It's beginning to look like Thanksgiving!!!!

Ivy's box turkey

Our Thankful Tree

We used our Hand print to make Turkey's to hang on our tree.

Homeschool Co-Op--Music

History....The Story of the World

You're a Good Man Charlie Brown

So thankful that Trent and Ivy got to go see the play together!

Sweet friends!

Snoopy!

 

 

So thankful for breakfast with Trent, Ivy and Alicia at McDonalds! Time with Alicia in the Car. Seeing Merinda and her precious girls. The play too was fun but I love the people I spent today with more!

Packing the Shoe Box

It was fun to go to the dollar tree with Ivy and pick out stuff for the shoe box.

Trying to make it all fit

"Mom, it's not going to fit in the box."

Ivy really enjoyed picking out stuff for the box this year. She picked out all the items and even remembered some that I forgot like soap. She said, "Can we send our box to Afghanistan?"

Praising Him Today!

I have been sick for a long time. It started a month ago as a cold. It got a little worse and a little worse. For four weeks, coughing has been my constant companion.

Then, two weeks ago Ivy and Brent got the stomach bug. I praised God that I didn't get the stomach bug! But, I was still sick with a cold and cough and just didn't take time to go see the doctor.  I woke up last Monday and couldn't move because I was so sore from coughing. I went to the Urgent Care. They gave me meds. On Friday, I wasn't better so I went back to the doctor. She gave me a different med. On the next Tuesday, I was really sick so went back to the doctor. They finally said, "Your chest x-ray shows that your lungs are really full and yes you are really sick. FINALLY...after MUCH prayer from my sweet family and friends, I got some GOOD Meds. I am still really tired (which is why I am sitting blogging instead of cleaning our house) but can tell that I am headed to recovery.

I am writing about this "sickness" for several reasons. God has shown me over and over again that HE is my strength. He is my healer. I have often thought that I had lots of energy and lots of ability to multi-task and get things done. Well, I have seen that it is only by the grace of God that I am able to do anything.

Many of you know that one big fear I have about moving to seminary is being away from my family. I have an amazing family. They are simply amazing. I have often said, "What happens if I get sick, Brent is in school and I can't cook or take care of the girls?" A dear friend Ellen has said, "God has his people everywhere! He will send someone to help!" Well, we haven't moved yet, and I saw this last week. God is everywhere. His body is everywhere.  I was so sick last Thursday. I was having such a bad day. While at homeschool co-op, I ran into a girl who said, "how are you?" I told her sick and in need of prayer. That same sister in Christ brought us dinner that night. Another sweet lady from our church brought us dinner another night.

God has also allowed me to see that Ivy is truly a gift from God. She has helped me so much. I haven't had to ask her to do anything. When we went to the library, she got out and before I could get the books out of the car and get to Hayley, Ivy already had Hayley out of her seat and carried her into the library. (did I mention I was so sore that I could barely pick Hayley up?) What a blessing! Ivy has prayed for me constantly. If I started coughing, she would start praying. Several times this week, I just needed to lay down. I was afraid of falling asleep and Ivy being alone so Ivy got a book, crawled in bed with me and just read while I took a nap. Just God's kindness to me in so many ways.

Of course, my mom, dad, sister, mother in law have been amazing. My dad watched the girls all by himself one afternoon. (He said, "Wow, this is hard. I'm not used to this! Made me laugh!) My mom has fixed dinner. Mother in law fixed dinner. Brent has been so busy with trees but still prayed, text me and hugged me!  My sister in law Alicia has been so good to help with Ivy. 

I am so tired today but so full of joy and thankfulness. Just had to Praise Him! He knows what we need! He knows when we need it. We just have to TRUST HIM!!!!!

Cracker Please?.....

Hayley loves crackers. She calls crackers...crackers. She also calls anything that makes a crunching sound a cracker. This includes cereal, chips oh and she also calls toast a cracker.  This morning, she ate her breakfast and immediately wanted a cracker. I knew she wasn't hungry and knew that she didn't need a cracker. I didn't give her one. I started helping Ivy with her school work. I turned around and found that since I didn't give Hayley a cracker she would get something even better...chocolate...lots of chocolate chips!

Veterans Day with Kayla and Trent!

Ivy and Kayla dressing up! They had so much fun!

So fun to take a day off from school and play, play, play!!!!!!

What pretty girls!

Making a soldier man for Paw!

Decorating cookies for Paw...He is our special Veteran!

Oh my goodness Trent! That is a lot of icing!

So thankful Trent didn't have to go to school today and we got to enjoy time with him!

Our soldiers! Camouflage and boots too!

Family Pictures

Study about Presidents!

With 2012 being an election year, I thought it would be fun for us to learn about some presidents and first ladies. We read several books about presidents. Our favorite books were biographies about the first ladies. We read about Elenor Roosevelt, Laura Bush, and Ivy’s favorite Abigail Adams. Ms. Jenny taught the kids in our Co-op a song about the presidents.

Ivy has heard a lot about our president from her Nana Stewart. We got online this morning to see who had won the election. (If you want to know the full details of Ivy's reaction...you have to call me or email!) Afterward, we both wrote out prayers for our president. What a great reminder for me that God is the Blessed controller of all things! 

Ivy’s prayer: “Lord Jesus, Thank you for our president. Please save Him. Help us to trust you! Amen PS. We love you!”

Mom’s prayer: Dear God, You are Sovereign. You are in complete control. Lord, please help our president to put his trust in You. Please use Him for your glory. Please convict him of sin. Help us to submit to the one you allowed to be in authority. Help us to pray for our president. Give him wisdom and help him Lord as he has a hard job. Help us to trust you. Help our nation to pray and cry out to you.  Amen

Hayley loves school too!

Hayley loves to put the pom poms in the ice cream scoops!

Putting the green ones in

One

Two

Hayley coloring!

Hayley wants to do everything Ivy does! Hayley has two teachers!! She really amazes me! She counted to five today. I didn't understand her at first but Ivy told me, "Mom, she's counting!" And she was! Her favorite number right now is...ree...or three!!!

They melt my heart!!!!

Hayley trying to feed Ivy her pancakes!

Hayley can make the funniest faces!

Opening cards that they got in the mail from Memaw!

"Ivy, what does your card say? Can you read my card to me?"

Ivy is a great big sister to Hayley! She teaches are all kinds of things. It is so much fun to watch them interact with each other!