Jasi says goodbye

Jaslyn says goodbye to her best buddy Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007.

Yup....that's my redneck daughter at church.....barefoot! LOL

My precious baby

<--Remmy, 1yr. below: Remmy this summer

Aren't they adorable? LOL...I'm a little biased. These are my precious sweeties. My oldest...oh dear....is turning 12 on Wednesday! (EEKS!) Oh, but she is growing and changing into a beautiful young woman of God. Through prayer and several conversations, things have been much better around here...for all of us. Really, I think it just took her knowing that I understand her confusing emotions. She gets frustrated with herself for not understanding her own moods. Oh the joy of hormones! I DO NOT miss it! LOL Ballet has started back and she's back with a passion.

Soccer games start this week for Rendi.....weeknights will begin to feel like races!

Jaslyn had to say goodbye to one of her best friends today. The youth pastor and his family have been called to another church, and their 4 yr. old son and Jaslyn have been very close for the past couple of years. The batteries are dead on my camera or else I'd post a pic of the two of them today. Although, I have to say they weren't very happy about stopping playing to take a pic....it was the only way I could get both of them in the pic...they were running all over! :) The most precious picture, though, remains in my mind. As were were leaving and saying our final goodbyes, I saw the two of them in the tightest hug I've ever seen between two children....it really pulled on my heartstrings. She's being a really good sport though....she lost another little friend to a move last February and she still talks about her and asks if we can go see her (in Florida, LOL). I can only pray her little heart will understand and heal. I'll try to post those pics tomorrow.

TTFN!

Aye, Caramba! You might be a redneck if you wear a sombrero when you mow your lawn! LOL My hubby is such a hoot! I just had to post this pic. I've tried to post several other times in the past week, but it takes, literally, a minimum of 15 minutes for one pic to load. I hate dial-up. Argh.
Anyway, we went to the fair this week and had a great time! The kids loved the animals, and of course, the free rides. This was our 2nd year to go.
Ok...I need some advice....all moms listen up! I am truly struggling with my nearly 12 (sept.26) year old daughter. It seems her hormones are always raging from one extreme to another. I know we all say "I remember when", but this is really whacked. On top of it all, I have worked really hard to try to have a good relationship with all my daughters. It's been hard, considering my birth mother left the picture when I was 7 and my step-mother hated me. I spent my childhood locked up in my room. I remember going to friends' houses and longing for the parent/child, mother/child relationships that I saw. Anyway...so I've always wanted to give my daughters what I didn't have...a caring, involved mother. Only, my daughter and I.....I just don't even know how to describe it. I'm actually angry at this point...not in a raging kind of way...but in a "I don't know what else to do!" kind of way. I've read my Bible and prayed and read parenting books. Now I seek advice. She seems to misinterpret EVERYTHING that I say, and now it's spreading to even what my hubby says, too. She treats her younger sisters with more disrespect than I think I've ever seen! (Commanded them to let her stay in bed this morning "or else she'd be cranky" and then had one of them getting her church clothes out for her while she layed in bed!!!!!!) This is soooooo just the tip of the iceberg. AND SHE'S NOT EVEN A TEENAGER YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She gives hateful, dirty looks to her father and I and her sisters, speaks with spiteful tones, reflects a horrible attitude (sometimes just down right snobby), and disobeys around every stinking corner! I mean, she's the oldest, and I have to call her out a 100x more in one day than I do her 10 and 4 yr old sisters. I would think that the oldest would be the best at minding...ya know, they've been around the longest, they should have the rules down pat. Our rules don't change because they revolve around the 10 commandments and the life principles given in the Bible. It seems like she used to be so sweet, and a perfectionist really, which I tried to discourage. Now she has days where it seems she tries to emotionally manipulate us to feel bad for her or pity her or something. HELP! HELP! HELP! I know these years will be hard, and I've been telling myself that and preparing for them for the last couple of years really. But I have to say....this is blowing me way out of the water and I'm at a total and complete loss as to how to handle it or what to do. I don't want to spend the next 6 years doing battle and growing away from my daughter. I see moms/daughters out there (teens) with great relationships...what's the secret??? Somebody please help me! :-}

Bday dinner @ Red Lobster

Okay...So I've GOT to tell this totally hilarious story about my birthday dinner. Tuesday, 9/11, was my bday and hubby took me out to Red Lobster. Our waiter was, well, not from around here. He was rather portly and had long hair....and old. His hair was that white/used to be blonde- color. He also had a deep southern accent (Mississippi, maybe). However, he spoke kinda girlie like, too. Hmmmm..... The best part came when he walked by and I did something I NEVER do.....looked at his nametag. You would not, could not ever guess what it said there. SUNSHINE!!! Oh, man I laughed! Jason couldn't figure out what was so funny. I told him to look at the waiter's name tag the next time he walked by. I quickly re-thought this advice....if ya know Jason, you understand why!! So I told him what I'd discovered and HE WANTED ME TO TAKE A PIC WITH MY CAMPHONE!!! I gave him my phone and told him to go ahead. He declined....guy might spit in our food! Maybe ya just had to be there to see/hear this guy....it was just down right funny....and I'm a pretty serious person....takes a good one to make me laugh...but that did it!!! :)

Why we are the school among thorns...

Rendi and Remmy in their favorite tree ("Bodark")-------------------------->>>>>>>>
6 years ago, planting our "marriage" tree

Well, there are sooo many reasons we are the school among the thorns. The most obvious is that our farm is covered in Bois de Ark (Bodark) trees....thorn trees. They strangle out nearly every other growing thing. We've tried planting other trees and such only to have them smothered by the "bodark" roots. We do have a few somewhat surviving Mimosa trees and our "marriage" tree (a willow oak).

The other reasons are a little more complex. Let's start with Matthew 13:3-9.

"Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: 'Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when they sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!' "

Okay, so now some of you are probably thinking I've lost my marbles. Let me try to explain. In this parable, Jesus was showing that the seeds that fell among the thorns (thorns being worldly problems, people, etc.) did not thrive. They were choked out by the world. But what if we, as Christians, who grow among the thorns (world) can choke out the worldly? Wouldn't that be WONDERFUL? Isn't that why we're here? And, as we all know, with God all things are possible.

Okay....2nd reason.....despite the fact that the "seeds" fell among "thorns", BECAUSE all things are possible with God, the plants can survive and thrive and be fruit bearing plants and trees.

When we decided to homeschool, I thought I was going crazy. 3 years ago I would have gone into hysterics at the mere idea. God changed that idea, and He changed me. Maybe I represent the thorns, and my children the seeds God so graciously entrusted me with. It is my responsibility to do everything possible to help them thrive, and the only way to do that is with total and complete dependence on my Father's strength and wisdom. It's not my ability, but my AVAILABILITY that He needs.

So you see, we really are among thorns, but the good news is that with our Master's loving tender care, WE ARE THRIVING! Our roots are not shallow, but growing ever deeper every day. Will we homeschool forever? Only our Father knows. I'm only along for the ride, doing whatever He asks of me. I will follow any direction He leads, no questions. For this season, homeschooling is what we are supposed to be doing! :)

Jaslyn and friend at Cherokee Holiday PowWow, Sept. 1, 2007. The girls were able to don their tribal shawls and dance with the other tribal members. They loved it!

Rendi's 1st day of homeschool (4th grade) 2006

Jaslyn's first "official" day of homeschool
Remmy's first day of homeschool (5th grade) 2006

These pics are from last year, but my photos are always behind! :)

Hello and Welcome!

Well...I hope this works out! I've visited a few friends' sites and really enjoy reading their posts. Somehow I don't think mine will be as interesting, but at least I can keep everyone up-to-date about what is going on in our lives! Also, maybe this will help me out. I don't get a lot of chances to visit with other moms, but I usually can check email or new posts while doing homeschool research online, or paying bills, etc. I love to scrapbook, which has become an annual event since beginning homeschooling. ( I just can't fit it in!) I can quickly and easily post pics of my kiddos here and feel just as proud! :) Anyhow....enjoy reading and feel free to post or email anytime!!!