homeschool

i've been reading alot lately about homeschooling. I really feel this is the way the Lord is leading me and ive learned a lot just from reading more about it. I can tell you i would have NEVER thought of doing this before i had my own children, and i figure we'll just take it year by year but im soooo excited at the thought of it that i just cant help it!! Im really going to "throw" myself into this you might say. I have already ordered the PreK-Kinder series for kaelynn and she is soooo stinkin excited and ready for her "preschool stuff" to get here!! as am i so that i will have a little direction. i was so pleased that it came together from this publisher. I was also excited that i was able to find a Catholic series to educate from that way i feel she is learning about what we do in church and why so that she will begin to understand mass more. i feel i will be learning right along with her which im also excited about. I hope and pray it goes well. I hope the Lord gives me patience and understanding. .... even with Lane, as he wants to be right in the big middle of what his sister is doing but doesnt really understand everything yet. although i know he wont be far behind her! im so happy that she will be at home with me and i wont be missing her for half the day, and we can stay on our own crazy schedule. ok so that is the selfish part of me, but its the truth!! Please pray for us on this journey, as that is what i look at it as, a wonderful learning journey for parent and child. God is truly GREAT!!

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today the little girl's (well her mom's) blog i was following passed away. although i have never met any of the family i have been affected her.... and her mother's never wavering faith. i have been following them for about 3wks now and was both sad and happy to read this morning that chrissie had gone home to dance with jesus.....lorraine put in her blog that chrissie was now dancing with jesus to the song "cinderella" by steven curtis chapman.... and guess what came on the radio on K-Love when i got into the car?!?!----it was all i could do not to cry. they are a family in need of many prayers...i cant even begin to imagine what they are going through.....

Faith...

saw this while reading a fellow bloggers post...I absolutly LOVE Martin Luther....(especially growing up Lutheran) so i just had to steal it and post it as a blog on mine....really sums things up i think!! =)

Martin Luther's Definition of Faith:
An excerpt from
"An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans,"
Luther's German Bible of 1522
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
Translated by Rev. Robert E. Smith
from DR. MARTIN LUTHER'S VERMISCHTE DEUTSCHE SCHRIFTEN.
Johann K. Irmischer, ed. Vol. 63 (Erlangen: Heyder and Zimmer, 1854), pp.124-125. [EA 63:124-125]
August 1994

Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. "Faith is not enough,'' they say, "You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.'' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, "I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this "faith," either. Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.



.................now doesnt that just make you feel GREAT!!!! =) it does me!!!!



_________________________________________________________________ This text was translated for Project Wittenberg by Rev. Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith Walther Library Concordia Theological Seminary E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (260) 481-2123 Fax: (260) 481-2126 ________________________________________________________________

Herbs and more...

today was a fun day .... Kaelynn apparently loves to try to garden... perhaps she has more of a green thumb than I...one can only hope!! Today we ventured to Lowe's and im so glad we did as when we got there I found a buy 1 get 1 sale on all their Herbs and Veggies--woo hoo!! saved some money there!! and brian found her a little veggie tales grow your own cactus set...i never really thought of cactus as a child friendly plant that someone would purposly put in a kit for a child to plant but how could i tell him no when he found it for her and she was in love with it...so to home we go with our little cactus growing kit... she loves to help and is really good at it so although she didnt help me plant the herbs she is a great water-er and trash collector as bubby watches on from his highchair outside of course by the pool!!

later we went in the house and lane is becomming more aware of the "potty" he loves to sit on it when we are in the bathroom so today i put him on it --no diaper-- that was odd for a min...he had some strange looks on his face and so i thought...hmmm why not... i went and got one of the pullups i had bought for him--for later mind you-- and put it on. ok he LOVED the fact that the CARS--from pixar--are on there!!! as he totally LOVES lightening and mater so that was cool. then a little later i said "do you need to go tee tee?" and he shook his head yes so i was like "ok hurry hurry hurry" and ran to the potty, off with the pullup and.... he WENT!!! now i know it was probably just a coincidence but i dont care!! i was so proud and he was a little shocked by my screams of joy!! way to go lane!!!

I cant believe he is already 17mo!! wow!! that means in just two months time he will be the age kaelynn was when i had him....that is so amazing...i dont know where the time has gone!! I guess ive been slacking... im thinking that soon it will be time to start thinking about number 3....Lord willing... =)

PLEASE PRAY AND FOLLOW!!!!

Alright yall...
This is a blog worth following....please pray for this little girl and read her story....I promise you will hug your children tighter!!

http://allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com

Thanks
steph

Oh the art of......couponing....

well pretty much as the title states ... that is what i have been doing lately.... finding cheaper ways of living has been my goal over the past few weeks and it is really starting to pay off. I am happy to report that i have saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 in the last 4 weeks!!!!! wow.... that figure to me was totally amazing. and i would have saved more but the first week was a bit bumpy as i was trying to figure this thing out...it is really a science. im soo happy to go to the grocery store and walk out with a cart full of groceries for HALF of what i used to pay at like wal-mart...... it is the best feeling and i look forward to what i will find each week!!! already we have had to invest in a deep freezer....thanks SAMS....b/c im running out of room. and since the census has been down at the nursery for what seems like FOREVER....these savings can not come at a better time!!!

The kids are doing great!! i cant believe kaelynn is going to be 3 in a matter of weeks. i seriously dont know where the time has gone. i know i say that all the time but it just blows my mind how quickly time passes these days. Lane is everywhere, in everything and right behind or outrunning his Older not Bigger sister!!! that boy will make an Excellent defensive lineman one day....woof!!!!

So with everything considered...Thanks Lord again for ALL of my blessings....b/c that's what they truly are Blessings from You!!!

Croup, Bronchiolitis, and an ear infection....oh my

geez....there is snot snot snot going on at my house right now....but i have to say Lane is such a trooper for everything that is going on with him right now. I took him in yesterday because you could hear each time he took a breath...also know as stridor....and he was barking when he coughed and when he cried....oh my it was horrible...so high pitched....i knew something was off. dr sawyer just looked at him....and said "ya he has croup and stridor and im pretty sure when i listen to him he is gonna sound like crap!!" true to form....he did...and thats when he said it sounded like he had some bronchiolitis goin on and then looked in his ears and thats when he found the ear infection....by this time ....i was like...ok thats enough you can stop finding things now!!! geez!! so now we have nebs goin on at home and amoxicillin for the ear.... but they did tell me ... well if he gets ANY worse dont hesitate just take him in. i am proud to say that as of now he is not any worse...not any better....coughing more, but just glad we are not in the hospital. any prayers will be welcomed for quick healing. i hate the fact that he is sick!!! but he is actually such a good little boy....just really clingy, but thats ok.....thats what im here for!! =)