weird

Ricky Martin Welcomes Twin Boys

anyone else find this a little weird? you can click on the link about to read the story. from livin' la vida loca to night time feedings of newborn twins--all by himself. to each his own, i guess. still weird.

HT: People.com

i heart my crazy jan

many of you know my mom & how i call her crazy jan, affectionately. at times our relationship has been "less than stellar" (to quote dawn), but since having my own kids i can see the struggle of motherhood. it is a hard job! my mom did her very best with me that she could--i've learned that becoming a mom is hard work, you are almost never an expert on the subject/issue until after it's over, and there are so many mistakes to be made along the way.


i love that my mom & i are getting closer as the years go by. she feels less of a need to mother me & i feel less of a need to rebel, going my own way. (some of you are laughing right now.)


but, anyways...my mom came over today in a blaze of glory (as always), her trunk full of salvaged goodies, as she is helping a friend pack & move.

**side note: i learned everything i need to know & then some about organization & cleaning from my mom. so when my mom helps someone pack, she literally helps them pack--probably used her label maker, too!


she opened her trunk & gave me the best present ever!






these are vintage patterns from the 1960's & 70's...some even older! i seriously squealed in delight! ever since i started reading pleasant view schoolhouse i am obsessed with being just like anna. well, not really being just like her, but she has inspired me in so many ways, including making dresses & such from vintage fabrics & patterns. she has such a beautiful sense of style--which i someday hope to emulate.


thanks mom, you totally rock & totally made my day.

the plunge

i took the plunge & ordered my preschool home school curriculum for this fall.

it's official. no more hem-ha-ing around, we are now a homeschooling family. i finally came to the realization that if God is greatest when we are weakest, then He is going to be really great in this area of my life.


for those of you who don't know the back story, it goes like this...

there once was this girl named meredith, who was married to this boy named chris. now chris was the middle child of a great family, always around younger kids since his mom did daycare & took in foster babies waiting to be adopted. meredith was the exact opposite in the birth order...not only youngest in her extended family, she was an only child. the closest she got to babysitting or babies was the new cornsilk cabbage patch doll she got for christmas.

meredith was apprehensive about having kids...well since she had no prior experience and all. chris on the other hand was of the 'why not?' camp. a match made in heaven...kinda.

so, some christlife counseling, some prayers & a deep breath landed chris & meredith in the new parents club--well there were a couple other steps involved--a joke about the fertile crescent & our bedroom is inserted here, but we don't need to go there.

fast forward a couple years to a very strong-willed, but gentle hearted oliver (now 5) and a sweet, laid back, hilarious avery (now 3). there was always a sneaking suspicion in the back of meredith's mind that her life was going to be anything but normal...she didn't know quite what that meant, but she was beginning to see the importance of heeding to the voice of God & His calling for their lives.

the gentle whisper of God's calling to a home school life was growing louder as more & more of meredith's "mom friends" were deciding to take the home school plunge. then chris & meredith moved right next door to the current president of the home school club (HEED) of dsm.

yeah, God is funny in getting His point across...isn't He??

slowly, the girl turned mom began--just like any good only child would--to read & research about homeschooling, interviewing everyone she could get her hands on about the methods, the ups & downs, the challenges, etc. the pull to homeschooling became more appealing & made more sense for her & her family.

then came the advice from a new found friend, her diana (anne of green gables, anyone?)--who's real name is marcia. she said, "well, isn't homeschooling like anything else God calls you to? if you listen & obey, He always makes up for where you lack. if you disobey....welll?"

genius. sheer genius. diana was always the level-headed one.

from then on the choice was no longer a choice, but rather a desire & a dream to do the will of what God has called meredith to do. His promises are always true, He never lets us down & ultimately He is glorified through our lives when we simply listen & obey.

and so the story began...

so, the plan is since oliver is a july baby, we will be doing some preschool work & taking it easy this year...focusing on the basics of play, play and more play. along with playdates, playtime...i think you get the point. we will also be working on some pre-reading & some character building (laying down rails) that i found at the NICHE convention.

overall, i am really excited about this venture. we are starting in a way i don't normally start things...slowly, but surely...baby steps. anything worth doing is worth doing right--right?

as we journey down this different road than most, we covet your prayers as we seek what God has called out for us to do in regards to educating our kids. as you can see from the story, it wasn't a choice that we came to lightly (more like, kicking & screaming). we know that homeschooling is not a choice that most make for their kids, nor do we think that it is the best choice for all kids. all we know is what God has told us, and that is for us to trust Him in what He has called for team sterk.

thank you to those that have already been such an amazing encouragment & support to us. i am sure that there will be times when we question the calling & ask ourselves 'what are we DOING?', but like everything else in life...it will be a lesson in surrender.

a michigan sunset

one of my favorite things about michigan is the fact that lake michigan looks more like an ocean than a lake. the night we went down to view the sunset was amazing. the waves were at least 5 feet & it was dangerous to be out on the piers. it made for a glorious sunset. the song, "how great is our God...sing with me, how great is our God...and all will see how great is our God" was playing through my head while i made this slideshow. enjoy.

a lot

there is a lot going on in my mind & emotions these past couple weeks...well, actually more like a month. it has been a big month of big things: all the events that have happened with katie, the medical mystery with Jodi (another member of our church), getting ready for vacation, friends of ours moving & having it be a disaster on every level, people from our church taking a big missions trip to Moldova, wondering what to do with this fit-throwing five year old...the list of things to worry about seems endless.

the biggest lesson i am learning that my thoughts & emotions have ruled my perspective for so long. i have allowed fear, stress & worry to dominate my perspective about all these things for too long.

a life in Christ promises a peace that passes all understanding--why isn't that evident in my life?

if squeezed a christian should pour out love, joy, peace, patience, kindness--right? yeah, totally not happening here. i have been anything but oozing juice of the Fruit for the past month.

a couple weeks back i had this revelation, everything in this christian life is connected to john 15. a successful christian life, hearing God, covering & protection--all of it is revolved around being connected to the Vine. because apart from Him we can do nothing. it all points back to resting & abiding in Him--there is no other way.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not
remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches
are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my
Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my
disciples" john 15:5-8, niv

i heard a great teaching about being in spiritual alignment with God this past weekend. the message lead me to think back to this revelation that everything comes back to john 15. i haven't been aligned & i haven't been abiding...ugh. no wonder there seems to be no hope.

so, my goal for this week...return to Papa's lap. rest & relax in Him, learn what abiding truly means...maybe one day i'll truly understand.