Part of Thankful Thursday Early

So I have much to be thankful for. The provision of lumber. In case you don't know what my husband does for a living let me explain a little. He works in a warehouse that receives huge server cabinets, they modify them etc and then they are reshipped out. Today he received these huge crates- Where we come in is that we needed to replace the privacy fencing in the back but we couldn't because we can't afford the wood. Same was true of the Pantry- the Lord had provided us the walls with wood from other types of crates. Its amazing if you look around our house, various projects come from these shipping containers. We are very resourceful! He has three more of these at work, so it will make a really nice fence line.

Here is what we are fixing. We had Hurricane Ike take out two trees, you would have to go back and see the posts from a couple years ago, well those trees took out much of this fence0 which we allowed the vines to overtake just to give us some privacy from the lot next door. We have lots of privacy in the back part of our 2 acres but the sides are more narrow. We are wanting to turn this whole area into our family fun zone- BBQ pit, Tables, a above ground pool etc, but I really wanted a fence so that people aren't staring at the kids etc. Amazing how the Lord works in mysterious ways. My husband is outside with his Sawzall taking apart the crate as I type, so he can bring another home over the next few days, so we can put it up this weekend. YEAH GOD!

Quilt Section Two

I am pleased to say I now have 15 Nine Patch Units. They look wonderful, they still need to be pressed but I won't do that until I am ready to add binding, backing and quilt them. The next step was to lay out 15 more sets.

Here are the next 15. I sure hope my last set of charms get here soon because I can't do the last five until I have them I am out of Extra Nine Patch blocks, unless I use her focal blocks to create all the last five. That could be managed. Anyway, today I felt a little torn. I would love to give this to her for her birthday which is May 10th, so there is plenty of time, however my fabric arrived for that Full size quilt order. So I really should work tomorrow on these 15 and then set it all aside and work on the paid order. Except that I really really want her to have this quilt. The order is needed by May 25th, so I could set it a few more days out but its not very business like. I guess I will have to pray about it and see what happens. I am sure I can get both done by the 10th, if I truly worked really hard.

Trick Dog

Every night when Paul gets home, he is met at the door or outside by Pilsner- who leaps up on to Paul's chest to give him a huge hug. We call it "Be the trick dog", today I had the camera to capture the after the jump moment. It is the cutest thing. It is funny to have Paul call at lunch or on break because if Pilsner is around and hears his voice he goes NUTS! He cries and calls and its like he is talking back to him, he wants him to be home because he always heads to the door. They are two really good friends for sure.

Raising Children in the Lord

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
(Psalms 127:3-5 ESV)

I have to remind myself that the Lord blesses us with children, to raise them in Christ, teach him His Word and guide them so that they can fulfill His Purpose. I say I have to remind myself because this week and the last two before it have been a real trial for me with one of my children, Zekaryah.  He is an incredibly loving, caring, sweet boy but wow is he forever stubborn!

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 18:10 ESV) 

 I love this verse, I can't imagine despising my children, I can imagine though despising their actions, right now that is exactly where I am at. We are having many trials with homework/classwork and the school system. They released Zekaryah from the Educational Program that gave him more help because he was doing so well. That has had its blessings- one that he has taken two AP courses this year- one of which he has an A in. You don't see me jumping for JOY! But I am. The downfall is that the other AP course- Math, he does fairly well in, but right now he is struggling to keep his head above the water. 

I do not accept lying in my house

I do not accept Laziness in my house

I do not accept hiding of things and dishonesty either.

These are virtues that I feel are very important so that a child can have great moral character and be a Christian adult following the Lord's Plan.

The bible tells us

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

Needless to say we have had some huge issues-missing homework, zeros on classwork, lies, excuses, laziness. I have taken away game units, television, friends.. there is not anything left but school work, eating and bedtime- oh and attending school. I felt we were on the right track until last week when I saw zeros in THREE classes. UNACCEPTABLE.

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
(Proverbs 22:15 ESV) 

I have been working closely with one teacher, the other two I contacted- which I have done a couple times this year, one was willing to work with me, the other was not. So we do what we can. We put in hours at home over the weekend- I took Mekenzei to a movie- he did not get to join us- this was an extra/reward, in this house we do not reward when we do not make the right choices at school/home. I had his Math teacher issue detention- at her suggestion. He will serve his first session this afternoon. I had let him use a Homework pass last Tue in math because we had a choir performance and it was late, he will do that work in detention and then sit and read. He will not get a grade for that homework- it was to prove a point.

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
(Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV)

I find that he is pushing back as hard as I am pushing forward. It is physically tiring and mentally exhausting, however I refuse to give in or give up. I am in this for the long haul and will not be a parent that accepts less than his best 98% of the time. I do leave room for mistakes, I make plenty of my own. I sit with him the entire time he does homework- his lack of attention requires this. I do tend to work on dinner while he works right next to me at the kitchen table. Last night we worked for 4-5 hours. I found last night my biggest obstacle is that he has very low self esteem. I see this great smart boy, he sees something so different. I pray that this summer through homeschool, and me choosing to not take the job that would have really helped us, we can change that. I am open to any suggestions you might have.

My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.
(Proverbs 6:20 ESV) 

I pray that one day he will realize, all the lectures, talks, grounding etc is not that I do not love him, it is not that I feel he is weak or stupid, it is that I truly care who he becomes. I want him to have the best in life and with that sometimes it requires us to work so much harder than the next person. I understand that he does just that, he works three times as hard as most children. He is doing something with these two AP courses that they said he would never do- he is succeeding. His teacher last year didn't believe he should be placed in these courses because of his learning issues. I believed he could do it and will in the future. I do not feel that because you struggle with reading you should be given a pass on Math and Science. I feel if you have strength in those areas we should nurture them-I would say that both teachers, he has this year agree he is in the class that he should be in.

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
(Proverbs 29:17 ESV)

Last night when I went to bed I was drained. All I wanted to do was cry. Literally and figuratively. I feel so bad about always "talking and fighting" with him. I feel bad about issuing him detention. It was kind of a crazy idea, but I just don't know what else to do. I keep waiting for that little light to come on for him. For there to be a day when we work on the same skills in Math that it all just clicks. So far, it just hasn't. He still cant remember what 6X4 is, he is in 6th grade. Last night I apologized to my husband for dishes once again being in the sink, for the wash not being done. Its so hard to do things at night and I try to quilt during the day- then with the antibiotics this past week+ its been more difficult then usual. I just had to get myself a dose of commandments from the Lord about our children. My children aren't going to remember a pristine home but they will remember all the hours that I helped them get ahead and do well in school. So as I close I give that as my thought of wisdom today. I know several parents personally who do not even know what their child's homework is each night, don't take the time to play a game or watch a movie. When is it that you last took time to be a part of their live and let go of yours to give that to them?

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
(Hebrews 12:9-11 ESV)

  

Tackle It Tuesday

This is my Tackle it Tuesday. I had hoped to get all these blocks sewn into Nine Patch Squares and then lay out the next two by two set of blocks, well my plan and that of Zekaryah did not mesh so..I got some done but will have to catch up today

Good news is, Mekenzei came home and really loved it. She said it was very colorful and really reminded her of my mom, her grandma. It made my heart full and happy. That was the goal- it will be a difficult quilt but I will be so thrilled when it is done. I took the center blocks of each Nine Patch and used it for the Themed Fabric she personally chose. So its butterflies, sea turtles and I think there is one of a duck too.

These three are all I got sewn together. As you can see though they will look really nice. I then need to cut batting and the backing squares then do them like that jean quilt a couple weeks ago. Sew in X and sew them altogether to form a quilt so it can be ragged. I sure hope with the colors being so bright that it will be a quilt she will keep forever and not just something that is trendy for now.

Our Garden and Its Progress

This is my Husbands Love.. The Garden. I think he lives for this time of year, we have tried other seasons but the freeze will hit and kill everything and we don't have green houses built yet. I am sure we will one day though.

I often wonder how we spend any time together. I also wonder why my house "rearranging and cleaning" goals keep from becoming finished. This is why. He spends HOURS out here, then often comes in just in time to eat dinner and then maybe exercise and then sleep. Every once in a while lately I will get help on something but primarily its a weekend, and only a few hours.

Last night we had one of those homework woe nights- and I had to refocus because I really needed him to pitch in but he was in his garden- in fact extending it. So I went around and took pictures- its amazing we do have tomatoes, peppers- all of which are budding- some have fruit already. We have squash, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe..I am sure there is more I am forgetting.

Our goals continue to be divided. I know eventually the house will get there. I will continue to squeeze in what I can between homework, activities, quilts etc. I do realize that the blessing of his Harvest from this garden is great. He even put in a new crop this year which was cucumbers- so we can learn how to pickle.  I am thankful that it gives him such great pleasure. I pray the Lord will provide us with a little rain this month so that it will provide him with a few hours to pitch in "indoors", with rain he would not need to come home and water. :-)

What We Have Been Up To

It seems like I don't have much time to blog lately. I think about it but life is very busy. I think this time of year we are trying to wrap up projects for schools, weekends are usually crammed with school activities, birthday parties and catching up on house/yard work. Not to mention getting the garden in and adding to it every week until my husband gets everything planted. This year we expanded it and planted so many more crops so it is really taking more of his time.
Saturday we all worked at a baseball fundraiser for an organization I belong to called Magnolia Education Foundation. I really find it a worry cause as it provides grants for teachers/schools in our district. Teachers/school officials can write a grant request, they get submitted to the foundation, we read them, grade them and then the top percent receive their requests. So much is provided by these grants. This fundraiser was a first for the organization but I thought it went very well. I had a booth at the event and my husband sat with me and helped as needed, then the three kids all volunteered time helping with the moonwalks that were donated to us. I did find out that the reason antibiotics say to avoid extensive exposure to sunlight is not because it will give you a headache- like I thought it would, it is because you severely burn! WOW!!
Sunday we just spent at home- all recovering from the previous day. Mine was filled with helping the three kids with projects due this month for school. Paul worked in the garden and then the younger two earned some money by washing the two trucks.
Today I went and picked up Tshirts for the Full size quilt order I took last week. I am excited because I was able to surprise Paul today. I had cut the cost on my quilt by having extra materials from previous orders, so I just had to purchase backing and border fabric for the entire quilt. That savings helped me give him $100 of my down payment on the quilt for his trip in June that he takes every year. I selfishly wanted to set it aside for windows. I have collected quite a bit and we will have to dip into that to do a project we did not anticipate so the $100 would have really helped with the living room, but I remembered that the Lord does provide and my initial response when seeing what my profit was on this order- was to help Paul save some more for his trip. Its so nice for him to get away with his brother in law and a few guys for four days every year right around his birthday. I know he goes and has a great time. So I am trusting that the Lord will provide other opportunities to save in new ways for the windows. We did find that they are cheaper at Home Depot than Lowes so that is really nice.
I am also in need of girls shorts size 10, they have to be the Bermuda style becuase the school has a policy about that. I was able to find Mekenzei two pair that went to her knees then one pair that is more Capri style. All her shorts are pretty short now and she cannot wear those to school, so I am hoping the Lord will bless us with some help in that area.
I am still struggling with the cyst on my foot. I can't really tell if it is getting any better. It still hurts pretty bad. It feels so hopeless to do all I know how to do to help it and it to not just go away. I still have a few more days of antibiotics left so I will continue to pray for the Lord's healing to come forward so that they do not have to do surgery.

Menu Plan Monday

Last week was a little crazy for us and even though I made a menu I think we traded days quite a bit, this week might go the same way. It does help to have a plan though because I knew exactly what to buy. My husband is starting this Tuna/Oatmeal diet- I don't advise it but he sure has lost lots of weight in the past doing it. So Its mainly a kids week of food choices- they each picked one or two things.

Monday

Fried Fish
Rice

Tostadas- younger two

Tuesday
Shrimp Stir Fry with lots of veggies

Quesadillas Younger Two

 Bean and Cheese Burrito- Jakob

Wednesday

Shake and Bake Chicken

Mashed Potatoes
Mac N Cheese

Veggies

Thursday

Boiled Eggs

Bacon 

Toast

Friday

Pork Chops

Baked Potatoes

Corn

The weekend is full of events so we don't have a plan- probably just BBQ if the weather is nice.

Thankful Thursday

Its hard for me to believe Thursday is here, my week has been super busy. I have much to be thankful for this week.

I am thankful that my husband took care of dinner and dishes Monday night so I could attend my meeting for Magnolia Education Foundation, organizations like this are going to be imperative for teachers and students as districts continue to make cuts nation wide. I was even able to come home and type up my notes and get them right out that night since we have a fundraiser on Saturday.

I am thankful for doctors as I had an appointment Tuesday. I am thankful that she let me try antibiotics at home for the cyst on my foot that is extremely infected. I am thankful that the infection going up the foot is not spreading anymore- it would be nice if it would start to go away to ease my mind a little.

I am thankful that my husband bought Ginger Snaps, Cheese It Crackers and Sprite to try and settle my stomach since the antibiotics are not being very friendly. I am also thankful he is understanding about me being in bed most of yesterday and that I probably will do the same today.

I am thankful for wonderful teachers, even if I disagree with their approaches at times. Zekaryah has been such a trial school wise. I noticed his grades slipping once again, zeros on homework, inattentiveness in class, and contacted the three teachers where he is having trouble. I am thankful that one in particular has worked with me all year to try and help him. We have come up with the idea of him going to after school detention. I just am at a loss of what to do at this point, without putting him on medication. We give the same old lectures, he gives the same upset look and tears and nothing is changing. I don't even have anything to take away anymore, he hasn't had TV or outside play in 2 weeks. I will continue to pray for guidance.

I am so thankful for the younger two's choir performance Tue night, I am thankful that we were able to video tape it and get Mekenzei's solo. She did so well. I can't wait to copy it and send it to family to share with them. I can't wait to see what life holds for her, if she continues on with choir.

I am thankful that I have a possible new quilt order, I am hopefully meeting the customer on Friday to pick up shirts. I am thankful for another opportunity to show off my quilts on Saturday. I pray that my spent $25 on a booth will turn out just like the last Friday- and produce at least one order, so that the cost is covered. 

I am also thankful for my two dogs, they have been much comfort as I lay in bed a good share of the day and rest. It is nice to have the company.

Sickeness and Healing

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” 

(James 5:13)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

 Today I am feeling really lousy. The antibiotics are making me super sick. I am hoping I will feel good enough to go to the store later to get some things like ginger snaps which I know will calm my stomach. I don't have a choice to but to take them otherwise they will have to admit me to fight the infection, and honestly I would rather be home. I find myself praying even more this morning and just to sit here I feel worse. Thus I am headed to bed again soon.

“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. 

(Jeremiah 30:17)

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You have healed me.” 

(Psalm 30:2)

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” 

(Mark 11:24)

I searched out some bible verses this morning. To remind myself that he promises healing. I am praying when the 10 day course of meds is over that I feel much better and my wound is healed and no longer infected. I pray that the medicine fights the infection quickly and that my body is rid of it so that in 10 days I do not have to do a second cycle of medicine.

I still want to figure out how to share the portion of the performance last night where my daughter had her solo. The file is 12 min long, so its too much to share all together. For now though I will go lay and rest, for my mom always said with sleeping our body heals much better.