NYE and NYD

We enjoyed our New Year's Eve at Dollywood - our last day with our season passes for the year.  We didn't do rides, but we caught some of the Christmas shows and enjoyed the lights.  After that we ate at Tony Gores, a BBQ restaurant in Sevierville.  

Today, we were looking forward to a day of church and an ice cream sundae party for Pastor Bates (today is his birthday), but the Lord had other plans.  We got 4-5ish sick kiddos with congested coughs. 

And on Thursday night I was giving Hailey a bath and was leaning over and slipped with slippers on b/c Ryan had mopped the floors and I hit my belly on the side of the tub.  It was only from a few inches, but beginning yesterday I've felt like a muscle strain in my abdomen and back so today I am resting and taking it easy.  Jammie day! 

We still plan to have our traditional New Year's meal.  My MOST FAVORITE MEAL  of the whole year - ham, black-eyed peas, collards, cornbread, and pecan cream cheese pie.  I am looking forward to it.  

I actually stayed up to ring in the new year and give my honey a kiss.  :)  

Happy New Year!  The Lord has shown me that I need to focus on love (charity) this year and gave me 1 Cor 13 and 1 John 4:18.  

We also have some goals for 2017:  Sell our townhouse, pay off Westgate, get a new vehicle, recite Matt 5 in church with Ryan and Sean, learn Charlotte Mason homeschooling method and begin this next home schooling year, attend a Charlotte Mason Teach Them Diligently convention, take sermon notes during church and study them during the week, go to CO for Christmas, finish reading the Wellness Mama web site, get season passes to Ripley's Aquarium and their other sites in Gatlinburg, and I think that's it.  Or least that's all I can remember.  

And I'm still talking.  Typing.  Sorry.

Lil of This-n-That

We don't celebrate Halloween and we don't always carve a pumpkin, but we had one from going to the pumpkin patch so we decided to carve it last night.  I had been thinking today about how maybe trick-or-treating is more harmless than not, but God helped me to change my mind quickly.  We had to take an unexpected trip to the mall this evening to fix Sean's Mac again and there were so many people there TOTing.  And the costumes on many were spooky scary.  I know, I know.  That's what most are going for.  But I just didn't like it.  I have a vivid imagination thinking about mall shootings and what not with all those scary folk.

Beautiful flowers from my sweet friend Carly after we lost Allie

Otis

Lily

My Milo

It took maybe close to forever for the leaves to change, but it has finally started!  While the kiddos are napping and Ryan is doing school and Sean is home, I've been sneaking out to take a 20 minute walk in the afternoons and read my devotional book and pray.  It's been really nice.  I had to get in a few pix of our colors around here, too.  We are supposed to be getting a lil snow tonight/tomorrow !

This morning we took the children to IHOP for free "scary" face  pancakes.  We ended our evening with free Krispy Kreme donuts.

And totally off subject, but wanted to share that we have been working on Matthew 5.  Our goal is for the 4 of us to learn Matthew 5, 6, and 7.  So far we've got Matt 5:1-10 down.  We have a ways to go, but we are having fun trying to learn it and it is always a blessing to have God's scriptures in our hearts.  We've also decided, Lord willing, if the 4 of us can memorize all 3 chapters, we are going to go on a Disney Cruise.  Oh and we will bring Hailey and Andrew.  :)  We are hoping to go to new York after Sean graduates next December, too.  :)

OK, signing off.  Time to finish my PSL and my PS Godiva truffle.  Oh and Hallmark Christmas movies started.  :O)

Happy 3rd Birthday Hunter Matthew!!!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU HUNTER AND THANK GOD FOR YOU!  YOU ARE SUCH A BLESSING AND A TRUE GIFT FROM THE LORD!!!!!!!!


PSALM 127:3-5


³ Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
⁴ As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
⁵ Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

PSALM 128:3
³ Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

PSALM 139:13-16

¹³ For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Weekend in Review

We headed off to North Carolina late Friday and arrived close to one in the morning.  We were there for Sean's grandma's memorial (she passed away a few days before Christmas).  We got to see Sean's parents and sister and most of his extended family.  We also got to meet our nephew for the first time (he is 6 months old now).   The night we arrived, the boys would not go to sleep till after three in the morning, which was challenging, and we woke up to a dead car battery because we left the DVD player plugged in!  We had to be up at seven to get ready for the memorial.  We were staying in Durham, but the service was an hour away in Sanford.  It went really well. It was very sweet, and sad, but I could feel God's presence as we gathered together to celebrate her life. 


By evening time, I was exhausted and not feeling very well.  Thursday night I awoke in the middle of the night feeling really awful and Saturday night it felt like the same thing so I stayed behind while the rest of the family went to dinner.  The extra rest really helped and praise God, I am feeling much better and I'm still pregnant lol! 


Yesterday morning we traveled to Winston Salem to visit our friends' church and then over to the children's hospital to visit them.  They just had a baby 11 days ago.  The baby's heart and lungs were not working immediately after a home birth and so baby has been in the hospital ever since.  The doctors think it was due to meconium aspiration.  He was on a machine was that was pumping out all of his blood and carbon dioxide.  He was taken off that and has been doing well.  His lungs still aren't working great and he has a lot of secretions with labored breathing and high respirations.  We were able to spend some time with them yesterday and hope that we were an encouragement.  We did not get to meet the little guy, but God's plans are best because I don't know emotionally if I could have handled seeing him......at least I probably wouldn't have been as strong as I would have liked to have been.  Of course, we do want to meet him, but hope to when he is back home in Virginia.  Their family is amazing and has been doing really well through this whole trial.  Of course it has been rough, especially with seven other children to care for, but they are resting in God's strength and His peace.  We were just grateful for God's timing and that He allowed us to be able to go see them on the way back to TN. 


So, we got back last night and it feels good to be home.  :)  Speaking of home, we found out on Friday that the owners of this home are putting it on the market.  Well, we knew they were, just not in January.  Our lease is good until July.  We are just praying for God's will and His wisdom and guidance.  If it hasn't sold by July, they will let us do a month to month.  We are starting to keep an eye out on a new rental home.  We do love where we are right now, but we are excited to see God's plan for our family. 


Tomorrow is our ultrasound to check on the baby since I'm measuring small.  We are excited to see him/her and I'm excited that Sean gets to come with me to an appointment!!!  :)

Psalm 143:10

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Milestones

Waiting for his first meal.....baby cereal and mama's milk :)

Happy 6 months baby Andrew!!!!

His face shows otherwise, but he really did do well!  lol

The birthday boy!  He had apple strudel muffins made by daddy, opened some cards and a gift, played hard in the playroom, and has had marshmallows and chocolate milk so far today.  He is snoozing away now. 

Big days around here!  We have had some snow.  Didn't take any pictures this time.  AND we've been sick.....again.  Or maybe it's not again because I don't think it ever left us.  Oh well.  We will praise God that it's only colds.....and a few stomach bugs.....and not anything really serious.  This time all three boys are sick with colds.  Andrew has a pretty yucky cough and so I finally took him to the pediatrician yesterday.  He's been sick for about three weeks, but I have been monitoring him.....listening to his lung (clear), no fever, eating well, good diapers, breathing fine, good mood, sleeping well, but his cough was just bad so I took him.  Nothing they could do for him.  Gave me a precription for Zyrtec in case it's allergies, but I didn't feel it was, and my FIL said no need to try it, babies usually don't develop allergies until 2 years.  Soooooo we continue with Little Noses, the mean ol' bulb syringe, and Vapor Bath.  I think at this point the boys think it's abnormal to not have Vapor Bath poured into their tub every night!!!!!  And today.........  Hunter is 2 years and Andrew is 6 months.......whatta day!!!!!  First food for Andrew, lots of treats for Hunter (it's food day!!! lol), and new to them wardrobes have been taken out of storage!  :) 

Finally, I just want to say I am realizing how important it is to read God's word when I am struggling.  I have a KJV app (free app) on my phone and I have favorite'd (word?) a bunch of favorite verses.  I am purposing to go to these when I need to turn from sin or whatever is going on that is a bad character quality.......like impatience, anger, selfishness, and stress.  It is amazing how much God's word changes things and leaves me with peace and joy. 

Some of my faves are:
1. Deut 6:5
2. Deut 7:12-14
3. Psalm 1:2
4. Psalm 8:3-9
5. Psalm 16:8-9
6. Psalm 23:1, 4, 6
7. Psalm 78:37-38
8. Psalm 86:5
9. Psalm 101:2
10. Psalm 108:1
11. Psalm 113:9
12. Psalm 118:24, 29
13. Psalm 127:3
14. Psalm 128:3
15. Psalm 130:5
16. Psalm 139:14
17. Pro 3:5-6
18. Pro 4:23
19. Pro 15:1
20. Pro 16:3
21. Pro 21:23
22. Pro 22:6
23. Pro 25:24
24. Pro 27:1, 2, 23
25. Pro 28:13
26. John 3:16
27. Romans 8:28
28. 1 Cor 13:2-8, 11, 13
29. Gal 5:19-23
30. Phil 4:13

To name a few :)

Happy New Year!!!!

5 days into it.  :) 

Our New Year has started out differently this year, but we have a BIG God and we are confident that He will take care of us, He will provide, and He loves us so much. 

New Year's Day we woke up to Ryan's fish without life.  So he joined the Hunter fish in the land of wherever water goes after it's flushed.  Should I know where it goes? lol

We also have all had colds, even little Andrew.  He has had a nasty cough.  Ryan is finally better and so is Hunter, but Sean, Andrew, and I are still with the lingering remains of it. 

A few days later I found out that my friend's husband passed away from leukemia in December.  He was diagnosed with it in May, a few weeks after their first child was born, and he died from complications of a bone marrow transplant.  She was a very close friend of mine when we lived in California and Sean was in the Marine Corps.  Her husband, Shane, was also a Marine, and Sean and Shane deployed together. 

We are also heavily burdened with our tenants living in our town home in FL.  They have not paid their rent for the month of December or for January.  We are owed a couple thousand dollars.  Paying two mortgages is a little stressful.  We have started eviction procedures and are hoping for the best outcome possible.  It has been weighing heavily on me and Sean.  What's worse is they are ignoring our phone calls and have lied to us.  They need a lot of prayer.  We are trying to be obedient and repent of any wrongdoing or sin in our lives that God may be disciplining us for.  We made the mistake of taking on a mortgage back in 2008 before we learned God's principles of not getting into debt.  After we learned those principles, we became debt free and have remained that way.....except for our mortgage. 

We took a day trip to Johnson City so Sean could see the doctor at the VA hospital there.  I took the boys to mall while he did that.  It was a nice scenic drive and we enjoyed ourselves.  Andrew did great in the car, too, because he had an endless supply of milk!!!!!  :) 

We are choosing to be grateful in this valley of life.  We are so thankful and grateful for our family and our health, a roof over our heads, food in our fridge, and clothing on our backs.  We are not dealing with really difficult things like many people are in this world.  We have not gone through a tragedy or a disaster.  We are going to have faith, strength, and courage. 

God knows our needs and never fails to meet them.  We have received income in ways that were totally a surprise and only by God's faithful hands could it have been given to us.  We are doing our best to be good stewards of the money he has blessed us with and our prayer is we learn what God wants us to learn through this situation and that we draw closer to Him. 

We don't really make resolutions in this household, but Sean and I are committed on working on our faith and walking by the spirit and not by the flesh, to being obedient.  We are also reading God's word and hoping to finish the Bible in a year.  It is exciting to hunger for the word and it is beautiful to look forward to that time with my husband in the evenings after the kiddos have gone to sleep.   And we have our coffee and dessert.  :) 

God bless you and keep you. 

Romans 8:28

King James Version (KJV)

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 3:5-6

King James Version (KJV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge

They're standing so far from each other!  Most of my shots there isn't another soul around, which is so strange because it was super packed!

Ha!  Someone enjoyed lunch!

My family went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg on Saturday for the day.  We went to The Inn at Christmas Place, some Christmas shops, ate a late lunch, and then walked the strip.  We stayed till it got dark to see the lights. 

Andrew did good on the way there with some nursing while driving to keep him happy.  The way back was a different story, especially with the traffic.  I really hope little man gets used to the car some time real soon.  He has rolled over a bunch now!  It seems to happen so fast!  He's growing up. 

Sean and I are out of school until January and we are excited to be spending some extra time together.  We have visited with some friends, got to see a new baby, and have started baking Christmas cookies. 

The Hunter fish died last week.  :(  Ryan fish is going to need some new friends. 

Enjoying the Christmas season.  Thinking of how I need to hug my family even tighter.  There are many families in CT that have been forever changed by a devastating tragedy.  And another family in Thailand suffering the loss of two of their children.  A family a little closer to home suffering from the terrible effects of alcoholism.  Crying out to God, falling to our knees, a fervent need to be in the word.  When comforting words seem to escape, when the loss seems unbearable, when tears are numerous, God is there. 

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”


“Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.” ~ C.S. Lewis

TN Fall Homecoming

Saturday our family went to TN Fall Homecoming.  I had been looking forward to this since May!  We really enjoyed ourselves.  It is at the Museum of Appalachia once a year.  There are arts and crafts, music, food, animals, and a look into what life was like a long time ago for people in this region.  The weather was beautiful and the apple cobbler was delicious!  We also ran into our friends, The Bates Family, and had some sweet fellowship with them and got to hear their family sing.  I took close to 85 pictures, but posted the only ones I kinda liked. 

Fall is my favorite season and the leaves here are changing and the weather is getting cooler.  The leaf colors are bursting with red, orange, and yellow.  The reminder of God's goodness and the beauty of His creation surrounds me.

Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Acts 14:17

Quickie Awesome News Update!

So earlier in the week I posted about Sean being accepted into the biomedical engineering program.   That was one big step.  BUT there was still one other BIG hurdle.  His GI Bill benefits, which he has almost exhausted, would not cover all of his out-of-state tuition, which would have been $10,000.....for one semester!!!!!!  Soooo, our hope was to change from Ch 33 benefits to Ch 31 benefits.  More on that later.  However, if that didn't work, he was going to drop down to part-time school and a full-time job so that he would be considered a resident and therefore be able to afford the classes.  Well, yesterday we found out that he was approved for Ch 31 benefits!!!!!!!!!  Now, I don't understand it all, but the main things are...........they will pay for him to receive his Bachelors, which wouldn't have been possible under the other because he had almost used up all the money.  They will also pay for his tuition in full...........the 10,000 this semester and the other upcoming semesters where he is still considered out-of-state and then they will pay for the in-state tuition, as well.  They will pay for all of his books while he is in school and they will pay the $200+ parking fee that is due every semester.  They will also give him between $1200-$1500 for a new lap top.  Finally, he will get BAH monthly (housing allowance) so he won't have to work and go to school. That, along with financial aid (grants) for him and the financial aid (also grants) for my schooling and the scholarships I received and the money we had saved, I should be able to stay with the children till the beginning of next year and then hopefully, prayfully only work prn (as needed). 

We are so incredibly grateful and thankful for God's goodness and grace and for the too numerous to count doors that he has opened for us, which has allowed for this huge life changing journey he has placed us on.  I feel as if I am dreaming.  He has given us our hearts' desires.  This is all spoken in humility and certainty that we are undeserving of it all.....or any of it for that matter.  We must also remember to praise God in the good and the bad and to serve Him, love Him, keep Him first in our lives, and diligently read His word, worship Him, fellowship with other believers, and raise our children to know Him and love Him.  Have faith!!!!!!

Deuteronomy 6:5         
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Sharing Scriptures

Psalm 119:160

¹⁶⁰ All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a] 5} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Mark 13:31

³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

I thought I would share these three scriptures that we are memorizing this week for our Bible study group. I was thinking about Deut 6:4-7 and how the most important thing that I want to see in my childrens' lives are them loving the Lord with all that they have and loving others more than themselves. That is what I hope, with God's help, Sean and I can provide for them. I feel like I fail often, especially in the area of leading by example, but my prayer is that God helps us everyday so these little ones can truly know their Lord and Savior. This scripture tells us to talk with our children all the time about God and his goodness. Some of my greatest joys come from seeing Ryan pray or Hunter saying "amen" after prayer time or Ryan saying "godnight God" over the monitor before he falls asleep at night. The other things are fun and amazing.......first steps, first words, things of that nautre, but nothing can compare to the gladness in my heart when our children are learning about the Lord and growing closer to Him.