Another Freebee!

I just got another freebee from freecycle.org. This is by far the best yet! It is an old Kenmore sewing machine.

The lady said that she thought that something was wrong with the belt. Boy am I glad that she was wrong!!!

There is not one thing wrong with it!

It still has the book and everything.

God is good!

K-12 Home Schooling

Well, after a few weeks of schooling...it wasn't going well. I decided to go another way. I did some research and decided to go with the K-12 program. So far it is great. They sent TONS of stuff including 3 computers and 3 printers.

I know it doesn't cover much, if any Christian subjects. But I figure that I can add that in with reading and such. To my surprise, L.C.'s reading came with an audio cd of Bible stories. Go figure.

Anyway, here is all of the stuff I got.



And this is the classroom after it was organized.





I live for organizing!

Epiphony!

So I know that everyone, one time or another, has asked the question,"What is my purpose?". I have often asked that question in prayer. Well, tonight I had an epiphony, if you will. A true "come to Jesus" moment. =)

God had layed it on my heart, when I was just a child, that I was to adopt some day. I have thought about it a lot over the years, and when I married my Hubby...we discussed it as well. At first, I think he just went along with me...as he usually does with some of my wilder ideas. But, as we have grown as a couple in the Lord, I believe...I KNOW, he feels as I do. We were predestined to adopt.

It's actually funny. As I sat here this evening watching videos,(that brought me to tears), and looked at different blogs...I had the realization of what God wants from our family. Ya know, you hear people say it was like a bolt of lightening...well it was! Several moments over the years came to me all at once.

We have been thinking about starting a non-profit...scratch that, we did. But I think we got the purpose wrong. Now I believe it was meant to support adoption...in some form or the other. Years ago I had a site called 'Rescued By Grace'. Hmm... do you think the two go hand in hand? Isn't it funny how God's time... is nothing close to ours? Sometimes things get all jumbled. Take my cousin Z. for instance. After he was born, and for several years, I told my Husband that I wanted to adopt him. That he needed more than his family could give him. Now, Z. is 17..and who has him? We do! And I spoke to the caseworker today. They no longer want us to pursue temporary custody...they want us to go for LEGAL custody. Funny isn't it?!

A few years back I was told by a fellow church member that he felt deeply that Hubby and My purpose was to help children. I thought ...nah...couldn't be. I mean I took all of my cousins to church, Bible school, helped out as I could. I even threatened to hijack the church van because I was going to have too many kids to take in my car. And even years before that, I started out my college career in Elementary Education. My Husband and I even had a daycare through the county and thought about pursuing opening a daycare. We even started out in our married life wanting LOTS of children.

I guess when you think about it, I have always been surrounded by children. Even when I was growing up, I always had friends over. And for some reason my friends were the ones with problems at home. I have to wonder now if that was to prepare me for what was to come.

Then the way we got this house, how everything fell into place. 5-6 bedrooms, an indoor pool, the church giving us the playground equipment... I could go on and on with the way God has blessed us, about the hints I did not take...

So I can say without a doubt, our purpose is adoption and helping others through adoption. The reason I couldn't see it before was because I was searching everywhere for a purpose to have...instead of taking up the one God layed right in front of me so many years ago.

Just when you think God is being quiet...he sneaks up on you and smacks you on the forehead and screams,"DUH"! in your ear. =0P

Have a great evening! May God bless and keep you.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
James 1:27

What, No Photo?

I actually cannot believe I am posting without a picture! Oh well, there's a first time for everything. :0)

So we got some good news yesterday...We were approved for our kinship placement. We also began a 30 day extended visit with my cousin. During this time he will live with us and we will enroll him in the local high school. During this time they are going to be working on a new case plan for him and get a court date. This court hearing will basically be to establish us as his guardians and temporary custody of him. How cool is that?

God has really blessed us. The case worker told me that she had not seen a kinship placement move this fast before....has to be God!

We are so happy to get to be a real family for my cousin! It feels right, it feels like this is what we were supposed to do! Our family feels more complete than ever!

Z. I love you! You mean the world to us. You will always be my baby cousin!

Losses

We got some terrible news this evening. My eight year old's, best friend's mother died tonight. I am not sure what the cause was. I have not heard as of yet. She was recovering from cancer, but was said to have been in remission.

Her daughter is only eight. She seemed very confused on the phone. I don't know what to think right now. I just know this family really needs prayer!!!! Please take time to pray for their family this week. I cannot even begin to think about how hard this must be for this little girl. Her mother was the 'glue' for their family.

I feel a great loss tonight, but through it all...I know that she was a Christian. I have faith and know that we will see her again.

God bless you Sue! We will always love and remember you!

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:4

Scraping and Painting

Lately we have been more busy than ever. We have been clearing the house of clutter and getting some of the old iron beds ready. Two of the kids got new mattresses yesterday. They are loving the new beds! My cousin also came to stay the weekend and then there was trick or treating. Ahh... it is a never ending battle around here. We have a show this weekend. It will be the last of the year. I should have had two more past this one, but either subconciously or purpously, I did not get the applications in on time. Whatever, I need the break anyway!


We also began our new online schooling this week. Thus as it is. We could only go so far as the books and computers do not arrive until tomorrow. I am actually very impressed with the whole sha-bang. We get books, maps, globes, manipulatives, workbooks,and 3 computers for free. Plus they will be reimbursing me $19.90 a month for the internet. Pretty sweet if you ask me. Even as I type, part of the order has arrvived!



So, I chose to sign up the girls for Spanish. It is very cool. I even enjoy it! I am also finding that my high school Spanish is being revived. :0)

Anyway, that is what I have been up to. How 'bout you?


Have a wonderful day!

Oh My, My...

Have we EVER been busy! I am so sorry it has taken this long to post something. We spent all week getting ready for the homestudy for the possible placement of my cousin with us.

We moved all of the boxes of crap we boxed up this Spring downstairs so that we could go through them. Let me tell ya... that took 3 days!!! I honestly have no clue how we got that much stuff. And...our garage is full as well. At least it is out of the house. We donated all of the boxes, all 30 some of them to a local thrift store. Along with that went a bedroom suite and odd and end large toys. We also donated a couple of things to the church.

All in all, after the boxes, cleaning, safety stuff(ie:outlet plugs, smoke detectors, ammo box, lock boxes..etc)...I AM BEAT! But I gotta tell ya, when it is all said and done...my baby cousin is SO worth it. I know there will be trials,...but the good stuff always out-weighs the bad!

So I guess you want to know how the homestudy went? :0) Maybe I should make you wait..haha.
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We PASSED with flying colors! He is coming to spend the weekend with us, we go get finger printed...and it will be official. It is not adoption,...but if offered... we would adopt him in a heartbeat! :0)

Ya'll have a great night! And remember, if you stay strong in your faith for the Lord, He WILL work miracles!