Some things require a blog post!

Yes, it's been WAY too long!  I mean, so long that it seems a bit ridiculous that I would even sit down to write a post.  However, some things just require a blog post!

God loves me and you!  I mean, that is a simple statement, but here I am a stinking sinner, yet he loves me.  He loved be so much, while I was still a sinner, that He sent His son to die on the cross for me.  I don't always grasp what that really means, and to be completely honest, I don't think my little, simple brain can truly grasp the love of my Savior.  All I know is that He loves me, died for me, and continually shows me that in ways that amaze me!

So, almost two years ago, we took a huge leap of faith and moved to California.  I quit my job, began homeschooling our kiddos, and we moved.  Financially, this freaked me out!  I had prayed, for 9 years, that one day I would be able to stay home with our children, and for the first time, I was willing to truly put my faith in Christ and "go for it."  I have been continuously brought to my knees by God's provision for us.  We never go without a meal.  I mean, honestly, I live at a camp where the chefs are amazing and feed our family most of the time!  It's ridiculous really!  There is never a moment when I have to wonder how I will care for my family or meet their physical needs, because God always provides.  He provides!  Not always through money (though sometimes it is), but in so many different ways.  A kind word, a call from a friend, a package from the grandparents, just so many ways! I'm so undeserving, and in awe that He loves me that much!

When we moved, I was also really worried that I was "messing up" my kids for LIFE!!!!!!!  I wasn't sure that I could actually homeschool them and not have them turn out as the "weird homeschool family!"  Well, I'm still not sure that we aren't becoming that weird homeschool family, but I do know that I'm not messing them up for LIFE!  We had our annual IEP meeting (ARD for my Texas peeps), and I left feeling so encouraged.  I'm the teacher.  I mean, I get to say what he can and can't do.  I get to change up what isn't working and add things in that he needs.  Ultimately, I am responsible for his education and if something isn't working out or needs to be changed, our family decides.  (Disclaimer:  I ABSOLUTELY ADORE the group of people who walked with us on our special education journey in Texas!!!!!!  Ben was always taken care of, and we know that we had people that loved Ben just as much as we did and wanted only the best.  It's just that sometimes, the politics of public school and state requirements get in the way of being able to make the best decisions, even when we are all fighting for it!)  Every single person in our meeting talked about Ben's potential, his strengths, his sweet and loving personality, and what a joy he is.  None of them know me or Micah, so they weren't just trying to be nice to us.  I'm just thankful!  So very thankful!

And, as for Grace, she is really doing great too!  She is becoming such a sweet, kind young lady.  She works really hard in school, and has even mentioned that she enjoys homeschooling lately.  I mean, this is really huge for my social butterfly!  She loves her friends, and we are so thankful to have found a church home where she can meet others, feel comfortable, and grow in Christ.

I know this is long, and I have probably babbled and not made sense throughout.  I am just in awe of God's love!  He shows himself through His beautiful creation, provision for our family, placing Christian friends in our lives that we can have coffee (or cake or both) with, he gives us family that loves us unconditionally no matter how far apart we are!  How is it that we would ever doubt Him, not trust His plan for us, or even just disregard Him?  How?  (Well, I actually know the answer, but...)

I hope that you can hear my heart when I write.  I never want anyone to read this as a judgement toward the decisions you make for your family.  I just wanted to share how God continues to take and mold me.  I want to always be wet clay.  Thankful, grateful, humbled, in awe, amazed, and so much more!  I just thought all of this required a blog post!

Time to mingle with the Stars

Well, we have had a dry spell here.  (No, I am not talking about drought!) Rather, I am talking about going to LA to mingle with the rich and famous!  Ha! Ha!  When we moved here, I was so smitten with LA, and the idea of getting to attend TV tapings and such, because let's be real...I was meant to be on the stage and be friends with "those people"!  (I mean, don't you feel like your life should be the next reality TV show?!  I do!  I already have a name for it...and no I'm not going to tell you!)  Last year, I got to go to American Idol and Sports Nation, which only whet my appetite to do things like that more!  It is super fun to get to see how TV works behind the scenes, and to get to see how ridiculously the "other people" live.  Remember, Mariah Carey and her make-up and hair crew every five minutes?  RIDICULOUS!  Experiencing things like this make me appreciate my simple life!

So there was drought, but the rain has begun...got my American Idol tickets last night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yep, heading to the show on Wednesday.  This Wednesday, for the live performances of the Top 13.  Can't wait!

Then...on March 3rd, Micah and I are heading to the "After the Oscars" live event with Kelly and Michael!  Soooooo exciting, except that this taping is at 5:00 am.  They start letting us in the doors at 3:00 am.  CRAZY!!!!!  And free my friends, all of this is FREE!!!!  I mean, you have to get there, so we do pay for gas, but there is no cost for the tickets!  Makes for a SUPER FUN and EXCITING date, that's cheaper than going to the movies!  So, here's to our time "mingling with the stars!"

After all of this banter about the "stars," I just want to make sure that everyone knows, that more than anything I love sitting here with wet hair, no makeup and my t-shirt and blue jeans outfit.  I love getting to be home with my kids, love on my husband, and serve our staff as much as I can.  (Oh, and as I write this, Ben is placing a rubber snake on my head and laughing hysterically.  He got it at the dentist yesterday.)  I don't HAVE to go to LA, EVER!!!!  I am just ever so grateful that the Lord is allowing us to get to have some fun in our new home, that we would have never experienced back in Texas.

Keep checking in, because I will have pictures to share!  American Idol allows cell phones in the studio now!!!!!!!!  I'll do my best to take GOOD pictures!  Anybody have a favorite?  I'll make a poster just for you!  (And...I will be making a poster for Harry, because I have been a fan a LONG time!)

No Snow!

We have had NO SNOW this year!  NONE!  I mean, we have had some flakes fall from the sky, but nothing that stuck to the ground.  It's crazy!  The rest of the country is getting pounded, and our sweet little mountain has gotten nothing.  I have to say, I am a bit sad about this.  I mean, last year it was a pretty perfect amount of snow.  Just enough to really play in!  I think that we actually had 6 snowfalls last year, and now that is what Texas is getting?!  What on earth?!  That is just crazy!  I am hoping that with this post, we get one snowfall.  You know, in March?!  That would be great, wouldn't it?

Craving spiritual milk!

Our church is going through 1 Peter right now, and let me just say...WOW!!!!!!  Every week I am challenged in a new way, and I am loving that.  A couple of weeks ago,  we read 1 Peter 2:2-3 and here is what it says:

2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Do you know what it feels like to CRAVE?  I do!!!!!  Micah and I have been working on our diets and trying to really change the way we eat over the past few weeks.  Right about the time that we were studying this passage, I was CRAVING some cookies, cake, chocolate...!  So I was really understanding the word CRAVE!  I think this is why it hit me so hard.  Do I crave Jesus the way I do chocolate?  I mean, do I HAVE to have HIM right now, everyday?!  Because the bible says, "crave that milk, because that spiritual milk is what is going to make me grow big and strong in Christ!"  (Okay, that is my paraphrasing, but you know what I mean!)  I want to be strong, how about you?!

I think, (no, I know) that I often just push my time with Jesus to the side and accomplish all those OTHER things I need to get done.  Then when I feel weak and tired, I wonder why.  I need spiritual milk daily in order to grow, and once I get a taste of that good milk, I only want more!  That's so awesome.  I can remember when we began giving our kids whole milk for the first time, and then we had that one more bottle of formula left and we tried to give it to them.  They WOULD NOT have anything to do with that yucky stuff because they had tasted what was good!  I pray that I will be like that.  I have tasted that the Lord is GOOD and I want more!  I pray that for you too!

So, here's to having a week of cravings, that can only be satisfied with Jesus!  

Here is a link to the sermon if you are interested:
Spiritual Maturity

Hello, Again!

Well, hello my blog reading friends and family!  It's been a while!  A long, long while!  I took a break.  I felt like the blog was something that needed to be done our first year here, and so I did it.  To be quite honest, I didn't think anyone would really want to continue reading about our life or whatever "non-interesting" things I decided to post about.  (And, "anyone" may not want to read those things!)  But I have had a few people mention that they missed the blog, and to be completely honest, I did too.  So...here I am!  Hello, again!

How have things been?  The mountain is still absolutely beautiful, peaceful, calming, relaxing, and becoming a part of us.  It hasn't snowed yet this year, and we're a little bummed about that, but it is still amazingly beautiful and the weather cannot be beat!!!!

School is going really well.  (Well, let's be real!  It is always difficult to be the teacher to your own children, but it's so much better this year!)  We joined a charter school, Coastal Academy, and REALLY love everything about it.  Grace made a part in the school's annual musical theater production.  This year, they are performing The Little Mermaid.  Oh, she's excited!  Just found out, today, that she is a jellyfish (one of the most coveted sea creature costumes, I hear)!  She will be performing April 10-12 if anyone wants to take a trip to SoCal at that time!  LOL!

Ben is having fun being Ben!  Got to love my boy!  He keeps me laughing everyday, and daily says something that warms my heart.  Tonight, on our way back up the mountain, he said "mom, I have been having a lot of sins lately and I really don't like that.  What do I need to do about it?"  I kept it together and didn't cry, and we had a great little discussion about Jesus and what he did for our sinful hearts.  Don't you love that?  I sure did!

Micah is crazy busy with camp right now.  Oh, have I said that before?!  No, but really, he has been out recruiting summer staff and campers.  We're beginning to get really excited about what this summer holds for Palomar and each camper and staff member.  We can't wait to see what God has planned!

As for me, I am back in the groove teaching the kids and doing all of those other things I do.  (Not really sure what all of those are.  Ha! Ha!)  I am going to start attending a women's bible study at our church on Thursday mornings (while the kids are at their one school day).  I am SUPER excited about this, as I have never been able to attend a daytime bible study, and I am going to begin making friendships with the women of our church!  SUPER excited!  I also host a ladies' bible study in our house on Wednesday evenings for the girls here at camp.  I have been so blessed by our time that we get to spend together growing in our friendships and in Christ together.

So, we're still doing great up here on the mountain!  I hope all of you are doing well too!  Send me a message.  I would love to hear from you!

Here we are at Christmas in Thorndale, TX

Not the best picture, but it had all 4 of us in it!

And here are the little cuties that are growing up WAY TOO FAST!!!!!