~A Lovely Easter~

Hello Friends! Gonna keep this simple....our Easter was lovely...spent remembering our Savior's resurrection (thank you Amber for posting the Resurrection Eggs activity), hopping from here to there...coloring eggs, hunting eggs, hugging family, eating (a LOT!), and taking pictures to document every single second. Here are some of our special memories with the ones we love the most....

Jesus Christ~ We love you. All of our hope is in YOU. When we studied your death this week, my sweet son asked.."Mom, will Jesus have to die again next year (i.e.~to save us from our sins?)" My heart broke....Lord, thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus. And, Praise God that it was "finished" with His death....once and for ALL. Our sins are wiped clean! May we remember your story of death and resurrection with as much intensity as we do at this moment....

All the Girl I'll Ever Need or Want...

Where to begin??? Well, I'll start by saying that this post is much "lighter" than a my few previous posts...no school talk, just girl talk. How 'bout that?? Let's talk about Sailer...my lil' bit of sugar, heck of a lot of spice, and always so nice...gal:) Usually, when the kids have a birthday, I like to dedicate a post to them...I like to document their personalities, likes/dislikes, all the things that make them who they are....It's so important, b/c we all know that they change in the blink of a eye! Today, I realized that I haven't officially documented anything like this for Sailer's 3rd birthday....

So. When I picked up Sailer from school today, her teachers, along with another parent, met me at the door saying, "We have to tell you what Sailer told us today." My first thought is...Oh, goodness....this could be anything...hope it's not something I'd be embarrassed about..lol. (Doesn't every parent have this same thought??) Anyway, I noticed immediately that Sailer did not have her hairbow in her hair....well, this past Tuesday, the same thing happened. When I picked her up, her flower was missing...(it was actually clipped on her teacher's shirt..:) What I didn't know was that Sailer told her teacher that she wanted her hair to flow in the wind...lol. (probably b/c of her fascination with Rapunzel...that's another story for another day). Anyway, TODAY, her explanation for losing her bow was a little different. Her teacher told me that when she asked Sailer why she didn't want to wear her bow, Sailer responded with a very sassy attitude saying, "Well, I'd rather wear a flower." Ha! Oh, goodness...well, the good news is that what she said was not embarrassing...but, gee whiz! All I could do was laugh, b/c it was pretty cute...gotta admit that.

You'd think that having a daughter for 3 whole years now...I'd be less-surprised at some of the girly/sassy/spicy antics of having a girl, but, not. really. In a way, I know that I have MUCH to learn....and, Sailer confirms that fact every single day of her little life. My, how different boys and girls are! Sailer has such a sophistication and daintiness about her...long tapered fingers, slender feet and tiny toes, a sweet button nose, a preciseness that's difficult to articulate, and yet, a fearlessness that scares me to death. I guess that's one way that she and Noah are alike:) Fearless beings they are! And, how is it that a girl can be born liking princessy things??? Does that part just come with having a girl? It sure does seem so in our case...for sure!

One of Sailer's favorite toys at the moment is her Disney Princess Piano. For the most part, ALL of the kids toys are kept in our playroom, but Sailer's vanity, along with her princess piano is kept in her room. Why? Well, you see, our girl has a ritual....at night, she likes to paint her nails (pretend polish, of course), put on lip gloss, brush her hair (Lord, help us! It becomes a fro!), and dance. The other night, Daddy was working late...as he does many nights. I was tucking Noah into bed in the next room when I heard Sailer turn on her piano music...it was set to a beat. I walk in, and she's twirling in front of her vanity mirror. With each twirl, she would stop when she was facing the mirror..just enough so that she could catch a glimpse of herself, smile, cock her head to the side..then, twirl again. She'd run her fingers through her hair, and dance like no one was watching. Gosh...I WISH I had my camcorder ready for that moment! I didn't want her to catch me looking, so I hid next to the door hoping she'd continue....she did, and it was the cutest ever! So sweet! And, gosh...SO much like me! I can remember doing the same exact thing as a little girl....I'd stand in front of my mirror and rock out to Debbie Gibson and Tiffany...remember them??? Can we say....."Shake Your Love!" or "I think we're alone now" anyone??? lol. Makes me feel old...and, very old-school:)

I never dreamed that, at 3, Sailer could carry on conversations with me like she does....she is SUCH a smart and bright girl. Of course, I'm going to say that..b/c she's my daughter (duh!), but she really does blow me away! At the beginning of the school year, I remember walking her into school...praying that she would not refuse to walk in...especially since we had had a tough year leaving her in the church nursery. But, she was fine...praise God! Her teachers would always say..."She is so perfect. She is so quiet. She shares with everyone!" Of course, I was SO proud! Then, one day, there was a substitute teacher, and when I picked up Sailer, the teacher pulled me aside to tell me that she was blown away by Sailer's math skills! Apparently, she is known as the silent, smart type:) And, we certainly do not mind this label...:) I am just so proud of my girl! It warms my heart to see and hear her sing songs that she's learned (with the motions, which is precious!), and tell me that Jesus loves her. What an awesome truth! I pray she can always take such pride in her accomplishments, and continue to soar into learning like she has. And, although I'm not sure if I will homeschool her for her Kindergarten year, I know that I will be blessed by being able to teach her....simply b/c she teaches me too! In fact, she corrects me sometimes...lol!

In other news, Sailer has been moved up again in gymnastics! Woo-hoo! So, we are up to a one hour class this summer, and Noah is enrolled too! Fun times! We just cannot wait! Gymnastics is Sailer's love, and it tickles me that she is learning so much and getting stronger with each class.

I just can't say it enough...I just have the very best of two very different worlds with these kids, and particularly with Sailer, she's all the girl I'll ever need or want! She is not perfect, and neither am I, but we do fit perfectly together, and this is a true testament of the Lord's divine plan for me...I cannot wait to see and share the life that he has planned for our Sailer as she continues to grow and change each and every year...but, for now, "NO Sailer, you may not have a cell phone when you turn 5." (She just asked me this a few min. ago....).

Have a fantastic Thursday evening everyone! Can't wait to brag about my sweet boy SOON when he turns 6!!!! Geez! Taking in every. single. moment. By the way...I ran across this picture of Sailer from our trip to Myrtle Beach when she was just a little tot...one year old....wow. SO thankful for the picture memories we have to share!!!!

Zing in Spring!

Yesterday was a totally terrific Tuesday!!!!! (cheesy, I know...:) Hope you all have gotten a chance to enjoy the bright, beautiful sunshine as we head into my one of the most special and important weekends of the year....Easter. We've had some really great conversations with the kiddos, particularly Noah, this week about Jesus's death and resurrection. Although the Easter story is one that I've been taught many, many times over the years, I continue to be humbled by Jesus willingness to die for us...especially in the painful way that he did. It is heartbreaking to read this story, but triumphant in the end when we learn that our Savior LIVES! Praise the Lord that the stone was rolled away!

On another note, my little girl FINALLY was able to celebrate her 3rd birthday yesterday with her sweet school friends..(she was sick on her school birthday last month), and it was SO very sweet....God love her soul...she has been SO incredibly patient these past few weeks as ALLLL of her friends got to celebrate their birthdays. She was OVERLY excited to have her day...even if it was almost a month after her birthday:) So, for the occasion, we dressed her in her favorite shade of pink & took her for frozen yogurt afterwards...and, the best part? Daddy got to come too! With his hectic schedule, these family times, especially involving school events, are usually far and few between, but yesterday, ALL 4 of us were together. Such a sweet memory.

My little family sure does put the Zing in Spring for me!!!!

~Glimmer of Hope~

What a terrific Tuesday this has been! I am loving this beautiful Spring weather, and if you're here with us in Georgia, you'll know that the quickly passing storms brought us a continuous breeze (more like gusty wind!) throughout the day today....Sailer thought she might just blow away this morning when I walked her into school...lol! Such a funny girl. And, good news! Noah got his cast OFF today! We had no idea that was going to happen....and, contrary to what you'd think, he freaked him out a bit to see his now even skinnier arm (lol) without the protection and security of that bulky yellow cast. Of course, he walked away with a velcro brace to take on/off as he pleases. First thing he said? Oh, great! I can write better now! Bless his heart. In other news...I received the MRI results yesterday, and I am pretty much attached to my crutches and boot at this point. Boo....Hoo. Not fun. But, I gotta allow this stress fracture to heal, and that means 6 weeks of being disciplined about resting and wearing this gear. I have to say...I'm not a very good patient. Normally, I'm like a crazy bee buzzing around my house...from project to project, task to task. Guess we are up for some changes these next few weeks....

And, speaking of changes, there are a few other (huge!) changes in store for our family....and, that is what this post is really about. I'll begin by saying that it should be no surprise to any of you how much I love homeschooling. I'm absolutely an advocate for teaching your own child if you have the motivation and means to do so. We are officially 3/4 of the way through our first homeschooling journey, and it's been a joyful experience all around. There's not been one moment of regret or thinking that I couldn't do it...God has truly given me confidence each step of the way to know that I am presenting and instructing in a way that is vital to Noah's intellectual and spiritual growth. And, having Noah enrolled in a co-op program has been a great rock of support for learning the homeschooling process and pacing lessons....not to mention, it provides an outlet for Noah to meet friends, be instructed and shepherded by Godly individuals that have a heart for homeschoolers. That has been vital to his success this year.....however....over the past few months, there began a slow realization that Noah was not truly happy with co-op....let me paint a picture for you....first of all, this is the first year that Kindergarten aged children have been invited/allowed to attend Noah's co-op school, and from day one, we knew that this was the guinea pig year, if you will. In Noah's class of 8-11 students, there is a range of ages from 4-7. As you can imagine, this presents a great range of skills/abilities to teach....and, from what standpoint? That's tough. And, another consideration is that all parents do not teach with the same intensity and commitment as others, so as the year went on, some children were progressing beautifully, and some were not. I think that this caused Noah to feel disconnected in the class.....I can never be sure, but after talking to him, this is the conclusion I have made. In the class, Noah has one dear, sweet friend that he relates to, and that's IT. This boy is Noah's same age, and they are on the same track with their interests and abilities...so, naturally, this is why they have bonded so easily. I asked Noah the other day about the sweet girls in the class, and quickly said..."Mom, no. Girls are not cool. Only boys!" lol. So, there ya go.

On another note, the flexibility that I was SO seeking via homeschooling was not there....mainly b/c when you attend a co-op, you still have homework (Lots!) and deadlines, and there is a schedule to work around....now, don't get me wrong...I LOVE schedules. I think schedules are a fantastic way of teaching time management and responsibility...I really do. But, I was finding it difficult to fit in everything that was expected, along with the Math lessons that I was instructing solo via A Beka....AND, trying to keep Noah involved in extracurricular activities, Fun Fridays (which seemed nonexistent after awhile), and church activities. Plus, I do have another sweet child, you know:)

So.....as this realization came to fruition, I started to consider homeschooling exclusively...full out via A Beka...on my own. I knew (and I still know) that I can do it...that's never been an issue. And, I know that Noah learns well from me, and often talks about how he LOVES to be with me for school. But, the more I wrestled with this idea....I came upon another dilemma. How in the world would I provide the resources necessary to make school fun and interesting...AND, just how many extracurricular groups and/or clubs could I possibly have Noah involved in to make sure that he builds relationships and other skills??? Because I know myself (and many of you do too!), I know that I would kill myself trying to make sure that he had ALLLLL the available resources. And, I know Noah....and, he needs (and wants) more. Noah is incredibly outgoing....and, I mean that with all of my heart. He reminds me so much of Jason, which means that he could go....and, go....and, go.....and, go. And, he has SO much energy and enthusiasm for life. He LOVES being around others and learning alongside them, and, for that reason, I just could not keep him with me everyday. So....you probably know where I'm headed with this....

We entertained the idea (again) of public school. My feelings about public school have never been bad, per se, but they have been mixed....mainly just the uncertainty of enrolling my child in public school has scared me to death. My main fear revolves around influences. It just terrifies me that my innocent, sweet boy could be influenced by children that are rude or mean....or bullies. I would come unglued if Noah was ever subjected to any of this....but, I, along with Jason, also know that Noah will experience these types of people in his life....whether it be in 1st grade, 3rd, 6th, or later....there's no escaping the evils of this world, and I must trust that the Lord will protect my son, and us, ultimately from this. One verse of scripture that comes to mind is simple...."In you I trust, O God....." Psalm 25:2 (NIV). And, let me say also that my focus on "control" when it comes to my children is a problem....I want to control everything....their environment, what they eat, who they talk to, what time they go to bed, the friends they have, the words they say, the shows they watch on television, the food they eat....my issues with control stem from my great, great LOVE for them, but can I really control their lives? No, I can't....at least, not every single aspect. They have/need to make decisions, and I am to assist, help, and influence their choices based on our family's commitment to the Lord, but it is NOT my responsibility to make choices for them necessarily. We have to trust, really trust the Lord in this...but, we also have to trust Noah...he is such a great, great boy. He knows that he is made for God, and by God, for His purpose....right now, my comfort is found is knowing that the Lord will NEVER forsake us, NEVER leave us, and that He hears our every word...spoken or unspoken. He knows what we need. He knows what Noah needs. He knows what I need as Noah's mother to feel safe and comforted.

About 2 weeks ago, Noah and I took a tour of Varner Elementary, which thankfully is less than 1 mile from our home....I already feel comforted. :) Again, we visited the media center, spoke with several staff members, and luckily, I got to speak directly with the 1st grade counselor. This was nice...she was able to give me some insight into the registration process and 1st grade at Varner. I walked away feeling good...encouraged. Today, we went and officially registered Noah for 1st grade....talk about surreal. But, I'm feeling good....still nervous as ever, but good. I saw Noah's face light up as he walked through such a BIG school...gosh, in his eyes, it must have seemed huge! As we walked though, we heard the laughter of kids playing in the gym and tweets from the parrots in the media center...how cool! Noah loved that... Then, we looked through all of the artwork hanging on the walls outside each classroom....I just imagined seeing Noah's name up there with his artwork, and I felt sick and happy at the same time. Talk about mixed feelings. And, you know what? One of the things that I loved about today? Noah holding my hand so tightly as we walked together...gosh, I am so in love with this boy, and I never want him to change! Friends, I am SO nervous...I really am. Around the same time as our tour one week ago, I spoke to a sweet friend who teaches Kindergarten at Varner, and she really helped in easing my fears about public school....of course, what else would she say? But, seriously, I have to stop second-guessing and take a leap of faith....I see Noah really shining in these classrooms. He is such a technology buff, and they have such awesome equipment, smart-boards, and simulation-type activities for busy minds...and, that's my boy! He would LOVE it, I think. And, I think he will find learning with others his own age to be refreshing. I am starting to see a glimmer of hope....I truly am. The Lord has used this trial as a way to say..."come with me. Abide in me. I will carry you." And, I'm surrendering....I have to. We all do. I heard Vineyard's version of "I Surrender All" yesterday...it reminded me of my childhood....I always loved that song. I still love it....

All to Jesus, I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love & trust Him
In His presence daily live...

I surrender ALL....

Please pray for us....please. This is difficult...exciting, but difficult. I don't want to let anyone down....I don't want anyone to re-think their decision to homeschool because of anything that I've mentioned here. The Lord has allowed me to minister to and uplift many this year about homeschooling, and if you're one of those people, I want you to know...I meant every single word that I spoke about this amazing adventure. It is a gift to teach your child. It is a joy. We are taking a different route right now, but that does not mean that it will be forever....we do not know the plans that the Lord has in store for us, or for our children. Homeschooling, for us, is a year by year, child by child decision....that's it. I like to have a plan....but, in this case, "my" plan has changed a bit. I pray that I can concentrate more on being humble before the Lord than praying for the Lord to work things out according to what I want....that tough for me...VERY tough.

Please pray specifically that our family will be able to instill in our children the love of Christ so that they can shine in their classrooms, in their circle of friends, and in church. Please pray for wisdom for us all. Please pray for strength and confidence in the Lord. I thank my God each time I think of all of you who pray for us & encourage us. We love you dearly!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Praise God that we have this promise! And, Praise God that ALL of his promises are true!

~Summer~

Intermission!!!

Hello all! Two posts in two days means a heck of a lot to update, I suppose! I'm a little shocked myself! Anyhow, this past week was...as I mentioned in my last post, Spring Break. For us, it was a more of a pause...an intermission. I knew going into the week that I needed to incorporate a little work into our week of play. Luckily, Noah doesn't truly understand the meaning of a "break"...mainly b/c when you homeschool, the lines between school and down time seem to blur....so, we are always, always learning....something. That's one of my favorite parts of homeschooling....when you're not instructing, your focus changes to building character traits through everyday activities...one way we've done this is by assigning chores and responsibilities...and, one of the traits we've learned since last August is orderliness. This week was mainly a review of Math, Reading, and Phonics. Since Sailer was home, I had to create a separate curriculum for her, which included learning how to dress for different types of weather, etc., tracing (for pencil control), cutting with scissors, and working on a princess castle mosaic. I'd say that Sailer's favorite activity is tracing her name after I write it....she likes to trace fancy letters, so I usually write a fancy "S" for her to trace. She has great pencil control for her age....she's been tracing for a long time, and I know it will help her tremendously as she prepares to write next year in preschool. The kids also made their own bouncy ball from a kit that I got for Noah...it was really cool! Then, they watched a dinosaur hatch from an egg that was immersed in water for 48 hours...each morning, the kids would run into the bathroom to see if "Rexy" (named by Noah) had hatched yet...one morning, we saw the tip top of his head, then, later that day, his foot emerged! It was awesome! And, we can't forget about our beloved chickens...lol. Twice a day, Noah collects eggs from them, feeds them, and gives them water. This week, Sailer also helped....and, as you'll see, she wore her Pinkalicious princess dress for the occasion...lol. Such a girly girl..if I've ever seen one!

Also posted below are some pics from a super fun park playdate with some sweet friends of ours...on this particular day, it was stunning outside...and, there was a nice breeze blowing. We played & then met for a yummy treat at Menchie's, a frozen yogurt shop nearby. It was perfect! A few days later, I took the kids to Lost Mountain Park for more playtime with Paw-Paw, then more frozen yogurt...this time, at Yogli Mogli. Yummmmmmm! We have fallen in love with frozen yogurt..it's so refreshing and a cheap treat! :)

I can't tell you guys how much I've enjoyed this week...regardless of the stress of our injuries...I was still able to keep up with the kiddos with minimal pain in my foot. We have a very busy week coming up though...please be praying for us! We have 3 doctor's appts...one for myself, one for Noah, and one for Jason...not to mention school for both kids, picture day for Sailer, gymnastics, and more homeschooling lessons! Whew! We are SO looking forward to Noah getting his cast off, particularly so he can write easily again...the shape of his cast has made that difficult! Praying that we can pace ourselves & make it through! I am trusting completely that the Lord will provide energy where we need it....which is NOW! lol.

Happy Spring to you all! Until next time...










































Hugs, Kisses, & Lots of Spring Love from Noah & Sailer!!!!