Back...

After giving up blogging for quite some time, due to the craziness of our lives at this moment, I decided that there is too much swirling through my head that just has to come out.

I clicked on the blog to find that the last post I wrote was when we were getting ready to leave for FL last February. Funny because we JUST got our tickets again for this coming February and are all really psyched!

Michael and Ryan's soccer season just finished yesterday. They went undefeated only allowing three goals to be scored on them this season. Pretty good since Michael was our goalie and it was his first year in that position!

Dallas has the opportunity to play on a home school soccer team in Schroon Lake. It has been a great experience for him so far. We still have a few more weeks until that one is over, but we are really enjoying watching the kids play.

Our biggest news this year has been the adoption (FINALLY!) of our daughter! Girly is now ours and her name is Sabrina! I couldn't post that while she was only foster. June 22, 2010, God chose to make us the proud parents of an 8 year old beautiful little girl.

Anyone who has followed some of my past posts (most of which I deleted so I could make this public) knows it hasn't been an easy journey. We still have struggles and trials, but God is good and she is moving along and doing great!

My baby is turning 7 tomorrow. Hard to believe. Still home schooling him. He is doing great.

I will be adding more posts soon!

Leaving...on a jet plane!...

I am writing this mostly for journaling purposes, but if you care to read... :)

Can't believe it is finally here. We are all super excited to take a vacation like this. We have never done anything like this with the kids, nor did we ever think we would. I always said I would NEVER take my kids to Disney.

Why? One, because they don't have TV or tons of friends who have gone, so the desire wasn't there. They get excited when we take them to Lake Placid or Albany for the night and the hotel has a pool... and Two? STINKIN' EXPENSIVE! We always said that if we were going to spend the money it would be on a missions trip. Aparently, the LORD thought we needed this because it wasn't in our planning.

Growing up some of my BEST family memories were our vacations. My dad always made sure we got away. Guess where we went one year? FL. Oh, and Disney. I remember it like it was yesterday. So. Much. Fun.

We have been blessed! Over and over with regards to this trip. This really ISN'T something we ever thought we would do, but the LORD (and I am not sure why. I guess because He is so much bigger than I even can imagine and have trouble thinking He would care to bless us in this way. What a dumb thought.) ... but He decided to bless us in this way and worked it all out.

As I sat with a friend who had just taken a trip there she explained the "ins and outs" to me I could feel myself getting more and more excited. The kids sat around the computer the other day watching videos of the parks (Disney and Sea World) and I have to say, I haven't seen even Dallas that excited in a long time. I was getting teary-eyed thinking about it and watching their excitement. I know, I'm a dork.

I am nervous, I have to admit. I am a Speculator girl. This is my comfort zone. Going to PA is a stretch. I make myself do it. I am not scared of flying, just nervous at the thought of doing something none of us ever do. Fortunately, the kids are just plain excited so I just am going to sit back and enjoy watching them have fun!

I also HATE the heat. With a passion. It makes me draggy. I prayed for weather in the 60's and sunny. Guess what? THAT IS THE FORECAST!!!! Matter of fact, all three days in the parks are low 60's and sunny. HEHA!

We are also blessed to not only stay with our good friends in FL but to have our friend Daryl who we miss like crazy come and spend the week with us. She is going to the parks with us and just hanging out.

So...we will have lots of pictures when we return. Lots to tell. If anyone DOES read this (I only have like 10 people who can even get onto this blog!) pray for my eye please. It is really bothering me and PRAY for patience. I have a girly that canNOT control herself when excited. I know it is coming though, so I have already been praying. :)

Well...

Lots going on here. Counting down the days until we leave for FL! I don't even care how hot/cold it is there. We are going away! Haven't done a vacation like this with the kids, EVER. Such a blessing.

Meanwhile...
We are spending as much time as possible with very close friends of ours who are leaving as soon as we return from FL. They live at our house (almost!) and are such a part of our family that it will be super hard to see them off. We know that they are doing what they feel God wants them to do, but we are still gonna miss them!

Dallas and Michael finished their b-ball season. Now I have my hubby and two older boys home by 3:30 each day. We just invested in really nice hockey skates for all so now the last few days have been spent playing hockey with their dad and friends at the town rink. Although the skates were expensive, we are learning that some things are worth investing in JUST so we can do something with our kids that they love (it helps that we actually love it too). So much more to say about this, but...another time.

Dallas finished the season with 130 points!



Michael did great in b-ball too for his first year. He had several baskets! He continues to "wow" us with his beautiful photos. Here are a few samples:


Ethan continues to want to do whatEVER his brothers are doing. He has been skating too. He and Sabrina are taking ski lessons through the town and doing great. They can both ski independently and Ethan was skiing down the big trails even last year. It will be so fun to all ski together. Sabrina is almost there.

I just started Ethan in 1st grade Math. It looks like that is what he was already doing so we are doing some jumping to figure out where he should be. He is so easy to teach. He is reading everything he can...including things that are just laying on the table....papers, bills, etc. So funny.

Here is a sample of him playing something on the piano. He is so cute.

Van...

My van is sick. Went in last Friday for some repairs and should have been done Saturday.

They broke a part. Won't be ready 'til Tuesday. Never called. Hmmmm.

Today. Ryan and I go to pick it up. They are acting all funny. Still don't know if we got the whole story, but the part (not the one they broke, but the original one we went in to get) is possibly defective. Have to order the part.

Ryan was in a hurry to get back to school or he would have asked more questions. Wish they would call and let us know what is going on. Wonder who has to pay for the extra labor time? Us?

At least we have a very nice vehicle to use in the meanwhile. What would I do without a car for what will be a week Friday? We are thankful for that. I am sure we WON'T be thankful for this bill. Ick.

Such is life. *sigh*

Teenage Blessings...

Dallas, age 14, 9th grade
Michael, age 13, 7th grade

The two older boys are more of a blessing than I can express here. Last night I was reading (yes, you read that right...I was reading) and Dallas came into the living room and started chatting with me. Michael followed a minute later and it turned into one of those conversations you want to always remember.

Laughing, teasing...then serious. Issues going on at school. How they are dealing with them. What some of their friends are doing and how it bothers them.

I love these boys. Can't wait to have them back home with me, but SO thankful for what I see the LORD teaching them through their experience at school.

Are they perfect? HA!

Are they going to mess up? Of course.

Do I stand over them EVERY night and ask God for wisdom? Protection? A love for Truth and A love for HIS word? YES!

I pray so many things for these boys. I feel that I tend to focus on Ethan on this blog because I am with him so much and because he is stinkin' adorable...

...these two are stinkin' adorable too. I LOVE the age the are at right now. So fun. Watching everything we do and imitating how we handle situations. *gulp*

They each have different issues they are dealing with. Weaknesses and areas the LORD is using in their lives, but they are one of the biggest blessings God has given to us.

Michael read through the entire bible last year. Quite an accomplishment for a (then) 12 year old. I knew he was doing it and prayed Eph 1 for him every night. That the LORD would give him the spirit of "wisdom and revelation"...that he might know HIM better!

Both boys are on honor roll. Dallas struggles with Math and Michael with homework in general (he would MUCH rather be playing) :). BUT they are both pressing on. Helps when your dad is a teacher there and knows EVERYTHING that goes on at school. Including all the grades you get!

Dallas is graduation from LPCS this Spring. Can't believe that. Home with me next year. Michael is doing better and better now that he is getting the hang of "school" and what is expected. He has jumped up to the top of his class and is learning that one of his gifts is public speaking. Who knew.

Sorry, braggin' on them a little. Just wanted to. Going to go watch them play b-ball now. Can't wait. Love these boys.

My willingness...

Am I willing? Am I willing to follow Christ's example in Eph 5? (Thanks, Mom.) Live a life of love and give myself up (dying to our desires and what is "comfortable" to us) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God?

Eph. 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Had a rough morning with girly. Praying for wisdom. Little things, but things that reveal the heart. Hers...and mine.

What do these verses mean to me? I will be meditating on them today. Thinking of them in light of our situation here with her. Praying for wisdom as I need to stop at school and talk to her.

This is hard. So glad we are not left to figure this out on in our own wisdom. *shew*

Thanks, Mom for the encouragement. You help renew my hope!

Ethan's Question...ANSWERED!

After talking to my mother-in-law and getting an e-mail from my sister-in-law who both thought the same thing I did (the book was wrong)...I looked it up on Wikipedia and question...answered!

It IS One for the little boy who lived in the lane.

Typing error in the book? Don't know, but I loved that my boy was so bothered by this. He is so sweet.

Ethan's Question...

Ethan is learning Baa! Baa! Black Sheep on the piano. He is obsessed with the words to the song. Here are the words...

Baa! Baa! Black sheep have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full,
One for my master
And one for my dame,
But none for the little boy
That lives in the lane,
Baa! Baa! Black sheep have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.

The first day we were playing it he just sat staring at me while I sang and played. When I got done he said, "He's mean."

I paused. "Why is he mean?'

"Because he didn't give any to the little boy."

"Oh," I said, "I guess you are right, that doesn't seem very nice."

End of discussion.

Next day...

Ethan says, "Why won't he give one to the little boy? He must still have one bag left over. I mean, where did the third bag go? He said he gave (and now he is reading the words to me) one to his master and one to the dame. He must have one bag still. Why can't he share it with the little boy?"

"Sorry, Ethan. That is a good question but I have no idea." At this point I am laughing because he actually did the math and figured out that he had a bag left over. This is really bothering him.

Today he says, "I still don't like that he won't share with that little boy. Where is the last bag of wool?"

Good question.

I have a question too. Different subject. How in the world does Ethan know how to read contractions without reading it as a contraction. For example...when he sees "it's" he reads "it is" when he sees "they're" he reads "they are". When he sees "haven't" he reads "have not". Do kids just know this? He WON'T read it as a contraction. How does he know that "haven't" is the same as "have not". I never taught him this. He scares me sometimes.

Sugar, Sugar...

Right after Thanksgiving my great friend, Amy, called me and told me she was cutting out sweets until Christmas and wanted me to do it with her. I have done this before for 4-6 weeks at a time and it works great for me.

The longer I do it, the less I crave it. PLUS I drop weight...fast. I don't consider myself overweight, but I carry around "bloat" that must be caused by all the sugar (LOTS of it) that is in my regular diet. I did it just between Thanksgiving and Christmas and weighed in less that I have in over, oh, probably 10 years.

I let myself enjoy all the sweets of Christmas, however...starting Sunday, January 3rd, I am going off all sweets again. I am blogging it here to hold myself accountable. Amy knows as well and hopefully she will help me too.

We leave for FL the weekend of Feb. 12. I am doing it until then. (Just in time for Valentines day...'cause last year I ate the entire thing of candy my hubby got me in 1 1/2 days. Sick. But fun.)

Now, I am not unreasonable. If there is a special occasion that I find myself in (risking being rude after someone has gone out of their way to make us something for dessert...etc.) I can break my rule, but just once or twice.

I feel so good when I am off the sweet stuff (as much as I LOVE IT!). I am sure my husband loves hearing me say, "Look how big these pants are on me!" instead of, "Honey, do these make me look fat?" :)

So there it is. Starting Sunday. Good-bye sweets.

That means two pieces of pie tonight. Hehaw