Tuesday, October 30, 2012

SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Lord and thank you sweet Patty F.!!!!!


The minivan has sold!!!!!
 
You can go here, Are We There Yet? to read about this tremendous blessing!

As hard as this wait is, the Lord just keeps confirming to us that our precious XM is coming home!!!!

Patty F., you are amazing!  Thank you for your generous heart and kind and loving spirit!

WOW!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Buckle Up, Cuz...

A certain someone is officially 15 years old!!!

Really???

This kid will be driving soon!


OK, OK, this kid...


Sigh, I am so not ready but - he - is!

However, before I get right in to the Happy Birthday part of this post, I need to back up a bit because, ya see, I have been holding out on you for a little while now.

Remember this post, Guest Blogger 

Well, I have been waiting until now to praise God and to tell you all that He heard your prayers and paved the way for Christian to be able to attend the school that he wanted to attend, the school that he wrote about in that post and asked for prayers to be able to attend.


You see, it is a good school but a private school and well, I have been pretty honest about our financial situation lately and it - just - did - not - look - good - but God...

God heard our prayers and He heard your prayers and answered.

Through a dear friend, we found out about a scholarship fund for this school.

You had to write an essay on why you would like to attend this school, you had to submit financial statements, you had to submit grades, teacher references, you and your parents had to be interviewed and...

you had to take a test...

We were golden up until that last part...

My wonderful Christian just does not test well, not when it comes to timed tests and well it wasn't pretty y'all - but God...

God knew where he needed to be and moved within the sweet man's heart who manages this fund (we will call him B here) and prompted him to set up an interview with Christian anyway, despite his less than, um, remarkable test taking skills.

Well, as soon as B met Christian, he knew that he wanted Christian at this school.  He saw that his grades were good and saw that his heart was good.

When he met with us, he told us how impressed he was with our eldest and that he would do all that he could to help us out as much as possible!

When he called us to tell us that Christian had been accepted, he also told us that even though it was not a full scholarship, he was able to get Christian's books and uniforms thrown in!

HUGE!

The monthly payments would still be a stretch but we heard the Lord's guidance in this and knew that we could not, should not, turn this down and that He would provide for us to be able to make those monthly payments and then...

right before the first payment was due in July, Hubby lost his job and we faltered and in our human-ness, we just knew that there was no way we could make those payments, but God...

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1 

God had a plan and as soon as B heard that Hubby had lost his job, he called me, B told me not to worry, he told me that Christian needed to be at that school and that, as the Lord would have it, right before he found out about the job loss, one of the other invited scholars decided to decline the offer, which meant...

there was extra money, which meant...

B could offer it to Christian as a way to lighten our load and help us with these monthly payments!

WOW!

B reminded me that we had told him that we were certain that the Lord would provide the way for us to make those payments and that this was His provision - in spite of the job loss - in spite of our human-ness, He provided, so Christian now gets to wear a uniform and is "lookin' good"!  

 
His geometry could use some work but I am thrilled to report that he has a 99 in Theology!!!!! 

Of course;)  

 He wants to be a Marine but I think Mom the Lord might have other plans, I mean a 99 in Theology, um yeah, hint hint!!!

So my Minister/Marine is 15 and growing into such an amazing young man.

He is now officially taller than me and weighs about 20 pounds more.

 
He is the strong, serious, silent type except when he is trying to get in the last word - then he just doesn't know when to shut up be quiet!!


He is cool on the outside and warm on the inside and has gotten very serious about soccer and his future and is determined!


This summer, he decided that he wanted to get a job...

a real job...

so when I heard that a grocery store here in town would hire 14 year olds as bag boys...

we went and applied and sure enough...

he was hired.

He went through a weekend long training and then they turned him loose!

All through the summer, he faithfully went to work and bagged groceries while we were at the pool or the neighborhood dock or just hanging out and we are so proud of his dedication!

Now he is the expert bagger and ultimate critique of all the other grocery store's bagging skills, or lack there of, because he is 15 now and knows everything, don't ya know!

Seems as soon as they get that "teen" behind their age, they have full knowledge of how all things in the universe work and don't mind telling you so!

We are soon to have another "teen" in the house come January!


This one is strong but so not serious or silent!

Should be fun - yeah

So today was the day and as we gathered round to open his gifts, he gladly displayed his most fav gift...


yep, the driver's manual - heh!

We also made a cookie brownie cake


and tomorrow night, will make one of his fav's...

Tammy's Hot Dog Casserole!


I don't eat meat but this looks and smells sooooo good!

Go to Tammy's blog, Country Girl at Home to get the recipe!

Thanks Tammy!

Most everyone here loved it and that is saying a lot!

Tonight, however, he is going to his school's football game, cause he's 15 and growing up and while I will always think of him as my baby, I do love seeing the man that he is becoming.

 
Heck, he even offered to take his siblings to the park...

 
on - his - birthday!

Christian is smart and disciplined, kind and genuine.

He holds himself and those around him to a higher standard and don't we just need more of that in today's world?

He is very serious but doesn't take himself too seriously and that is a great combination.

 
We love you sweet boy and while my heart stops when I think about your desire to be in the military, I am so proud of that desire and know in my heart (and think I have always known) that the Lord knew exactly what he was doing when He created you.


So, Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

We love you and we are so very proud of you!!

  All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.
Isaiah 54:13

Wishing you great peace dear Christian as you grow and learn and struggle and rejoice.  Walk always with Him sweetie and just let Him guide your path. 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Friday, October 19, 2012

Caleb-ease

So, the other day, Caleb decided to create his own written language - in code - creating a different symbol for each letter of the alphabet - and it worked!


This child's mind just works in such a unique and beautiful way


He is my thinker and my dreamer


and sometimes I wonder...


just who should be homeschooling who - or is it whom - hehe!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Sweet Cherry is Coming Home!!!!!!!

Remember sweet, precious Cherry!!!!

 
 Many of you graciously donated when I posted about her and her need for a wheelchair and a walker (she was using a wooden stool as a walker) and some braces for her legs!

 
I was, once again, blown away by everyone's generosity! 

She was able to get the wheelchair and the walker and the braces and now... 

SHE HAS A FAMILY!!!!!! 

I was advocating heavily for sweet Cherry but I had not posted about her in a while as I knew there was a family, a wonderful family who had Cherry on their hearts. 

 
This family had to wait and to trust and to have great faith and patience and now, they have PA for this beautiful child!!!!  

I am just thrilled that the Lord laid this child on their hearts and that they heard that plea and knew that they had to do whatever it took to bring this child home! 

 I cannot wait to see precious Cherry in her wonderful, new family!!!! I mean, I think the whole neighborhood heard my screams of joy when this dear family called to tell me that they had finally been able to lock her file!

Praise you Lord for this wonderful family and praise you for blessing them with this amazing child! 

 
God is just so good!!!!

ONE LESS!

Friday, October 12, 2012

What do Minivnas and Necklaces...

have in common?

Nothing really, except the whole mommie mobile and most mommie's love of anything sparkley, thang...

Oh and the fact that two wonderfully kind friends of mine with beautiful, generous hearts have donated a MINIVAN and an ENTIRE LINE of Jewelry to help us raise money for our sparkely girl



WOW!
I posted about 2 weeks ago about the minivan, here but time is running out.  If the van has not sold by November 1st, it will be donated to Patty's church - which I love too!

Here is some updated pics and info on the van!  




Toyota Sienna XLE 2000, $4,100 OBO

This van is located in Washington State, near Seattle.  Just 40 minutes from SeaTac airport

Exterior color: Desert sand mica
· Interior color: tan
· Clean title
· 209,500 miles
7 passenger van, middle and rear seats are removable
· Front and middle seats recline
· V-6 engine
· Leather seats
· Full sized spare tire, all tires are in great condition
· roof/sports rack
· Yakima carrier on top with key
· Power windows
· Automatic sunroof, tilts or fully opens
· Running boards
· Tinted windows
· Front wheel drive
· Automatic transmission
· Power steering
· Tilt Wheel
· Power locks
· A/C
· AM-FM radio/CD - 6 changer       
There are a few dings and dents on the exterior
· Single family owned
· No smoking or pets


SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY!



· All records are kept with Toyota and Les Schwab
· The vehicle has been well-maintained
· It had its 60,000 and 90,000 tune-up
· Timing belt changed 2/21/2005
· New front brakes 4/19/2005
· Lights replaced on dashboard, ignition replaced 7/13/2009
· Replaced brake pads 8/11/2009
· The hatch handle in the rear was replaced 4/15/11
· New battery 9/2011
· New tires 12/27/2011

If you know of anyone in the Washington State area who might be looking for a car, please pass this along!

However, as I said in this post regardless of whether or not the van sells for us, the true blessing has already happened.  My sweet, amazing friend Patty has shown us what it is to "do unto others"

Thank you my friend!

The other incredible blessing from the Lord in our lives right now is my wonderful friend, Tammy P!  Sweet Tammy has opened up her beautiful jewelry line to help in our fundraising efforts, so many times that I have lost count! Talk about loving others!  She has an incredible heart.

She even mailed me a box full of wonderful jewelry for me to sell on my own!

WOW!

Well, once again Tammy has opened up her ENTIRE line of her webstore jewelry and she has some amazing pieces!!!!



There is a deadline here as well.

Tammy opened it up for this week only and me with my crazy schedule this week, am just now posting here about it!

So if you are thinking about Christmas (gulp) already or just like the sparkly stuff, please go here, Quantum Web Store to see all the really wonderful pieces sweet Tammy has!!!



A big huge


to my incredible, faith-filled friends, Patty F and Tammy P!!!! 

Monday, October 8, 2012

Respect...

Apparently this wonderful girl right here


has got it going on


in the respect department, that is, cause...


Miss Emmeline was nominated to be Student of the Month for, you guessed it...


RESPECT!!

Very proud of you sweet girl!


Just remember this when you are a teenager - a respectful teenager!


Ha!  I just crack myself up!