Creation Day 2

Today was fun!

I decided to let him paint for his creation book and that was a hit. In fact as I am typing this, 20 minutes after being done with school, he is still painting. Having fun mixing colors and using different colored paper for new effects. I love art!

Painting the ocean.

adding a few clouds to the sky

Mixing blue & white paints to see what happens 

These little cups are wonderful! I got them last year while teaching preschool. They are condiment cups from Wal-Mart. I believe they come 8 to a package for less than a buck.

Coloring the number 2 for his creation poster.

sweet hands.

First Day of School

We have finished our first day of school! WooHoo!

It went as well, if not better than I expected. It's still a novelty for both of us, so we were eager to move through all the things on our list to do.

Before school, I did the First Day of School pictures. We did these for preschool as well.

We started by praying together for our day. Why have I not been doing this all along? 

Then we read the Bible passage for today, Genesis 1:1-5.

Then some table work...

...and working on the creation book & poster.

We reviewed our letters {a & b} and talked about the calender, month & season.

Prep Time

 We have limited space, so extras including art supplies are stored on shelves in the closet in my bedroom. I spent the day cleaning it out and making room. I am grateful for this little cove and a place for these things.

Cabinet in the kitchen where I am storing everyday things, like my Teacher's Manual and such.

I spent an afternoon with a pair of scissors and my laminator. BTW, I am so glad I bought that a couple years back. It was an impulse buy when I saw it on sale for $18 on Amazon. 

Overall, I feel prepared to start school on Monday. I need to pick up a couple things for our projects, but that's no big deal.

homeschool fun!

This blog has been pretty much abandoned. I feel bad about it and think of it often. I just haven't felt much like blogging. I have facebook for the day to day stuff and that has satisfied me. Until now. I want a better place to document our homeschool adventures. So, here we go. I am sure this will be about more than just homeschooling, but life in general.

Our curriculum arrived on 7/11/12. My Father's World, Kindergarten.

fun stuff from Michael's. 

Nathan playing with new supplies.
Love these journals from OfficeMax and need
a few more.

Back in the swing

I have been doing a lot of reflecting over the last few months. Taking stock in myself, my home and why I do what I do.

This last year has been incredibly hard. Every time I think I can catch my breath, emotionally, something else knocks me in the gut. In many ways I have been in survival mode. Yet, I have felt guilty for even admitting that, because I know others are going through worse. I am forcing myself to stop comparing myself to others. Yes, it's good to keep a healthy dose of "it could be so much worse" in my life, but it's not healthy to repress what's going on in my own life.

Over this past year, friendships have been looked at in a whole new way. I have been examining who I keep close to my heart. Who pours into my life and who drains me of all I've got. Then of course, I've been taking note of my spiritual life. Have I been fully relying on the One who made me? The one who knows more about my soull than I do.

I want to live my life with purpose. I want to be intentional about the things I set my mind and hand to. Yes, some things in life will knock me back. But, I don't want to be so shallow that I'm washed away with each wave to the point that I can no longer find my direction.

We are preparing to bring another little life into our family, and I know that being a mama to two kids will be a challenge. I want to be the best mama possible to these little people.

I'm learning to be content in the physical yet discontent in the spiritual. What I mean by that, is no longer looking to the material objects to make me happy. But constantly wanting more from God. I have struggled with wanting a bigger home. I finally realized, that will only make happy for a fleeting moment. Yet, if I strengthen my walk with God, I will find that joy that surpasses all situations.

I challenge you friends, take stock in your life. Look deep into your innermost being. Are you happy with what you see?

My Dad

I have been neglecting this blog, and not sure if anyone even reads it anymore.

Maybe I'm posting this more for myself than anyone who might happen upon it. I just feel the need to get all of this out.

My Dad went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 6:30pm PST.

He had been in the hospital for almost a month, had gone through a couple of angiograms and a quadruple bypass surgery. The doctors were optimistic about his recovery even though it was slow. He was scheduled to be moved to a nursing facility the following day to begin physical therapy and build his strength back. He was even telling my oldest sister that he wanted her to break him out of the hospital. He was a fighter to the very end.

We're told that he went quickly from a final massive heart attack.

Over the last two weeks I have been reflecting on the man who I called Dad. He had his faults and I don't intend to gloss over those, however his strengths seems to outweigh the bad.

I learned about unconditional love from this man. Throughout my life, despite my failures he was always supportive. When I would get down on myself, he would remind me that all need to learn from our mistakes and it's just part of life.

He always took an interest in what I was interested at the time. He was always happy to share his passion for sports, gardening, music and especially Bible Study with me. I could call him and talk about anything, everything and nothing for hours.

I remember during my first real relationship at the age of 17, I was trying to figure out if I wanted to end it. I asked him for advice and all he would say is that I needed to figure out if I could live with the bad for the rest of my life. On the other hand, he encouraged me to consider living without the good as well. I later found out that he had no use the boyfriend, but didn't want that to sway me. He knew I would resent him if I ended the relationship solely because of his opinions.

I knew that no matter what, he would be there for me. Just about everything he did in his 70 years of life, was for his family.

He loved to garden and gave me an appreciation for fresh fruits and veggies. I remember sitting on the back porch eating pomegranates with him. We didn't need to talk, we just ate.

When I was raising goats, pigs & rabbits for 4H, he fed and watered in the morning for me. Knowing that at the time I was not a morning person. He built countless fences and pens over the years and I never heard him complain about the work involved.

Once I was grown and married, anytime I came over to visit he had a pot of coffee ready. He would remember how I took my coffee and happily served me before we'd sit down to talk.

He had one of those distinctive laughs and great sense of humor. No matter what, he was always smiling or laughing. We were even joking around the day of his angiogram. That was just Dad.

The hardest part about losing him, is that I have always been a Daddy's Girl. My mom says from day 1 I preferred my Dad. He has been such a big part of who I am. Moving out of state was the hardest decision I made, because of moving away from him. I know that as we grow up, we aren't supposed to need our parents as much. And in many ways that was true for me. But I always knew he was there. I could call him and just chat anytime I wanted. I could hop on a plane and see him if I so desired. I was a Daddy's girl. Now he's not there.

I am beyond grateful that I have comfort in the fact that he was a Christian. I know he is no longer in pain, and in the glory of eternity. He has no more pain, sadness or fear. My loss is for myself, not him.

two years ago, this weekend

It was two years ago this weekend that we became parents. It was the Friday before Christmas, December 21, 2007. So, the actual 'anniversary' won't be until Monday, but there is just something special about the weekend before Christmas to me.

We had waited 11 long days, from the time we learned about our sweet boy, until he came home. (which, I know isn't bad for adoption, but it felt like an eternity.) We made phone calls, went shopping, smiled, laughed & cried. I could hardly sleep from excitement.

Our trip to get Nathan was a short one, only an hour away to the agency. I think we left extra early just in case. We sat at a McDonald's, down the the street and sipped coffee. A friend sent me text messages to make me smile and help calm me down.

Once we got to the agency, there was paperwork to be signed. Honestly, I don't think I even read a piece of it. I just wanted all the red tape out of the way. Bad, I know but I'm just being honest here.

Then got to meet Nathan's first (birth) mom and her two boys. We visited for what I think was about an hour. Nathan's birth family is just awesome. I fell in love with them during that brief visit.

The the interim family arrived and I laid eyes on my son for first time. I was frozen. Mike had to tell me that it was okay to go get him. I wanted to cry, but was so in shock that I just smiled and rocked him. I had wanted to become a mama for as long as I could remember. In a moment, it had happened. This boy stole my heart and I knew I would never get it back, nor did I want it back. There was a part of me that knew that his first mama still had time to change her mind. I'll admit, that is a terrifying thought for purely selfish reasons.

Our visit lasted maybe another hour. Then the social worker said a prayer over everyone in Nathan's little life and we went our separate ways. Mike strapped Nathan into his carseat for the first time, and we were on our way home, as a family.

I sat in the back seat, just be as close to him as possible. I remember rubbing his sweet chubby cheeks and listening to him coo and breathe.

That first weekend was so surreal to me. Feeding him, changing his diaper, napping with him. The things you grow to take for granted and just do.

This song comes very close to summing up how I felt that weekend. I heard it this morning, and just started crying. I remember laying awake in the middle of the night, listening to him breathe in the bassinet next to the bed. I just couldn't get enough of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
Far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever, forever and ever

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
Well, I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time

Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
'Cause I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah
I don't wanna miss a thing