I JUST HAD TO DO IT!

Okay, so it doesn't take a lot to impress me or get me really excited. When I saw this here I immediately grabbed the broom. This is not a practical joke or a trick...my broom is standing upright in my kitchen...I'm just giddy over this. Maybe because I haven't been feeling good, maybe because I haven't been out of the house in two weeks or maybe, just maybe...my JOY is complete today! I'll go with the latter. Now...if that thing would start sweeping...whoa, it'd be just another day in PARADISE.

Go on, you know you want to try it. Did it work? Are you excited?

The why of this: On this website I read it has something to do with gravitational pull that only happens 4 or 5 times in 60 years. I don't know and I really don't care...I'm impressed.

By the way, the bristles are not spread apart.

FLYING LESSON

Isabella (2nd grade) and I completed this lapbook today while the little ones were playing office. This lapbook is part of an online class that we purchased at currclick.com. We have completed classes with this professor before and have loved them. The price was right (I would have paid full price - it would have been worth every penny). The class comes complete with videos, vocabulary list, worksheets, a research guide and everything needed to make this lapbook.

We learned about Leonardo da Vinci, the Montgolfier Brothers, Sir George Cayley, Otto Lilienthal, Octave Chanute, and Dr. Samuel Pierpont Langley.

DID YOU KNOW: When Langley attempted to launch his plane, the Great Aerodrome it lurched forward and ended up in the river. Two months later, trying again, he also failed. He was riduculed in papers all over the U.S. The New York times reported that a man-carrying airplane may be built one day, but it would take engineers one to 10 million years to do it. WRONG! Just nine days later, Orville Wright made history and flew the first powered airplane.




I had purchased this video (below) at the grocery store a while back for $9.99. Of course because God orchestrated all this, the video ties in perfectly with the class.

My sister sent us a book on Leonardo Da Vinci last year which will be our prep work for the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit at the High Museum in Atlanta that we will visit soon.

I am so thankful that God directs our steps, makes resources readily available and ties it all together.

A DAY AT THE "OFFICE"

Our new "office" for the preschoolers.

Kaira's first day on the "job"

I saw this idea a while back here, but finally got around to finishing it today. It was a hit! We are on a little break from school while mommy is not feeling so well and this kept Kaira busy for at least 45 minutes today. Now Annais is playing at the "office" and putting things in envelopes and delivering mail. I love when something actually works out like you hope it will.

To complete the office I used: An old phone, bought a keyboard and mouse from Goodwill, used an old mouse pad, put several different pads of paper in the organizer, play money, envelope sized sale papers, envelopes (the remittance kind that I never use), old address labels, play money and a printout of a monitor stuck to the wall. I will add more stuff as I find it and as it is consumed. (Kaira almost used a whole pad of sticky notes today!)

P.S. One stone did make its way out the night before last. Thanks for the prayers.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY OR MAYBE...

the rest of my life.

I read this quote today:

"We need to ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives." Pastor Pete Wilson

and you can read the article where it was quoted here

This is very timely! I have been out of commission for a week and a half with kidney stones.

It was a week ago last Wednesday that I woke my husband up and said I have a pain in my back that feels like a pulled muscle, but it is not and I need to get this checked right now...it was 11:35 p.m. We called a friend to come and stay with the kids and we headed to the ER. We were there all night. I left with lots of pain killers in me and lots of paperwork and the two kidney stones I arrived with.

In my mind our only choice was to get these little suckers blasted as soon as possible because we have four kids, homeschool, business...you know HURRY, HURRY! So, on to the urologist. Well, he said they would not do anything till the next week, so here is another prescription for pain killers and I will see you on Monday. If they are still there we can blast on Tuesday. Tuesday? That was four whole days away. He was in no hurry.

We scrambled. My kids were shuffled all over the place. Friends, neighbors, even strangers came to watch the kids at my house. The kids loved it (although I think they did start missing Mommy). I missed my life and I had no clue even after the blasting when I would feel better. I still have the stones. They are persistent and they are in NO HURRY!

Through this, at least when I have been awake, everything I have been struggling with has been amplified. When you are not feeling well things tend to look worse than they actually are or things that you did not even know were wrong come up.

Today a friend prayed that the Lord would help me find my mustard seed and as I close tonight that is my prayer too. I need that mustard seed to see me through tomorrow...when I try to slow down.

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20

CONTEMPLATING

Many of you know that I run a tea business and it is a blessing and I love every minute of it. Although I must say recently it has been getting harder and harder to keep up with the business due to other demands - homeschooling, having an infant and life happening. It was almost two years ago to the date that this happened:

A local tea shop in announced it was closing and I was devastated. A few days later the Lord began to speak to me and give me what appeared to be a business plan for an internet based tea store. I spoke to the owner the next day and here I am!

Because of things the Lord led me to do a couple of years prior I was positioned to make this transition fairly smoothly complete with access to wonderful free resources at the local college including an attorney and business coach.

Last night as I packed tea and listened to my children play in the den I could not help but wonder will I regret missing this time with them.

The business has never been a burden on us financially, but it also has not added a penny to our household income. Every month it has produced enough to pay its own bills and the loan we took out to purchase it. I do have a significant balance on a credit card that I hope to have paid off soon. I do not want money to be a deciding factor for me.

My dilemma:

I love tea and I love the tea business. I love the people I have met and the opportunities it has afforded me, but I love my family more.

The bigger dilemma:

I do not feel released to give it up. More than anything I want to be obedient, so I must trust God’s timiring as I did two years ago when He called me to this. Everyone asked me repeatedly how I was going to do this and I continually replied I don’t know, but God does. He has been faithful and He is STILL DOING IT.

God’s faithfulness has been interwoven in every aspect of this business and contiues to be. I want Him to be glorified in this and I want to represent Him to the best of my ability, which I feel is lacking in every area of my life right now.

He called me to be a wife, mother, homeschooler and business owner in that order and I do not want to get that confused.

When you think of me please pray and if you have been in this situation and God spoke to you, please share. Any scripture for encouragement or words of Godly wisdom are welcome.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. HEBREWS 13:20-21

EASY, DELICIOUS HOMEMADE GRANOLA

My kids love granola, but the last time we were at the health food store the price for a small container had skyrocketed, so I did not buy any. I was reading one of my favorite blogs the other day and found a recipe for "Lazy Granola" which is just my speed these days. I gave it a try on Monday and I was AMAZED (as were my children and husband). It tastes just like the delicious (expensive) granola from the health food store. If you like granola you must try it! For the recipe visit The Finer Things in Life

I do not have a picture of mine, but there is one in Amy's post.