Perspective

You know its amazing how our perspective is the key to life, no matter what season or trial of life we are in. Can you imagine not being fretful, discouraged, angry ect. with anything in your life.

One common complaint with moms to many is that the work is never done and its a thankless job. This is all very true. Some moms even to just one or two children are so negative and really feel robbed of their "life" due to having had children. What a shame!

Our joy in life and our success as mothers is that we get our perspective straight and no matter how much the advesary tries to make you think otherwise; you KNOW the truth!

The truth that the very next breath that you take is not promised to you, it is a gift. The truth that parents loose children everyday and will never touch their soft faces again on this earth. The truth that every moment that your children and yourself are healthy is a gift that out ways all the rest. Every moment that we have our children at home with us, making messes, and needing their diaper changed is priceless. Why do some parents miss this? They cant wait for the child to be out of diapers, next they cant wait until the child starts school and on and on!

If you had no legs and one day were told that you were receiving the gift of legs for only 24 hours. The only exception is that you must continue to dig a trench the entire time you have your legs. Would you say, "you know what that seems like a lot of work, I think I'll pass on that."
I dought it! You would gratefully dig that trench the whole time, enjoying the legs you are standing on.

You will probably wiggle your toes and bend your knees taking in all the wonderful sensations that you had never known. You will enjoy the ache from having been standing so long. You will soak up and embrace ALL that 24 hrs has in store. The good and the hard and count it all as absolutely wonderful!

Sometimes we get lost in the precious gifts of The Father only to count them as sorrow. We must change our perspective. If you were to leave this earth today would your children know that they were the joy of your life.

Which leads me to my next thought for the day. Children will be more enjoyable if they are trained to act correctly and be a functioning, helpful part of the family. No one likes to be around unruly, disrespectful kids; not even the parents of those kids. Train your children well and they will be a blessing and a joy to you! And realize that one day even though it seems so far off in the distance; that your house will be empty. No more sticky little baby faces to kiss when ever your heart desires. No more shoes to pick up off the floor. Laundry will cease to exist, and you will be in the fall and winter of your life. Enjoy the spring and the summer for those are the seasons that your life's memories are made!

Busy Weekend!

As most of yall kow the 23rd was Seths 7th Birthday as well as Rob and I's 11th Anniversary, So it was a busy day Saturday. We had to take the dog in for shots at 9:00 then Chuckie Cheese at 11:00. The boys had a blast, they always do at C.C.

After The birthday party we went home and watched disk 2 of the second season if lost. Yep, thats how I do it. I wait until the season comes out on dvd and then watch it without commercials. That is really the only series I ever wanted to watch yet never seemed to catch it when it was on TV.

Then we went to my sisters Saturday evening and watched the Ultimate Fighting Championship fights. Yes I live in a house full of testosterone, this is part of the requirements.

Today Rob had jury summons and luckily was not picked. It was a 2 week trial and his employers would not have been to happy about that. So he is home mowing and weed eating and all that fun stuff.

For those of you MOMYS readers. I am so excited about the Greenville MOMYS get together. Tina told me last night that she will be attending, due to the fact that she will be in town for the Big Sandy Family Camp. I will get to visit with her Thursday as well, as she is staying over at my home. So if you live anywhere near Greenville, please join us it will be so nice to meet and edify one another.

Everyone have a blessed and glorious week!

Website Design Contest

If you are like me and have no HTML skills what-so-ever, yet long to have a pretty blog; I wanted to let you in on a contest. Visit BlueBird Blogs and enter to when a completely FREE new web design! Entries will be taken until the 22nd so dont delay. You can also see her gallery of wonderful...momy-esk blog designs.

A few questions answered

I thought I would answer a few questions that I tend to be long winded when answering.;-)


Letisha asked "did you homebirth with the boys? What are your labors like? Besides PAINFUL AND JOYOUS!"

My first 4 boys were delivered in the hospital. I was never happy with the outcome of each birth, except of course for my precious babies. I felt like a circus attraction with everyone looking on waiting for me to spit fire. Along with that I felt like so much was done that was unnecessary. My labors are quite short. The first one was about 6 hours and I pushed 3 times, after being told I would be pushing for at least an hour. I remember thinking after his birth..."man, that was easy what was all the fuss about?" haha. For those of you who would like to hit me for saying that ;-) Yes, I had an epidural and had no idea what real pain was!

With my 5th son we planned to have a home birth unassisted. His birth was wild, and the more I look back on it, it was a blessing. The Father knew that I needed for it to happen fast. I had my first contraction and had a baby in my hands 30 min. later. It was fast and spontaneous. My body took over and I was just along for the ride!

My Eve was pretty quick as well. It was about 3 hours from first contraction until she was in my arms. That was an intense labor. All mine have been very quick and painful. I watch moms having babies and they are in obvious pain but are controlled. I am screaming like I am being flogged. The best way I can explain the intensity of my labors is it feels like I am being pulled apart. It is hard, but worth every moment! I would love to have a longer labor with less intensity! Its amazing what us moms are willing to go through to receive The Fathers precious gifts!

Also asked "You got a much sooner start than I did. Did you know Rob in high school?"

I wish my life had been that normal! LOL I had moved out of my dads house when I was 14 and got a job and an apartment and started my life. Rob and I met while we were working as Vet Tech's in an animal hospital. I was 18. He was 23. We dated for a year and where married in 1995. I was 3 weeks away from being 20 when we had our first son! We have been blessed every other year sense then with a new baby! We will be celebrating our 11th anniversary in 2 days!

Boys, Babies and Circus Tents

Don't you love children. They are so free to do what they feel. They have no apprehensions just live life. My 5 year old was out side with me when the mail man came yesterday. He ran up to the mail man (who happened to not be our usual carrier) and gave him a big ole hug. I knew what he was up to as soon as I saw him start running. In my mind I'm thinking oh no, what is this guy going to think? I said, as he grabbed ahold of his leg and squeezed "I'm sorry he is a huger" Wondering what the man was going to say. Usually the comments range from oh, well that was sweet or thank you, sometimes blank stares follow Ethans hugs. YES, he hugs everybody! The checkout people at the grocery store get the most, but what the mail carrier said was so precious "He looked at me and smiled and said you know I needed a hug today!" How blessed my heart was. The Father showed me that this is how we are supposed to show love to others. Not by running up to them and hugging and kissing their leg, but by not questioning or deciding to show love to someone on the basis of how we think their reaction will be. Children truly are angels from heaven!

I thought I would post a picture of my boys as they don't seem to get much air time, sense Eve came on the set ;-) So here's my little men!



I can't believe I am half way through with this pregnancy! I can't wait to meet my new little one. She/He has been moving around for a few weeks now. This past week I have been able to feel the kicks from the outside. ;-) Such a great time. I am not so huge that I am miserable and the morning sickness is gone! But I am getting big!



And I cant leave yall without a picture of my latest dress for Eve. I know enough already ;-) This one I sewed on Sunday and Devon my oldest said, "Mom, it looks like a circus tent!" I said "well I'm glad you like it because I will be starting yours next." LOL....I have to admit it is a bit busy.

Timber

Well it was a good weekend around here. I took the kids swimming on Saturday which wore all of us out. Then on Sunday we were forced to lounge around due to the rain outside...ALL day!
I am not complaining though because we really need the rain here.

I am complaining just a bit about what the wind and rain produced. We have six 45ft or so Sycamore trees that surround our home. They provide shade but mostly are just the messiest trees I have ever encountered. They loose their leaves year round and bark in the summer and round fuzzy balls in the spring. Just constantly messy! Yet they are our trees and we like the shade. Unfortunately we are one less tree today.

The entire top 20 feet of the tree came crashing to the ground!

Here is the top of the tree laying in the EMPTY field beside our house!

The only damage was to a few pickets of our fence. Rob and the neighbors are cutting it off here.

The real miracle here is that if it would have fallen into our home it would have caused a bunch of damage. Rob usually parks his car right were the tree fell, but on that day parked it in the other drive way. It missed my car by 2 feet. Lastly but MOST important is that my children were not playing in the field when it happened! The Lord is more than GOOD!

And the good news is Rob is going to build me a table that seats 12 out of the huge trunk that still remains and needs to be cut down.

Bad mommy...bad!

I had to share this as it had me rolling this morning. Eve received a doll stroller through free-cycle yesterday and there is a little doll that came with it. As I said in my earlier post we have been busily cleaning the house this morning. So she has been keeping herself busy pushing the little baby in its stroller all morning.



There have been a couple of times where the baby has not cooperated and either fallen out or just not acted right for what ever reason ;-) So I have had to stop and help her situate the baby in the stroller. Eves virtues at this stage in the game do not include patience.

So I am cleaning the dining room and I see her come happily trotting out of the kitchen, then I see her pushing an empty stroller. I don't know what it is but I always know what my children have done. I guess its a weird mommy thing. So I had an idea of where the baby was. And I was right! I walked in to the kitchen and came upon this awful scene.



I didn't realize this was an option. Think of the possibilities!

Mommyhood according to Eve: If baby is misbehaving just throw it in the kitchen trash for a bit and go on about your business. She is still pushing an empty stroller around. Silly Girl!

I am posting at the crack of dawn today

Its about 7:15 this morning. It has been cool enough in the mornings that I need to put on a sweater to come downstairs. We also have not had to turn on the air units until around 3:00 in the afternoon. This will be a big help in next months electric bill!

In a few months it will be so chilly in here. I'm not fond of being "cold" but I suppose it helps me to enjoy the "hot" more when it comes.

I spent about 4 hours yesterday cleaning out the library. We call it the library because one day it will be just that. Rob is going to build shelves from floor to ceiling all around the room. I have always wanted one of those libraries you see in old houses with the step ladder that slides across the top. The ceilings are about 10 feet tall, so I will need something to get up there. It is the room where we do our school work and art work and office work, so there is always a lot of accumulation of stuff. I was going to upload pictures but my cameras batteries are dead so I'll try and get some up later today.

Today is Friday. YAY! Its deep clean day here. We have no school work on Fridays. But lots of cleaning work. The boys are all still in their assigned zones, BUT they must deeply clean everything. After we have the house sparkling clean we will head off to the park for some much needed play time. (incentive)

Everyone have a blessed, safe weekend and a joyous, full of the spirit Sabbath Rest!

Ramblings of Yesterday

I finished another dress for Eve yesterday. Remember the material I bought on the clearance table? This is the material that was 1.00 a yard So the dress cost me 1.50. I love the fabric pattern. It will match her blue eyes...and who doesn't love roses? I am kinda getting the hang of the button holes, although they still are not as perfect as I would like them to be. I realized my sewing machine (that was given to me free so I'm not complaining) does not have a built in button hole setting....so I have to free hand it, YIKES!

Devon is real big on taking trash and creating "stuff" out of it. I had a great idea to create a notebook for him. It will in include a picture of the creation with a descriptive paragraph above to tell all about what he made. I wish I would have thought of this earlier. I thin kit will be fun for him to look back on when he is older and see the things he made as a boy. The creation that spurred this on was his Sonic Grappling hook. Yes he named it...isnt that cute? Its hard to see in the pictures but the hook (a paper clip and rubber band) is pulled back and released which then will allow his action figures to climb up tall things. LOL




I also wanted to share a great "TO DO list" over at Tianys blog. I really enjoyed reading this list during my quite time last night. Oh how much work I have left to do. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could wake up just complete. Never again raise your voice, talk down to, be sarcastic, think wrongly of anything or anyone again. To be filled with ALL the fruits of the spirit. To glow as you go through your day, while letting nothing distract you or worry you. I loved these particular versus as I read through it:

In II Tim. 2:22 we are told to flee the evil desires of youth and to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. II Cor. 7:1 tells us to purify ourselves from all that contaminates our body and spirit. We are to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus, (Rom. 13:14) and live a life worthy of our calling. (Eph. 4:1) We are to live as children of light and to find out what pleases our Lord. (Eph. 5:8, 10)

Can you imagine what it is like to clothe yourself with Jesus Christ. To put him on like a dress...pull him over your head and down around you until He is covering your body. What a visual that is for me. As followers of Christ how often are we walking around completely naked? I got to thinking about what I could do to clothe myself in Him and it all boils down to one thing. Keep Him close to me all day. Read the scriptures, pray without stopping, always be thinking how would The Father want me to handle this and trust in Him to help me carry out those tasks.

Oh...so much work to be done!

I-Q tests?

So I took a real I-Q test today just for the sake of wasting time. Because I have so much of it LOL and here are my results:

Congratulations, Audrey!Your IQ score is 115

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others. Your Intellectual Type is Insightful Linguist. This means you are highly intelligent and have the natural fluency of a writer and the visual and spatial strengths of an artist. Those skills contribute to your creative and expressive mind. And that's just some of what we know about you from your test results.

Umm....then how come half the time I am putting the milk up in the cabinet and the cereal in the fridge? In all honesty I'm not even sure if the score is good, or what the average scores are. I just thought it would be fun. I am very visual. So the pictures of all the weird and odd shapes I can get in a flash. I could have gotten the full report for 12$ but I'm a tight wad. LOL

Sewing question
The pattern that I am using for the jumpers for Eve is the See and Sew (see I told you I was visual ;-) #4488 and I have another pattern that is See and Sew also where the main difference is in the collar (it is rounded instead of square) it is #B4420. I haven't used the later one yet because I figure when you have something down pat, why change it. When I get bored with sewing the other pattern, I will switch and learn the new one. They both take about 1 1/2 yards to make a dress with.

On another note, I have been feeling like crum again. Nauseous and head aches. I was feeling so good there for a while. It is so easy to stay motivated and on task when you feel good....not so much when you don't. I'm sure it will pass soon!

Also Kendra over at preschoolers and peace has had a few good posts on chores and child discipline that I thought where really insightful.

Edited: Here are the I-Q score averages I found while doing a search online.

Where will your score fall within the following ranges?
80-90 (below average)
90-110 (average intelligence)
111-121 (above average) (ooo..ooo...here I am)
122-130 (highly intelligent)
131-141 (gifted)
142+ (genius - top 1%)

LOL I dont consider myself above average by any means!!!

OK so I'm smitten by her cuteness!

Here she is wearing her new grape dress for the first time. She is very hard to take pictures of. you have to follow her around and pretend you are not taking pictures. I managed to get a few!

I'm not sure that she ever plays with actual toys.

She loves just being near her daddys stuff!

Her purple convertable!

Alright, finally! I tried a bunch of times yesterday but blogger seems to be persnickity lately. So here are my latest dresses for Eve. I am getting more creative as I go and realizing the fun things that can be added, like ruffles and ribbons. So much fun!

I went grocery shopping last night and found 2 different materials on the clearance table. I bought enough to sew two more dresses and the cost was only $4.50 I love sewing cute dresses that only cost me 2.25 each.

I realized the other day that winter is coming and I am going to have to figure out how to sew sleeves. That seems like a daunting task. We'll see how I do.

Hey Yall!

Last Saturday my DSL modem decided that it would stop functioning correctly, so I was without internet for about 5 days. It was tuff not being able to get online, but a pleasant break.

We had a barbecue on Sunday and had a great time, but the kids seemed to receive a gift of the cold virus from one of the other guests (not sure who the offender was ;-) Ethan (5) got it first then Elijah (3) then Devon (10) now today Eve is looking all puffy in the eyes and has a snotty nose. I only hope I can bypass getting it. I am swimming in Vitamin C just to make sure I'm doing all I can do to keep from it. Jordan and I usually don't get sick, even if everyone in the house is!

Yesterday I had a dentist appointment. I was scheduled for a deep clean and got it, OUCH! As I was leaving we made an appointment for me to come back in a few weeks to have an abscessed wisdom tooth pulled. She also said that I had my yearly coming up in a few months and to be able to complete that, I would need to get a note from my OB stating that I am cleared for x-rays. I explained to her that we could just push that appointment back a few months as I didn't have an OB because I labored at home. She looked at me as if I had said I had a bomb strapped to my chest and was about detonate if my demands were not met. She said "oh, well let me go talk with the dentist and I will be right back" She returned to tell me that NOW they would also need an OB note stating what anesthesia they can use for the tooth extraction in a few weeks. Sure is funny they didn't need that a few minutes earlier. I explained to her that I understood my risks and would gladly except Lidacain and would sign any waivers that they felt needed to be signed. She basically told me that I would have to be under an OB's care to walk back in the doors while pregnant. I was furious. I said fine, I guess I will carry around this infection for the next 5 months, that should be much safer for me and the baby, than a shot of Lidacain. What is wrong with people these days. Everyone is out to cover their own behinds because no one wants to take responsibility for their actions. I am guessing that I could step in front of oncoming traffic and if I survived still be able to sue the poor soul who hit me and WIN, all while having a suicide note pinned to my shirt. It really is sad and frustrating for those of us who have sense and realize our risks and except the outcome without retaliation. Ughh!

With the long weekend came much sewing. I have created a monster! I love sewing for Eve so here are the latest creations: well for what ever reason Blogger is being difficult, I will try to upload them again later today.

Well, I'm off. I need to finish the laundry for the day, bake the bread for the rest of the week, and make a shopping list were I will attempt to feed my family of 8 for 60$ this week. Wish me luck!

A new addition to the family!

Rob and I love BIG dogs. We have always wanted a mastiff, but couldn't justify spending 2,000 on a dog. I have had our name on pet finder for over a year, and when there would be an available mastiff that needed to be adopted we were notified. There was always a reason why we hadn't adopted. Either the adoption agency didn't want the animal to go to a house with small kids; or they were to far away. So I received another notice over a week ago. It was for a Boarboel Mastiff, which Rob and I had never heard of before (and we know our mastiffs ;-) So we went to look at him at the vet were he was staying, only 30 min. from our house!

He was found emaciated and covered with ticks and fleas about 2 months ago. They nursed him back to health and put weight back on him (he still needs to gain about 15 more) This dog was meant for our family. He is the most gentle and patient giant I have ever seen. Our dog Maverick played (pestered) him for the entire 3 hours he was first here and then we had to separate them so we could get some sleep.

So we introduce to you Franklin.

Yes, this is the large sofa in the main living room...the one that will seat 5-6 children...but only one Franklin. He was so heavy he was sinking in between the cushions. And yes that is drool he is dripping onto the couch cushions, Yuk!

Playing in the back yard with Maverick early this morning.

Sweet Relief!

I awoke to a gorgeous 63 degree morning!! Not only that but it has rained here for 5 days straight. Rain we desperately needed. The grass is turning green again. It is wonderful. I dare say Fall is here because this is Texas and it is only September (in 2 days) But I will sure enjoy it while it lasts. It looks like we will be throwing caution to the wind this week and spending alot of time outside.

So I decided that I was going to take Maverick in at least every other day to be neutered. LOL
He came home and slept and was so calm and peacful. It was great! You see he is...well... nerotic by nature. Its the Weimerreiner in him. He is always busy and playing and then there is his puppy side. I keep forgetting that he is only 7 months old, simply because he is so big. Here he is the day of the BIG operation that took his dog-hood away.

I also am going against my better judgment ;-) and am sharing a prego picture. This is me this morning. I am between 16 and 18 weeks pregnant with number 7. I havent gained but about 4 pounds so far. I think because I have had a really peculiar taste bud change. I used to be able to sit and eat an entire bag of cookies. Now I can eat just a few and am done. And quite honestly I dont even want them most of the time. I have also been drinking lake loads of water. So hopefully I will be able to keep my weight under 180 tops with this preg. I know, huge...huh?!? Oh well, they are worth every pound and stretch mark!

Oh, and I am sporting in this picture a one of a kind Audrey original. hahaha
This was my first attempt at sewing a maternity dress. It really just looks like a large moo-moo to me. I think that a lighter material and some pleats in the front will do it some good. So I plan on tweaking the next dress to make it a bit more fitted. But hey when I'm 9 months this one will fit perfectly!

What's really wrong with public schools?

I read this article on my (Heart of Wisdom) homeschool support yahoo group today. It may sound extreme to most, yet there is truth in the words. On the same note , even though it wasn't mentioned in the article....did you know that our constitution as written at the founding of our nation, does not say anything about the government at any level being responsible for the education of our society. It is hard to read the article below and not have a "knee jerk reaction" as many good things have come from public education, or has it? Just to make it clear this article does not touch on collage and other further education facilities. Remember that these "used" to be student funded exclusively. Further education schools were and still are necessary for most careers. These facilities "were" privately owned and operated, yet they to have been taken over by government agencies and funding. This article deals specifically with the k-12 public school arena, and the perpective that "christians" should have on public schools in referrence to the word of God.

What's Really Wrong with Public Schools?
by David H. Chiltonfrom
The Biblical Educator, March 1981
Institute for Christian Economics
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ------------------- --------- --------- -------

"To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding" (Proverbs 1:2)The usual arguments against public education are very convincing yet very wrong nonetheless. They typically run something like this: We realize that public schools have become breeding grounds for violence and sexual promiscuity; that they are often outlets for socialist propaganda; that they now constitute a formidable enemy of Christianity (e.g. by teaching evolution and prohibiting prayer and Bible reading); they are an enemy of the family (by teaching sex education and deriding traditional authority structures), and so on. Now its true that this well-intentioned conviction is not an absolute tragedy since it is being used, under the providence of God, to lead more and more people of faith to abandon the system of public education. So, no matter what the reason, the result is certainly a good one. Unfortunately, this argument is not as principled as it looks. It is not an argument against state education but only against certain perceived ills within the public schools. Thus, even among Christians upset with state education you will find the following attitudes:(1) "The real problems exist in the inner-city schools, but there's nothing wrong with public schools in the better suburbs and in the rural, God-centered traditional values communities; (2) "We should work to make public schools more moral by pressuring our legislators to reinstitute prayer and abolish sex-education;(3) "We should try to force the public schools to give Creation 'equal time' with Evolution."These and similar positions all attest to the fact that much of the opposition to public schools focuses mainly on mere details. That is, we are very willing for the state to control education as long as we can be reasonably sure our children won't be beaten, drugged or raped in the library. To put it bluntly, we want our socialism, but we want it clean. If only the public schools would teach what we want them to teach we would be happy to have our children's education funded by legalized theft. Philosophically speaking, this is quite an interesting position. We'll give our children a "moral" upbringing by robbing our neighbors (socialism) to pay for it.Put in another perspective, as Christians, we do not argue against abortion simply by citing the physical and mental dangers attendant to the procedure nor should we consider it sufficient to oppose state education simply because of its evil consequences. We do not work for safer methods of abortion nor should we work to improve public schools. The basic argument, you see, is that the very existence of state schools is immoral -- regardless of the level of "morality" contained in them.According to the Bible (see Romans 13:4 and surrounding) the state has an extremely limited function which may be summed up in two points: punishing criminals (as defined by God's law) and protecting the law-abiding citizens. That's it. God has appointed civil rulers as His ministers, and their responsibility is to administer His laws.The Bible severely limits the powers of the state and just in case rulers might misunderstand the extent of their commission God built a "strict constructionist" interpretation into the law: The ruler "may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left" (Deut. 17:20).The Bible does not give civic rulers the power to educate children. That responsibility belongs to the parents. State schools are therefore immoral in principle and exist only because God's laws have been violated -- by greedy rulers who covet the powers of deity and by blindly greedy citizens who covet "free" education at their neighbors' expense. Viewed in this light, it is no wonder the public school system has spawned a generation of illiterate criminals who assume the world owes them a living. Why is this attitude not surprising? According to their baby-boomer parents the world owed them an education. They're just extending that logic to the marketplace.The existence of public-school crime and violence is nothing but superstructure built atop a rotten, humanist foundation. It is quite predictable and, in fact, was predicted in Deuteronomy 28 with its list of curses which necessarily fall upon a culture that departs from God's law. If our educational principles are not founded on God's word we have shut God out of our system of knowledge and committed cultural suicide. Romans 1:28-32 tells us what happens to people who will not have God in their knowledge: It reads like a modem report card on "citizenship. " "But," it may be objected, "if the state doesn't provide education and force its citizens to submit to it, some parents won't bother to do it themselves." This is true. It is also true that some people don't brush their teeth. Does it follow then that we should provide free dental care and send bureaucrats to each home every morning and evening armed with dental floss to enforce public compliance with oral hygiene? Where do you draw the line? You draw the line where God draws it which is in His law. God has defined the responsibilities and limits of the state and whenever it falls short of those responsibilities or transgresses those limits it is making itself into a new kind of god. The inevitable result is national damnation.No matter what your own particular objection to all this, it fails the ultimate test and is an example of non-conformity to God's law. When you say the "moral," community-oriented public schools are still OK all you're saying is that the full harvest of apostasy hasn't caught up yet with what the schools are doing. But the fact that none of your bad checks have returned is no justification of forgery. Those wonderful schools are possible only by the illegitimate beneficence of a deified state which plunders your neighbors to give your kids a free lunch and a free education. There's just no way around it. Public schools are immoral, and always have been even in the bygone, halcyon days of old, when students got regular doses of birch rods and McGuffey readers. Look at yourself for a prime example. You went to a "nice" public school, and you didn't turn out so badly did you? You didn't take LSD in 5th grade, you didn't carry a switch blade in Jr. High, and you were a virgin on Graduation Day. State education didn't pervert you. Or did it? Consider for a moment your reaction to this essay:Regardless of the biblical evidence you still find it hard to swallow the idea that the state shouldn't do some things over and above God's requirements. You think the argument that public education involves theft is somewhat "abstract." But, face it: You're a socialist. Many of your ideas about the proper role of government were fed to you from K through 12, and it's like pulling teeth to get rid of them. I'm constantly running into sincere Christians who are absolutely aghast at the notion of abolishing unbiblical government regulation and they do so by posing quasi-rhetorical questions such as: "But, how will the mail get delivered?" I even heard one theologian boldly assert that the value of gold and silver comes from the paper money behind it!The real problem with public schools is that they exist in the first place. They are ungodly, unlawful, collectivist/ socialist- based institutions. The many evils now spewing out of them derive from the curse that God inflicts upon all institutions that defy Him.He has commanded parents to educate their children in terms of His law and thats something that cannot be done in a public school. If we want our children to fear Him and to grow into diligent workers for His kingdom we cannot afford to train them in an institution which has as its fundamental presupposition that I am entitled to as much money as I can vote out of my neighbor's pocket.Prayer doesn't belong in a public school (Proverbs 28:9). Your money doesn't belong in a public school. Most of all, your children don't belong in a public school. Institutions premised on sin must not be redeemed but abandoned. We dont send chaste young maidens into brothels in the interests of "equal time for the other side." As the light of the world, we must set the standard. Our Lord never called His people to help build the tower of Babel hoping theyd include having a Bible study in the basement. He commanded us to build our own city on a hill.

How Time Flies

I cant believe I'm at 16 weeks already. Respectivly. I actually could be between 15 and 18 weeks. But I am pretty sure we are closer to 16. I am averaging the due date to be somewhere around Feb 10th. So I just prepare for the first 3 weeks of Feb as being "the time". I will measure my fundus as I get bigger and that usually helps me to see if I am close to my estimated due date. I guessed Eves date right on, even with having no monthly cycle to gage it by.

On the home front, my poor dh has been under our house this whole weekend long. Including up until midnight last night trying to wrap the plumbing up so we could have water today. Then he had to get up at 5:00 to go to work. He is such a hard worker.

I took the dog in to be neutered this morning. I had to be there before the chickens were up. Thats country talk for "way to darn early." He weighs 60lbs and made me carry him the whole way...he was petrefied. I guess he thought I had finally had it with all his shinanigans and was taking him back to the shelter. LOL

Here are some cute pictures I thought I would share then its off to get busy with a lovely Monday morning!

We call this having a really good nap, although this is Texas so it could be just your average hairstyle. Isnt she precious?!?

Its a hard nock life!

A life worth repeating?

......I realized then, as I have realized before, what my daughter really needs from my husband and me in this fallen, mixed up world. It's the same thing all my children need-and that your child needs as well.

They don't need sweet platitudes of faith that will momentarily placate their emotions. They need the authentic strength that comes from the true foundation on a biblical world view and a proper understanding of the real Christ who is worthy of their worship. They need an unwavering, internal, moral and spiritual compass that will help them weather today's storms and tomorrow's and will guide them for the rest of their lives. They also need to see what real faith looks like when lived day in, day out, so they will have a pattern to follow................

How amazed and thankful I am to see God producing in all my children's lives a love for Him and a maturity that could be cultivated only by the Holy Spirit. It all started naturally in our own home as we sought to follow God's pattern for discipleship shown through the life of Christ......It was part of God's plan that I recruit my own children to drop the fishing nets of their own lives in order to embrace God's purpose and mission. It all began when I was able to embrace with Joy the ministry of motherhood............

I realized with the passing of each day that spiritual and emotional maturity would not just happen to my children because I wished it so. It would not come just from a passive example of me being good. Effective spiritual, emotional, and social training in the lives of my children would have to be both intentional and planned.

Excerpts taken from The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

As my children get older it becomes ever present in my mind that they will soon leave my home and start lives of their own. This has had me thinking about what we are doing as parents to train them and instill in them an unfailing desire to follow Jesus in all that they do as adults.

I want to raise boys who will become men who will not compromise their lives because of outside influences. Men who are strong, with wisdom and love. Ultimately fathers who will live the life of Christ for their children to see on a daily basis and husbands who will take their place in the home, stand directly under Christ and lead their families.

Daughters with a meek and quite spirit. Who seek to serve others through love. Who see themselves as vessels of The Holy Spirit. Respecting their bodies and realizing the power of that body and in turn preserving it for that one man whom the Lord gives to them as their husband.
Mothers with a heart of love that withstands all troubles, pressures and circumstances with peace and patience.

I have been guilty of just thinking that these things will just happen because I wish them to. What a dangerous position to take. I of course can not force them to be these things if they choose another path, but can I influence them in staying the course? Can I show them what strength in the Lord looks like and how to live that on a daily basis. Do my kids see that I worship the very Lord I tell them to worship? Am I only hollow words with no foundation? Sometimes I am! Do my children know how to be unwavering, righteous followers of Christ because they have seen two parents who have lived a life worthy of repeating?

This is my prayer...this is my passion....this is our duty, as "step parents" to the children The Heavenly Father has so gracefully leant to us...... for such a short time!

Another finished dress

The other dresss came out of the dryer so I took a pic to share. I found that on the next one (I have two to sew) the waist needs to be a bit bigger. It was a little snug, on my 16 lb 15 month old. She's a stick.



Here is Eve modeling the dress from the earlier picture, she is still not feeling well. Poor thing! Teething is hard!

A little of this and a bit of that

Eve has a terrible habit of taking off her diaper. Which is why I bought her some cloth Fuzzi Bunz this week. The kids can not get those off. So I would find her many mornings sleeping in her birthday suit. She also hates to be shooey (our word for dirty diaper.) So at 2:00 in the morning she starts to cry (she never wakes up at night) so I knew something was up. Well she had shooeyd her diaper and then took it off and was trying to let me know she needed a new one. So I fix her up lay her back down and try and go back to sleep. Then this morning the little stinker (literally) does it again, except this time its very messy. YUK! I explained to her how it wasn't very lady like to have poop on your face. Then I gave her a bath and moved on with the day.

I am finishing up two dresses for Eve today. A picture of one is below, the other is still in the washing machine. I bought two really cute snap onesies on the clearance rack yesterday for 2.00. Then bought a yard of matching material to add skirts to them.


I love to sew but because of this little problem I have with every thing needing to be a-symmetrical and perfect...you know like the clothes you find at the store, I really don't like anything that I sew. I just started though a few months ago, so I figure practice will make me much better.

The boys are upstairs making movies. Yep real movies. They have an older camcorder that was given to us. So one of them is in charge of props and another costumes. They have blankets draped across their room. Devon said he figured out how to pause the tape and move an object over then begin taping again. I love watching kids learn all on their own. I'm sure they will be busy up there for a few more hours. I'm so glad I have a husband and a Lord that provides for me in such a way that I can stay home with my kiddos and allow them to learn in what ever area delights them. That has to be more fun for them than sitting in a classroom for half of the day.

I am really tired today. I didn't get much sleep last night. It was about 11:30 when I finally got to sleep then I kept dreaming that I was running from a tornado all night long. LOL I slept through my alarm clock for about 35 min. But I did get up and got moving.

Well I'm getting commentary on the movie. It's about two astronauts who are in outer space and are attacked by a marshin (sp). To funny.