of my want to list for the day. I'm having a lot of trouble with mylower back and as of yesterday my right shoulder and neck and I just cannot sit and bend over sewing right now. I'll have to leave those off until I'm feeling much better. Guess I'll keep busy with things that keep me moving. (I am on my 3rd load of laundry for the day.)
Birthday Week Day 3
I woke up this morning to another homemade card from one of my girls a few bangle bracelets from my Mom and my dad will be taking me out to lunch today. He will be out of town for my actual birthday and birthday dinner, so I get a lunch instead. We're going to go to a Mexican restaraunt that is very near my house and I LOVE their food.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Birthday Week Day 2
You may already know from reading a previous post that it's my birthday week. Yesterday my daughter Kelsi wrote me an amazing letter and I had a lime green and brown wooden necklace and earring set from my Mom. Today my other daughter Keeli made me a homemade card and I had another necklace and earring set from my Mom today, this time it's turquoise. Tonight we will also be heading to my cousins house for dinner we do this a lot of Tuesday nights. There is always a pretty big crowd. The day before my birthday is my cousin's birthday, so the crowd will sing Happy Birthday to us tonight. I'm sure we'll have a great time and eat lots of yummy food. I've heard there may be some kind of peanut butter pie with an oreo crust. In my book you can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate. YUM!
To-Do Today
(The ones in yellow are ones I have completed)
I have got to be busy, busy today. Maybe if I share my list here I'll be more motivated to accomplish the things that are on it:
~School with the kids
~Make laundry detergent
~Make dishwasher detergent
~Make 4 checkbook covers
~Pay bills
Edited to add :
~Wash the shower curtain and bathroom rugs
~Bleach the grout around the tub
~Clean the tub and tub walls (I bleached them and wiped them and rinsed them off, but my back was hurting to bad to give them the scrubbing they needed.)
~Run oven through self-clean
~Do two loads of laundry
Those are the MUSTS.
Here are the other things I hope to accomplish:
~Make an additional checkbook cover and 2 key wristlets
~Clean off my dresser and finish cleaning my sewing area
~ Attach the border to my quilt
~Prepare my quilt for quilting
~Practice Free motion quilting
It is a lot, but the detergents take very little of my time, I can do other things while my machine is embroidering, including sewing. So, if I stay on task today I should be able to accomplish most of what is on this list.
Update : I got a LOT done. Not everything I wanted to, but a LOT. Maybe I need to post my to-do list here everyday.....
I have got to be busy, busy today. Maybe if I share my list here I'll be more motivated to accomplish the things that are on it:
~School with the kids
~Make laundry detergent
~Make dishwasher detergent
~Make 4 checkbook covers
~Pay bills
Edited to add :
~Wash the shower curtain and bathroom rugs
~Bleach the grout around the tub
~Clean the tub and tub walls (I bleached them and wiped them and rinsed them off, but my back was hurting to bad to give them the scrubbing they needed.)
~Run oven through self-clean
~Do two loads of laundry
Those are the MUSTS.
Here are the other things I hope to accomplish:
~Make an additional checkbook cover and 2 key wristlets
~Clean off my dresser and finish cleaning my sewing area
~ Attach the border to my quilt
~Prepare my quilt for quilting
~Practice Free motion quilting
It is a lot, but the detergents take very little of my time, I can do other things while my machine is embroidering, including sewing. So, if I stay on task today I should be able to accomplish most of what is on this list.
Update : I got a LOT done. Not everything I wanted to, but a LOT. Maybe I need to post my to-do list here everyday.....
Monday, September 13, 2010
Amazing Morning...Amazing Daughter...Amazing Mom...AMAZING LIFE
I am so blessed!
My birthday is on Friday and we've been sort of joking around here about my birthday week. My Mom used to do little things that sometimes made it feel like we had a birthday week. Nothing major or expensive just little things. I told my husband I didn't have any needs or specific wants for my birthday, but I would love for my kitchen to be finished. It only needs a few small things and it will be completely finished. On Saturday he spent his morning putting the hardware on the rest of our cabinets. I was joking with him about that being the start of my birthday week. He said weeks begin on Monday, so if I even got to have a birthday week it wouldn't start until then. So that's the preface of the story.
Well this morning I woke up and laying on the bathroom vanity I had a note from my daughter. Here's what it said:
You are an amazing mom and I hope to be a mom like you are. Thank you for everything, thank you for cooking and cleaning, listening and understanding, disciplining and loving, buying and making, rocking and feeding, worrying and praying, reorganizing and redoing, driving and walking, teaching and preparing, reading and searching, being joyful and being kind, putting up with and paying attention to, forgiving and forgetting, weeping and smiling, being there for and getting ready, giving us a roof over our head and a bed to sleep in. Your children that you love so much, you can't even put it into words (and anyone else you com in contact with) all say thank you. But most importantly thank you for following God and having a relationship with Him (we wouldn't be here if you hadn't). Happy Birthday Week!
Ummmm.....WOW!!!!! I really don't even have words....that my 12 year old daughter would sit down and come up with those words for me....seriously.....I am so unworthy of that, but so very thankful for this Amazing life He has given me!
Then to top that off I walked into my kitchen and there was a little gift bag on the counter. The card said Happy Birthday Week, Monday and it was in my Mom's handwriting. There was a really cute necklace and earring set inside.
Needless to say, I plan to spend this week, thanking Him for another year. Asking Him what He wants me to do in the next one and reflecting on and praising Him for all that He has blessed me with!
My birthday is on Friday and we've been sort of joking around here about my birthday week. My Mom used to do little things that sometimes made it feel like we had a birthday week. Nothing major or expensive just little things. I told my husband I didn't have any needs or specific wants for my birthday, but I would love for my kitchen to be finished. It only needs a few small things and it will be completely finished. On Saturday he spent his morning putting the hardware on the rest of our cabinets. I was joking with him about that being the start of my birthday week. He said weeks begin on Monday, so if I even got to have a birthday week it wouldn't start until then. So that's the preface of the story.
Well this morning I woke up and laying on the bathroom vanity I had a note from my daughter. Here's what it said:
You are an amazing mom and I hope to be a mom like you are. Thank you for everything, thank you for cooking and cleaning, listening and understanding, disciplining and loving, buying and making, rocking and feeding, worrying and praying, reorganizing and redoing, driving and walking, teaching and preparing, reading and searching, being joyful and being kind, putting up with and paying attention to, forgiving and forgetting, weeping and smiling, being there for and getting ready, giving us a roof over our head and a bed to sleep in. Your children that you love so much, you can't even put it into words (and anyone else you com in contact with) all say thank you. But most importantly thank you for following God and having a relationship with Him (we wouldn't be here if you hadn't). Happy Birthday Week!
Ummmm.....WOW!!!!! I really don't even have words....that my 12 year old daughter would sit down and come up with those words for me....seriously.....I am so unworthy of that, but so very thankful for this Amazing life He has given me!
Then to top that off I walked into my kitchen and there was a little gift bag on the counter. The card said Happy Birthday Week, Monday and it was in my Mom's handwriting. There was a really cute necklace and earring set inside.
Needless to say, I plan to spend this week, thanking Him for another year. Asking Him what He wants me to do in the next one and reflecting on and praising Him for all that He has blessed me with!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Weekend Getaway
I just spent a few days in the mountains with my husband. We were celebrating our 15th anniversary and we had a glorious weekend. We could not have asked for more beautiful weather. We spent time doing what each of us enjoy doing. It was amazing! We drove up on Friday night. We've started reading books out loud as we travel and we've decided that it makes the car ride go by so much more quickly. This trip we read "Sweetbrier Autumn", which is a story of the history of Seattle. We really enjoyed it, but didn't get finished. I imagine I'll be devouring the rest of that one this week. The drive up into the mountain to get to the cabin was a bit scary in the dark. It was very rural, so the roads were not maintained well, they were steep and very curvy. I was thankful to have my very capable hubby at the wheel. We got in in time to veg on the couch for a bit before bed. Saturday we slept in a little, had breakfast then headed to Gatlinburg. We stopped at the Welcome center for brochures to help us decide what to do. Our first stop was the Arts and Crafts village. I of course enjoyed that part more than Patrick did. We bought a small watercolor painting for my mother-in-law for her birthday, bought mason a wooden toy axe, but my most favorite place was the quilt shop. I've always wanted to quilt, but felt a little intimidated by it and wasn't sure I could do it with a basic machine, and sure don't want to have to pay someone to do the quilting. The sweet owner of the shop talked to me for a while and convinced me that I can do it. She owns a very expensive long arm machine, but still chooses to do most of her quilting on her sewing machine. She recommended a good beginner pattern (which I love!) and I can't wait to get started. I loved being in that store. I'm pretty sure I'm now hooked! We left there and went to eat at The Old Mill, the food was really good and reasonable (we shared and it was plenty) and the atmosphere was lovely, we stopped by a candy shop there and I got some homemade toffee, a bear claw and some Zots for my kiddos (anyone remember those?). We also went into the pottery shop and got to see pottery being made. It was VERY neat. We then went to the national park and decided on a trail to walk. We walked to Laurel Falls. It was said to be easy, but I had forgotten my knee brace at the cabin and found it fairly difficult. We had to park quite a ways away, so the round trip for us was around 3 miles, a good portion of it uphill. Thankfully it was paved an my sweet husband was patient. The falls were pretty, but much too crowded and I think DeSoto has just as much to offer. We drove back through downtown Gatlinburg on the way back to the cabin. It was fun to people watch as we drove the strip. Once at the cabin we ate a quick supper and headed to bed earlier so we could get an earlier star the next morning. Saturday we headed out pretty early to get to Cades Cove. We spent most of the morning there and would have stayed longer if we had not forgotten the cooler bag with our snacks and drinks in it. We walked at least a couple or more miles while in the park. One of the trails we walked took us past a big red barn and up to an old home place. When we headed back to the van we saw two bucks in the big red barn. We were able to watch them for a few minutes before they moved on (some other people came noisily down the trail and scared them away). We turned and just across the path saw a doe and her fawn. We stood 10 - 15 feet away from them and were able to watch them for a while. Then as we continued on we saw one more doe. It was so neat. I've sat in my van and seen them many times or watched them through a window, but never have I stood so near to one in the wild. Breathtaking! We left and had lunch at a nearby cafe then headed to the outlet malls. I only went to a hand full of stores (I tried to be merciful to my sweet, patient man), but had great success in those stores. I was able to find replacement lids and hot/cold packs for my pyrex portables for a VERY reasonable price. I also found 6" mini loaf pans for a reasonable price and picked some up for myself and my Mom for our holiday baking. My last stop was the Old Navy outlet. I ended up with 7 items for $28 dollars. We headed back to the cabin early for a restful night in. We watched a movie (The Cross, which I HIGHLY recommend), then we spent a while in the hot tub. We spent that time really talking (the movie had us in a very thoughtful, reflective place) about where we were going as a family, what God had called us to and where He is taking us and what we need to be doing to prepare. A couple of notes from that: My favorite quote from the movie was "My unworthiness does not disqualify me from the call of God." ~ Arthur Blessit The movie really made us think about something we've heard our pastor talk about many times. If we cannot be faithful in the little things, how can we ever expect God to trust us with the big things. We know God is calling us to something bigger and that we need to be living in a state of preparation for that, but it convicted us that we needed to get a handle on the little things, to set our priorities and hold fast to them, to make time for the most important things. So, I'm working on a schedule that will help us make sure that we aren't letting important things slip through the cracks. Monday we headed back with a stop at a very disappointing Flea Market (when did they become an avenue for people to sell imported merchandise?) and at Bass Pro Shops and finally at lunch at Cracker Barrel. We tried to stop at a quilt shop in Chattanooga, but it was closed. We missed our children terribly, but were so thankful to have the time away. It was so good for us physically, emotionally and spiritually. I'll try to post some pictures soon.
P.S. All this lovely fallish weather, the time in the mountains, the antiques and the quilt shop, led to my latest background change. I'm loving it!
P.S. All this lovely fallish weather, the time in the mountains, the antiques and the quilt shop, led to my latest background change. I'm loving it!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Our Soldier
My step-son's girlfriend got this picture of him in the mail today. Gotta love technology. She's two hours away, but was able to share this with us via Facebook. It's the first time any of us have seen him as a soldier. It was so good to see his face. We miss him terribly, but are just so proud of him!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
AMAZING NEWS!!!
Two days before Christmas Kelsi had to have surgery on her ears. She has had hearing loss for some time and this doctor had been evaluating it regularly for a few months. He decided to do exploratory surgery and to repair whatever he could on her worst ear at that time. After surgery the doctor said that she did not have one big thing wrong, but three small things instead. She had negative pressure caused by fluid in her ears, a ring of calcification caused by past fluid build up and infections and a bone in her ear that should have been flexible was stiff, this was possibly hereditary or could be from the fluid as well. He scraped off the calcification, tapped the bone to chip away calcification and loosen it up and put tubes in both of her hears. If her left ear (the one he did the most work on) were to improve the most, he would go back and do the right ear later. He also said that he may have to change tubes out periodically and could possibly have to free that bone up ever so often as well.
Well, I took Kelsi back to the doctor today for her first hearing test since her surgery. The last time we saw the doctor he was amazed at how good her ears looked, but was not yet ready to test the hearing. Today he came in the room and as he looked down to read the report he began to shake his head. He then looked up at me and said, "God really helped us out here.". She is hearing as well as a newborn baby with VERY GOOD hearing! He then went back to read over her pre-op and surgical reports and began to get more and more excited. He used the word WOW several times. He said she will not require any further surgery in her right ear (most of what he did last time was in her left ear) and that by the time the tubes fall out her eustachean tubes will most likely have matured enough that she would not need a second set. As he began to leave the room he looked at me again and said, "This was Divine Intervention" what I did could not have produced results this good. His whole demeanor was different as he left. He was so excited. It was all I could do not to cry!!!! I knew that God could heal her and was believing for that healing, but never would I have imagined that her doctor would acknowledge Who healed her!
Thank you so much for your prayers. I hope this serves as proof to you all that God's promises are true, He loves us and cares about what we care about, He is moving and I am on the edge of my seat waiting see what He has in store!!!
To God Be The Glory!!!!
Well, I took Kelsi back to the doctor today for her first hearing test since her surgery. The last time we saw the doctor he was amazed at how good her ears looked, but was not yet ready to test the hearing. Today he came in the room and as he looked down to read the report he began to shake his head. He then looked up at me and said, "God really helped us out here.". She is hearing as well as a newborn baby with VERY GOOD hearing! He then went back to read over her pre-op and surgical reports and began to get more and more excited. He used the word WOW several times. He said she will not require any further surgery in her right ear (most of what he did last time was in her left ear) and that by the time the tubes fall out her eustachean tubes will most likely have matured enough that she would not need a second set. As he began to leave the room he looked at me again and said, "This was Divine Intervention" what I did could not have produced results this good. His whole demeanor was different as he left. He was so excited. It was all I could do not to cry!!!! I knew that God could heal her and was believing for that healing, but never would I have imagined that her doctor would acknowledge Who healed her!
Thank you so much for your prayers. I hope this serves as proof to you all that God's promises are true, He loves us and cares about what we care about, He is moving and I am on the edge of my seat waiting see what He has in store!!!
To God Be The Glory!!!!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Being Painfully Real
One thing that I never want to do on my blog (or in life for that matter) is to appear fake. Make it look like everything is coming up daisies all day everyday. We all struggle and I went through a lot of years feeling like the only one that was, because no one around me was being real. They all looked perfect. Well, I am soooo far from perfect. The reality is that I have a blessed life. I have an amazing husband, wonderful children, great church, awesome friends, etc. But my husband and I disagree, my children need discipline, etc. This life is just not perfect. I say all that so that none of you will think that I'm depressed or something when my posts aren't all cheerful. They're just honest.
Today, I'm struggling. I'm sick of being fat. I cannot think about the way that I look or the way that I physically feel without tearing up. I hate to have my picture made. I look around a room to see if I'm the biggest woman there. I constantly pull at my shirts to make sure they're not hugging the fat. I look in the mirror and am mortified. What I see does not line up with how I feel like I look. I cannot believe that I am as big as I am. It's hard and it hurts. So here's my biggest frustration.......If it bothers me SO much, why can I not get motivated enough to actually do something about it?!?!?!?!
Today, I'm struggling. I'm sick of being fat. I cannot think about the way that I look or the way that I physically feel without tearing up. I hate to have my picture made. I look around a room to see if I'm the biggest woman there. I constantly pull at my shirts to make sure they're not hugging the fat. I look in the mirror and am mortified. What I see does not line up with how I feel like I look. I cannot believe that I am as big as I am. It's hard and it hurts. So here's my biggest frustration.......If it bothers me SO much, why can I not get motivated enough to actually do something about it?!?!?!?!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Progress...
Seems that my girls had a bit of a revelation yesterday. On Tuesday we all worked very hard on the house. We are all working to change habits and pick up after ourselves as we go and on Tuesday we worked hard to get their chore rooms into shape. So, yesterday as the girls are doing their chores I was hearing lots of comments on how much easier it was to do them, since they had been done well the day before. I've been trying to tell them for the longest time, if you'll just put it away when you are finished with it, there will be no mess. Finally seems they get that point. Now we all just have to work to stay consistent and the housework load is going to seem very light.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ch-Ch-Changes
It seems there need to be A LOT of changes going on around here. Changes in attitudes, behaviors, organization, time management, homeschooling, working, you name it. It also seems that there is not one of us in this house that doesn't need to be working on some of those things, especially me.
We've realized that we've let some things go with the kids, especially the youngest one, that we must get a handle on. Now don't get me wrong, we have AMAZING children, most people that know us would have no idea what needs tweaking, but God has revealed some things to us. The girls are usually pretty easy to bring around. They are older and really want to please the Lord (and us), so usually a conversation about the issue, what they should be doing differently and the potential consequence of not changing the behavior is enough to at least get them to work on it. My son, not so much, he's all boy and he's VERY busy and he thinks EVERYTHING is funny and we have really dropped the ball on a lot of things with him. Hubby and I plan to read (just as a refresher and to make sure we're on the same page) Kevin Lehman's book titled "Have A New Kid By Friday".
I am planning to re-read either The Excellent Wife or Created To Be His Helpmeet or both.
As far as Homeschooling goes. Things are mostly good. One daughter is finally caught up, the other is well on her way. The boy (as my husband often jokingly calls him) is a bit behind, but only for lack of attention span. Most of the revamping will be in his schooling. He's gonna need a lot more fun and a lot less workbook. I've also got to find more time to spend with all of them on their schooling, so the girls are not always having to do theirs alone and not always having to help Mason with his.
Work is improving, I still have a ways to go, but I am getting caught up. I plan to sit down tomorrow to try to figure out what else needs to be done to get me caught up and how long it might take that to happen. I then need to create some checklists to make sure that I don't overlook anything on my work days. It's hard to stay on top of all of it with all of life's distractions, so a checklist would be very helpful. I also plan to work on getting to the point that I'm only working 12-15 hours per week and getting all of those in two days, so I would have 5 days a week with no working. That would be FABULOUS!
I'm gonna try to get together a working schedule (or what I like to call order of events). We just seem so much more productive when we have one to go by. I also cooked some ground beef and put it in the freezer tonight. I'm planning on getting some more things like that done this week. I used to do a two week menu and go grocery shopping every two weeks. I also used to have a standing weekly plan for breakfast and lunch. I have got to get back to some of those things.
We've also got a lot of household projects to undertake in the near future. Gotta make a list of those, prioritize them and start pricing out the supplies.
So, to recap, things have gone a little wonky around here. My crazy work schedule, the added work of a new ministry, a ridiculous amount of illnesses, a complete lack of organization and time management have gotten us here and I have had ENOUGH! So here I go on a trek to get things here better than normal. I'll let you know how it goes!
We've realized that we've let some things go with the kids, especially the youngest one, that we must get a handle on. Now don't get me wrong, we have AMAZING children, most people that know us would have no idea what needs tweaking, but God has revealed some things to us. The girls are usually pretty easy to bring around. They are older and really want to please the Lord (and us), so usually a conversation about the issue, what they should be doing differently and the potential consequence of not changing the behavior is enough to at least get them to work on it. My son, not so much, he's all boy and he's VERY busy and he thinks EVERYTHING is funny and we have really dropped the ball on a lot of things with him. Hubby and I plan to read (just as a refresher and to make sure we're on the same page) Kevin Lehman's book titled "Have A New Kid By Friday".
I am planning to re-read either The Excellent Wife or Created To Be His Helpmeet or both.
As far as Homeschooling goes. Things are mostly good. One daughter is finally caught up, the other is well on her way. The boy (as my husband often jokingly calls him) is a bit behind, but only for lack of attention span. Most of the revamping will be in his schooling. He's gonna need a lot more fun and a lot less workbook. I've also got to find more time to spend with all of them on their schooling, so the girls are not always having to do theirs alone and not always having to help Mason with his.
Work is improving, I still have a ways to go, but I am getting caught up. I plan to sit down tomorrow to try to figure out what else needs to be done to get me caught up and how long it might take that to happen. I then need to create some checklists to make sure that I don't overlook anything on my work days. It's hard to stay on top of all of it with all of life's distractions, so a checklist would be very helpful. I also plan to work on getting to the point that I'm only working 12-15 hours per week and getting all of those in two days, so I would have 5 days a week with no working. That would be FABULOUS!
I'm gonna try to get together a working schedule (or what I like to call order of events). We just seem so much more productive when we have one to go by. I also cooked some ground beef and put it in the freezer tonight. I'm planning on getting some more things like that done this week. I used to do a two week menu and go grocery shopping every two weeks. I also used to have a standing weekly plan for breakfast and lunch. I have got to get back to some of those things.
We've also got a lot of household projects to undertake in the near future. Gotta make a list of those, prioritize them and start pricing out the supplies.
So, to recap, things have gone a little wonky around here. My crazy work schedule, the added work of a new ministry, a ridiculous amount of illnesses, a complete lack of organization and time management have gotten us here and I have had ENOUGH! So here I go on a trek to get things here better than normal. I'll let you know how it goes!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
My 1st Etsy Listing
It's probably silly of me to even attempt this as busy as I am. I won't be adding much, if anything, else until life slows down a bit, but I was curious to see if this generate any interest.
We'll see!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40368652
We'll see!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40368652
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Randomness and Some Prayer Requests
I rarely post just random stuff, but today I'm feeling random.
~I went for an eye exam last week and should have new glasses by the end of next week. I have an astigmatism and have had glasses for many years, but mostly they were for only when I needed the. They were much more important when I was in school looking at the board or working on a computer all day. Well now that I'm back to working on the computer so much, I knew I needed to go back in. Turns out my eyes are worse (seems like I'm even more aware of it since my check up) and I will need to wear glasses all the time. I think the new ones are cute and kind of trendy, but I can't really see myself wearing them all the time, so I may head back in the next month or so to get contacts, we'll see. Right now though I can't wait for my glasses to come in, I'm tired of this annoying blurriness.
~All of the crazy sickness and medical stuff we had to deal with last year and the travelling put me really behind on most of the other stuff in my life. Especially my work, so I'm working to get all of that caught up, then try to come up with more of a system to make all that I have going on mesh better together. Right now it looks like this will be the last co-op we participate in for a while. Kind of sad, but a relief at the same time.
~My step-son is in Army Basic Training. He left on January 5th and we've yet to hear from him. I knew we wouldn't get to talk to him, but I'm ready at least to get an address so we can send letters and such. With only an hour of free time a day I'm sure it's tough for him to write to everyone. He also has a long time girlfriend and everyone knows the girlfriend trumps the parents in letter writing. Makes it even harder for him that his parents are divorced. Anyway, I can't wait to hear how he is. We miss him terribly.
~We've decided that a theme for our family this year is going to be gratitude. I'm working on coming up with creative ways to teach that. Not that my kids are extremely ungrateful, but as Americans with so much, it's hard to be as grateful as we should be. I know we are planning to help feed the needy and donate some of our things to worthy causes. I think I will also try to teach them about other countries and how other people live (especially the Haitians). Don't know what else, I'm sure I'll get more ideas as the year progresses.
~I'm hoping to do a major cleaning out of this house. I've decided that with the amount of time we spend cleaning every day we should have an immaculate house, so we obviously have too much stuff. I talked to everyone about that last night. Needless to say no one was thrilled. I told them all that if they didn't LOVE it or absolutely NEED it then it had to go. My requirement is that when we are finished they will have room in their closets and dressers and no more toys than can fit in one toy box or toy bucket. I'm going to be adhering to that as well, if we don't have the storage space for it, it can't stay. I read on another blog the other day that a woman was cleaning out her closets and as she got to each one she would pray that God would show her what things needed to go, then when she was done she prayed again that He would open her eyes to anything she missed. She said it went better than it ever had. So we will be trying that as well.
~I have cabbage beef soup (minus the beef, haha) on the stove and I'm excited about it. I wanted something different and remembered that my Mom makes this and it's yummy. We are trying to cut back on meat. We love it, but it's pricey and we have realized that there are some things that we don't miss it in. Stir fry is a good example of that. When we have stir fry we only have veggies and rice and we do not miss the meat at all. I'm just saying that it isn't totally necessary to have meat every night and I've finally convinced my family of that. I'm thinking that I may start making a huge pot of soup at the beginning of every week and having that for lunch each day. I love homemade soup and I don't mind eating it over and over again if it's one that I really like.
~No secret that I need to lose weight, but it's more obvious to me every day, as much in the way I feel as they way I look. I'm just trying to figure out what to do that I would be more apt to stick to and would be a more gradual, permanent weight loss. I'm leaning toward little things right now, like making a list of low fat, low cal breakfasts that I enjoy and allowing myself only one serving of those each morning, trying to keep more fruits and healthy snacks in the house, healthy soups for lunch, more water, more exercise. You know just a healthier lifestyle without a diet plan. We'll see.
~I'm feeling a bit of an overhaul coming on this year. Like this is the year that things are going to really be ironed out. Our home in order, a healthier lifestyle, more productive schedule, more time in the Word as a family. Lots of little things like that. We're already seeing some of that happening and hubby and I are planning to sit down tonight to work on our budget and some scheduling changes. I'm praying it all comes to fruition, I'm not looking for perfection, just a lifestyle that is more manageable to keep up with.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
~My Pappaw is almost 95 years old and has been on a slow decline for years. He is not doing well at all and they are suggesting that the family try to visit with him this weekend as they are unsure how much longer he will live. I have been so blessed to have him this long and couldn't have asked for a much better Pappaw. Please pray for peace and comfort for him and the family
~My husband also went to the eye doctor this week and found out that he has cataracts in both eyes. He is only 44 years old. These are not the kind of cataracts that you get from age, so there is an underlying cause. Some of those causes can be smoking (he did for 20 years, but quit 7 years ago), sunlight, eye injury, diabetes. So he will be going to the family doctor in a couple of weeks and they will have to do blood work to make sure he is not diabetic. He has always had a hard time with his sugar getting low, so who knows......The eye doctor expects the cataracts to grow and in a year or so suspects Patrick will have to have surgery to replace the lens in his eyes.
~I have the opportunity to share or disciple a young woman. She did not grow up in a Christian home and only went to church when someone would invite her or for VBS, etc. She says she was saved when she was young, but has no idea what she believes, no clue what denomination she would consider herself, etc. She is very open and wants any info I can share with her. Please pray that I will share the right things in a way that is eye opening, but not overwhelming to her. She has an almost one year old and wants to raise her right, but doesn't really know where to begin when it comes to the Word and church. I'm very excited for the opportunity and would love your prayers.
~I went for an eye exam last week and should have new glasses by the end of next week. I have an astigmatism and have had glasses for many years, but mostly they were for only when I needed the. They were much more important when I was in school looking at the board or working on a computer all day. Well now that I'm back to working on the computer so much, I knew I needed to go back in. Turns out my eyes are worse (seems like I'm even more aware of it since my check up) and I will need to wear glasses all the time. I think the new ones are cute and kind of trendy, but I can't really see myself wearing them all the time, so I may head back in the next month or so to get contacts, we'll see. Right now though I can't wait for my glasses to come in, I'm tired of this annoying blurriness.
~All of the crazy sickness and medical stuff we had to deal with last year and the travelling put me really behind on most of the other stuff in my life. Especially my work, so I'm working to get all of that caught up, then try to come up with more of a system to make all that I have going on mesh better together. Right now it looks like this will be the last co-op we participate in for a while. Kind of sad, but a relief at the same time.
~My step-son is in Army Basic Training. He left on January 5th and we've yet to hear from him. I knew we wouldn't get to talk to him, but I'm ready at least to get an address so we can send letters and such. With only an hour of free time a day I'm sure it's tough for him to write to everyone. He also has a long time girlfriend and everyone knows the girlfriend trumps the parents in letter writing. Makes it even harder for him that his parents are divorced. Anyway, I can't wait to hear how he is. We miss him terribly.
~We've decided that a theme for our family this year is going to be gratitude. I'm working on coming up with creative ways to teach that. Not that my kids are extremely ungrateful, but as Americans with so much, it's hard to be as grateful as we should be. I know we are planning to help feed the needy and donate some of our things to worthy causes. I think I will also try to teach them about other countries and how other people live (especially the Haitians). Don't know what else, I'm sure I'll get more ideas as the year progresses.
~I'm hoping to do a major cleaning out of this house. I've decided that with the amount of time we spend cleaning every day we should have an immaculate house, so we obviously have too much stuff. I talked to everyone about that last night. Needless to say no one was thrilled. I told them all that if they didn't LOVE it or absolutely NEED it then it had to go. My requirement is that when we are finished they will have room in their closets and dressers and no more toys than can fit in one toy box or toy bucket. I'm going to be adhering to that as well, if we don't have the storage space for it, it can't stay. I read on another blog the other day that a woman was cleaning out her closets and as she got to each one she would pray that God would show her what things needed to go, then when she was done she prayed again that He would open her eyes to anything she missed. She said it went better than it ever had. So we will be trying that as well.
~I have cabbage beef soup (minus the beef, haha) on the stove and I'm excited about it. I wanted something different and remembered that my Mom makes this and it's yummy. We are trying to cut back on meat. We love it, but it's pricey and we have realized that there are some things that we don't miss it in. Stir fry is a good example of that. When we have stir fry we only have veggies and rice and we do not miss the meat at all. I'm just saying that it isn't totally necessary to have meat every night and I've finally convinced my family of that. I'm thinking that I may start making a huge pot of soup at the beginning of every week and having that for lunch each day. I love homemade soup and I don't mind eating it over and over again if it's one that I really like.
~No secret that I need to lose weight, but it's more obvious to me every day, as much in the way I feel as they way I look. I'm just trying to figure out what to do that I would be more apt to stick to and would be a more gradual, permanent weight loss. I'm leaning toward little things right now, like making a list of low fat, low cal breakfasts that I enjoy and allowing myself only one serving of those each morning, trying to keep more fruits and healthy snacks in the house, healthy soups for lunch, more water, more exercise. You know just a healthier lifestyle without a diet plan. We'll see.
~I'm feeling a bit of an overhaul coming on this year. Like this is the year that things are going to really be ironed out. Our home in order, a healthier lifestyle, more productive schedule, more time in the Word as a family. Lots of little things like that. We're already seeing some of that happening and hubby and I are planning to sit down tonight to work on our budget and some scheduling changes. I'm praying it all comes to fruition, I'm not looking for perfection, just a lifestyle that is more manageable to keep up with.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
~My Pappaw is almost 95 years old and has been on a slow decline for years. He is not doing well at all and they are suggesting that the family try to visit with him this weekend as they are unsure how much longer he will live. I have been so blessed to have him this long and couldn't have asked for a much better Pappaw. Please pray for peace and comfort for him and the family
~My husband also went to the eye doctor this week and found out that he has cataracts in both eyes. He is only 44 years old. These are not the kind of cataracts that you get from age, so there is an underlying cause. Some of those causes can be smoking (he did for 20 years, but quit 7 years ago), sunlight, eye injury, diabetes. So he will be going to the family doctor in a couple of weeks and they will have to do blood work to make sure he is not diabetic. He has always had a hard time with his sugar getting low, so who knows......The eye doctor expects the cataracts to grow and in a year or so suspects Patrick will have to have surgery to replace the lens in his eyes.
~I have the opportunity to share or disciple a young woman. She did not grow up in a Christian home and only went to church when someone would invite her or for VBS, etc. She says she was saved when she was young, but has no idea what she believes, no clue what denomination she would consider herself, etc. She is very open and wants any info I can share with her. Please pray that I will share the right things in a way that is eye opening, but not overwhelming to her. She has an almost one year old and wants to raise her right, but doesn't really know where to begin when it comes to the Word and church. I'm very excited for the opportunity and would love your prayers.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Hanging On To Christmas
Every year I really want to get my Christmas stuff up the day after Christmas and I used to be very successful with that. The last few years it has not worked out that way at all. I think this year I was sick, then we were very busy. Last year for some reason I just wasn't in the mood to decorate. I guess I finished decorating 2 or 3 weeks before Christmas this year. Well, I still haven't undecorated. I intended to take everything down New Years weekend, but too much went on and we were barely home. I really don't want to put it up until it's warm enough for us to do a little cleaning in the storage room. You know it would be a lot easier to clean in there with all of the bins and trees not in there. At this point who knows when we are going to have another warm day. I'm sure ready for one. I have to say since we've been home so much this week and it's been so cold and snowy, I've been pretty happy to have my decorations to enjoy. Seems like we are so busy during the Christmas season that we can barely take time to enjoy them. This week I've sat on the couch and watched the lights twinkle on my tree while I could see the snow coming down outside my window and I must say it was lovely. They'll come down soon, surely. Or who knows, truth be told, we've had to take them down just before the girls birthday party in February more than once. ;)
Friday, January 8, 2010
2010 So Far
We went to my cousins house for New Years and had a great time. We always do when we are with them. We had finger foods and boy was there a lot of them, watched some football (not my favorite thing, but the guys liked it), chit-chatted, shot off fireworks and toasted the new year with some sparkling grape juice. Then we headed home to begin 2010. Here's how it's gone so far:
The negative perspective:
1) When we got home and got out of the van the kids heard our cat moaning and meowing in a horrible way. Patrick began looking for him and found him lying hidden behind some things on our carport, unable to do more than barely pick up his head. He died within the hour. I got him as a kitten and had him for 13 years.
2) We have suffered a major spiritual attack.
3) Two vehicles have had dead batteries this week.
4) Josh (my 23 year old step-son) left for Army Basic Training and we miss him and are terribly sad that he will be so far from us.
5) The pipes to the washing machine have been frozen all week and we have been unable to do any laundry.
6) We woke up this morning to find that the hot water pipes for the entire house had frozen.
From our true perspective:
1) We are sad and miss our cat, but I was so thankful that he died here and did not suffer long. I had been concerned that, as cat's often do, he would wander off to die and we would be left wondering where he was and if he was dead or alive. I had also been concerned that his health would slowly go downhill and was thankful that it didn't. He was himself to the very end. We are sad, but grateful just the same.
2) Realizing that we were dealing with an attack of the enemy has actually been very good for our family. We were angry and confused when we became aware of what was going on, but with Jesus we have fought hard and many positives things have happened as a result. It has been an opportunity for us to really teach our children about the Devil and his schemes, what the Word says about who he is and what it says about how to deal with him. We are doing an in depth study of the Armor right now in the evenings after our Bible reading time, we are praying with the children before bed, Patrick and I are doing some reading together in the evenings as well as praying at night and in the morning together. I believe that through this battle we are all going to be better equipped, closer to each other, closer to the Lord and stronger, and I can't complain about beginning a new year with all of that in our favor.
3)I am so thankful to have a wonderful husband that has toughed it out in the cold without the first complaint to take care of our vehicles. I am thankful that we have vehicles that run and have heat and I'm thankful that the batteries did not have to be replaced.
4) While we miss Josh so much and are saddened by the distance. We are so proud of the man he is becoming. We are thrilled that he truly sought the Lord and is now walking the path that he believes the Lord is guiding him down. We are clinging to Jeremiah 29:11 for Josh and have peace that he has made the right decision regarding his future. At the end of the day, isn't that what we all want for our children. This may not be the road I would have chosen (because I'm human and selfish and this Momma's heart wants him here and safe), but I'm so thankful to serve a Father that knows so much better than I.
5) We have had a week of almost no laundry here and, quite frankly, it has been a lovely break. My Mom is always offering to help us with laundry (she offers to help with my siblings laundry as well), she works full time and, with only the two of them at home, doesn't have much laundry to do and I guess she sees it as the perfect way to help her children. So, she has done several loads of laundry for us and will probably do more in the next day or two. Who wouldn't be thankful for a sweet Mom like that?!?!?
6) We weren't excited not to have hot water today, but my hubby didn't have to go to work until 10, so we didn't discover the frozen pipes 'til later in the morning. By the time he had worked on them and gotten the to thaw, it didn't make any sense for him to go in, so we've had him home all day with us and I love having him here, so you'll not hear any complaining from me about the frozen pipes. All of this water freezing business and waking up to a chilly house (our house was built in 1898 and doesn't have central heat and air, so we turn the heaters down at night for safety's sake) has made me think much of those whose homes are colder than mine, who don't have the clothes and covers we have to bundle up in, who can't afford the powere bill so they won't turn the heat on, who have no home at all, etc. I don't want to spend a moment of my life bellyaching because one of my luxuries is not quite as available to me as it was yesterday. I may have in the past and I may slip up and do it again in the future, but my desire is to live a life full of gratefulness to the Father for giving me so much more than I could ever deserve.
So, if God has decided that we needed to begin this year with some valuable lessons under our belts, I sure hope we do Him proud and learn 'em and walk 'em out just as He sees fit.
The negative perspective:
1) When we got home and got out of the van the kids heard our cat moaning and meowing in a horrible way. Patrick began looking for him and found him lying hidden behind some things on our carport, unable to do more than barely pick up his head. He died within the hour. I got him as a kitten and had him for 13 years.
2) We have suffered a major spiritual attack.
3) Two vehicles have had dead batteries this week.
4) Josh (my 23 year old step-son) left for Army Basic Training and we miss him and are terribly sad that he will be so far from us.
5) The pipes to the washing machine have been frozen all week and we have been unable to do any laundry.
6) We woke up this morning to find that the hot water pipes for the entire house had frozen.
From our true perspective:
1) We are sad and miss our cat, but I was so thankful that he died here and did not suffer long. I had been concerned that, as cat's often do, he would wander off to die and we would be left wondering where he was and if he was dead or alive. I had also been concerned that his health would slowly go downhill and was thankful that it didn't. He was himself to the very end. We are sad, but grateful just the same.
2) Realizing that we were dealing with an attack of the enemy has actually been very good for our family. We were angry and confused when we became aware of what was going on, but with Jesus we have fought hard and many positives things have happened as a result. It has been an opportunity for us to really teach our children about the Devil and his schemes, what the Word says about who he is and what it says about how to deal with him. We are doing an in depth study of the Armor right now in the evenings after our Bible reading time, we are praying with the children before bed, Patrick and I are doing some reading together in the evenings as well as praying at night and in the morning together. I believe that through this battle we are all going to be better equipped, closer to each other, closer to the Lord and stronger, and I can't complain about beginning a new year with all of that in our favor.
3)I am so thankful to have a wonderful husband that has toughed it out in the cold without the first complaint to take care of our vehicles. I am thankful that we have vehicles that run and have heat and I'm thankful that the batteries did not have to be replaced.
4) While we miss Josh so much and are saddened by the distance. We are so proud of the man he is becoming. We are thrilled that he truly sought the Lord and is now walking the path that he believes the Lord is guiding him down. We are clinging to Jeremiah 29:11 for Josh and have peace that he has made the right decision regarding his future. At the end of the day, isn't that what we all want for our children. This may not be the road I would have chosen (because I'm human and selfish and this Momma's heart wants him here and safe), but I'm so thankful to serve a Father that knows so much better than I.
5) We have had a week of almost no laundry here and, quite frankly, it has been a lovely break. My Mom is always offering to help us with laundry (she offers to help with my siblings laundry as well), she works full time and, with only the two of them at home, doesn't have much laundry to do and I guess she sees it as the perfect way to help her children. So, she has done several loads of laundry for us and will probably do more in the next day or two. Who wouldn't be thankful for a sweet Mom like that?!?!?
6) We weren't excited not to have hot water today, but my hubby didn't have to go to work until 10, so we didn't discover the frozen pipes 'til later in the morning. By the time he had worked on them and gotten the to thaw, it didn't make any sense for him to go in, so we've had him home all day with us and I love having him here, so you'll not hear any complaining from me about the frozen pipes. All of this water freezing business and waking up to a chilly house (our house was built in 1898 and doesn't have central heat and air, so we turn the heaters down at night for safety's sake) has made me think much of those whose homes are colder than mine, who don't have the clothes and covers we have to bundle up in, who can't afford the powere bill so they won't turn the heat on, who have no home at all, etc. I don't want to spend a moment of my life bellyaching because one of my luxuries is not quite as available to me as it was yesterday. I may have in the past and I may slip up and do it again in the future, but my desire is to live a life full of gratefulness to the Father for giving me so much more than I could ever deserve.
So, if God has decided that we needed to begin this year with some valuable lessons under our belts, I sure hope we do Him proud and learn 'em and walk 'em out just as He sees fit.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas 2009
December 25, 2009
Dear Friends and Family,
Our Christmas cards did not make it out this year, although, we still may send them. Better late than never, we hear. We have had a year full of blessings and trials, but what year doesn’t include both?
The last half of this year was especially marked with much sickness in our home. We rarely deal with much illness here, so it was very surprising to find ourselves dealing with so many medical issues. The girls dealt with severe reflux for several months and had an endoscopy in September. We discovered damage to their esophagus and each began taking a medication that has helped tremendously and is expected to do much healing. We love their doctor and he expects them to only have to take this medication for 6 months to a year.
In August Kristie became ill with a sinus infection that quickly turned into a long drawn out battle with bronchitis. After three doctor visits and two different doctors, she was finally able to recover. Not long after she got well Kelsi, Keeli and Mason all came down with the flu. We were very blessed that it was only a mild case and thankfully we were completely flu free within a week.
Kelsi has struggled with some sinus and hearing issues and praise be to Jesus we have finally found a doctor that wants to get to the bottom of what is going on and try to correct here issues. On Tuesday we took her in for blood work to test how well her immune system is functioning, on Wednesday she had surgery on both ears, received tubes and some restoration work to her left ear. If all heals well and her left ear improves beyond her right one, he will go back into the right ear to replicate the work he did in the left one. Sometime in January she will also begin allergy testing. Kelsi was also diagnosed with hypoglycemia this year. She also deals with asthma, so this year has been tough on her especially. She has a great attitude and considering their premature births we are so thankful to have such minor issues to deal with and we are all believing for a much healthier 2010.
We were very blessed to be able to take an amazing vacation to Disney World with some great friends and all of our children in November. We had the most amazing weather and the crowds were very slim. Homeschooling has many, many perks and being able to travel while others are in school is certainly one of them. Kelsi, Keeli and Mason loved having Josh be with them while they experienced all that Disney had to offer. Josh had to return a couple of days before we did and he was surely missed.
A year or so ago God began to stir a desire in our hearts to serve Him in a greater way. We knew this calling was within our own church and that it would be in some way connected to children, but we were very unsure what exactly he desired for us to do. Several months ago He opened the door and made it quite clear to us that we were to take over the responsibility of directing the early childhood department at our church, it’s called “Little Praisers”. We prayed along with our Pastor and ultimately were given the responsibility of being Directors over that ministry. It has been challenging, but even more so rewarding. We are so thankful that our Heavenly Father would dare to entrust us with the opportunity to speak into the lives of these little children and pray that we would impact them for eternity.
Mason is our little bundle of energy. It’s all we can do to keep up with him. In good old Mason fashion, he was thrown from a horse this year and walked away with no more than a nose bleed. He’s super sweet and super energetic and constantly keeps us all laughing. Kelsi is a servant through and through, she is always looking for ways to help others and we wonder so often what we did to deserve such a sweet girl. Keeli is her father’s child, we are constantly laughing at how much she reminds us of Patrick. One of her many talents is imitating others, that in particular keeps Patrick in stitches.
The most important update of the year to us is that Josh has joined the Army. He enlisted a few months ago and will leave for Basic Training in Fort Benning, Georgia on January 5th. He spent much time in prayer and felt as if this were the path the Lord would have him to take. He took a test and scored high enough to qualify for the 18X program, which is an accelerated program into Special Forces. We are so proud of him, but certainly as parents are concerned for his safety and well being. We are clinging to Jeremiah 29:11 that says 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ We believe in our hearts that this is God’s plan for Josh’s life and are trusting our Heavenly Father for His guidance and protection of him.
All in all we have been blessed day in and day out by a most gracious Father. He gives us each and every day far more than we deserve. We are so very thankful that God loved us enough to send His precious Son Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our own wretchedness. We cannot imagine walking through this life without Him. We pray that you feel that same love from the Father and are enjoying celebrating the birth of Jesus and some precious time with your families this holiday season.
Much Love and Merry Christmas,
The Wetzel Family
Dear Friends and Family,
Our Christmas cards did not make it out this year, although, we still may send them. Better late than never, we hear. We have had a year full of blessings and trials, but what year doesn’t include both?
The last half of this year was especially marked with much sickness in our home. We rarely deal with much illness here, so it was very surprising to find ourselves dealing with so many medical issues. The girls dealt with severe reflux for several months and had an endoscopy in September. We discovered damage to their esophagus and each began taking a medication that has helped tremendously and is expected to do much healing. We love their doctor and he expects them to only have to take this medication for 6 months to a year.
In August Kristie became ill with a sinus infection that quickly turned into a long drawn out battle with bronchitis. After three doctor visits and two different doctors, she was finally able to recover. Not long after she got well Kelsi, Keeli and Mason all came down with the flu. We were very blessed that it was only a mild case and thankfully we were completely flu free within a week.
Kelsi has struggled with some sinus and hearing issues and praise be to Jesus we have finally found a doctor that wants to get to the bottom of what is going on and try to correct here issues. On Tuesday we took her in for blood work to test how well her immune system is functioning, on Wednesday she had surgery on both ears, received tubes and some restoration work to her left ear. If all heals well and her left ear improves beyond her right one, he will go back into the right ear to replicate the work he did in the left one. Sometime in January she will also begin allergy testing. Kelsi was also diagnosed with hypoglycemia this year. She also deals with asthma, so this year has been tough on her especially. She has a great attitude and considering their premature births we are so thankful to have such minor issues to deal with and we are all believing for a much healthier 2010.
We were very blessed to be able to take an amazing vacation to Disney World with some great friends and all of our children in November. We had the most amazing weather and the crowds were very slim. Homeschooling has many, many perks and being able to travel while others are in school is certainly one of them. Kelsi, Keeli and Mason loved having Josh be with them while they experienced all that Disney had to offer. Josh had to return a couple of days before we did and he was surely missed.
A year or so ago God began to stir a desire in our hearts to serve Him in a greater way. We knew this calling was within our own church and that it would be in some way connected to children, but we were very unsure what exactly he desired for us to do. Several months ago He opened the door and made it quite clear to us that we were to take over the responsibility of directing the early childhood department at our church, it’s called “Little Praisers”. We prayed along with our Pastor and ultimately were given the responsibility of being Directors over that ministry. It has been challenging, but even more so rewarding. We are so thankful that our Heavenly Father would dare to entrust us with the opportunity to speak into the lives of these little children and pray that we would impact them for eternity.
Mason is our little bundle of energy. It’s all we can do to keep up with him. In good old Mason fashion, he was thrown from a horse this year and walked away with no more than a nose bleed. He’s super sweet and super energetic and constantly keeps us all laughing. Kelsi is a servant through and through, she is always looking for ways to help others and we wonder so often what we did to deserve such a sweet girl. Keeli is her father’s child, we are constantly laughing at how much she reminds us of Patrick. One of her many talents is imitating others, that in particular keeps Patrick in stitches.
The most important update of the year to us is that Josh has joined the Army. He enlisted a few months ago and will leave for Basic Training in Fort Benning, Georgia on January 5th. He spent much time in prayer and felt as if this were the path the Lord would have him to take. He took a test and scored high enough to qualify for the 18X program, which is an accelerated program into Special Forces. We are so proud of him, but certainly as parents are concerned for his safety and well being. We are clinging to Jeremiah 29:11 that says 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ We believe in our hearts that this is God’s plan for Josh’s life and are trusting our Heavenly Father for His guidance and protection of him.
All in all we have been blessed day in and day out by a most gracious Father. He gives us each and every day far more than we deserve. We are so very thankful that God loved us enough to send His precious Son Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our own wretchedness. We cannot imagine walking through this life without Him. We pray that you feel that same love from the Father and are enjoying celebrating the birth of Jesus and some precious time with your families this holiday season.
Much Love and Merry Christmas,
The Wetzel Family
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Christmas for the Kids
Finally decided on what to do for the kids for Christmas. I will be making each of them flannel pajama pants and a matching embroidered shirt. Then they will each get a stocking, game and a special gift that they have asked for. Doesn't seem like much, but they understood that the Disney trip was a very large part of Christmas this year. Thankfully, I have very grateful, practical children. They have expressed to us that they actually enjoy small Christmases because they enjoy having plenty of time to play with their new gifts. The girls will have books in their stockings and Mason will have an Adventures in Odyssey cd. Everyone has asked for a book light, so they will have those as well. Both girls want a few sewing tools and Mason wants a bandana and a pocket knife. (He has a swiss army already, he is only allowed to carry them on occasions that he is going to be spending time with his Daddy.) Kelsi wants a bag of starburst and Keeli wants a large Hershey bar and Mason wants a nerd rope or Reese Cups. They will all have pencils in there and I'm sure a few more goodies, like ponytail holders for the girls and cars for Mason. That will probably be it for the stockings. I found some family Wii games for $10 each, so we will have two of those and I also saw a bundle of 2 board games for $10 so we will have those as well (those will be group gifts). Lastly, each of them will get their individual gifts, Keeli wants an art set, Mason wants a GI Joe Snake Eyes Sword and Mask and Kelsi wants a set of Nifty Knitter Hoops.
I'm still completely unsure what I am doing for my husband. I have a pretty good idea what to do for Josh (my step-son), but he occasionally reads my blogs, so I'll refrain from posting about his.
I'll post pics of the homemade gifts as I get them done. I hope to start in the next few days.
I'm still completely unsure what I am doing for my husband. I have a pretty good idea what to do for Josh (my step-son), but he occasionally reads my blogs, so I'll refrain from posting about his.
I'll post pics of the homemade gifts as I get them done. I hope to start in the next few days.
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