Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Works For Me Wednesday

works for me wednesday at we are that family



I have a love hate relationship with budgeting, I love to hate it. That being said I know it is a necessity in order for us to not only survive but to thrive in the day to day. 

What Works For Me, is the envelope system. I write down how much we owe each month and divide that by four increments. The four increments are what I need to set aside each week in the envelopes in order to make that months payment. 

What Works for You?

Head on over to We Are That Family and join in the fun!! 

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Book Sneeze


I have a little confession to make:

I have a love affair with books and I have love affair with free things!

Okay, I feel better getting that right out in the open. It is a huge weight off my mind. These days that love affair with those two very special things is so easy to remedy. All I have to do is go to booksneeze  and pick out a book. They send me the book for FREE all I have to do is review here on my blog!! It's that simple!! 
I am only on my second book and I'm waiting very impatiently  patiently for it to get here. The last book I reviewed was Captivating and the one I'm waiting for is Beyond Opinion. Both of those books are Christian non fiction books, but that is not all they have by any means. You pick the genre that you are interested and then a list books magically appears for you to choose from. If you love to read and you love free things then head on over to booksneeze and get yourself registered. 

Monday, June 28, 2010

Playing Along

I found this fun meme over at Marsha's blog, who got it from fellows bloggers.... 
I thought it would be fun to play along on this rainy Monday, when I should be cleaning but instead here I sit. :o/ 






What color are your socks right now? No socks, just plain ol' bare feet. 

What are you listening to right now?  The kids seem to be arguing about clothes or something like that. 

What was the last thing you ate? Last night I had soup for supper, I have yet to eat this morning that is just how laZy I feel today. 

Can you drive a stick? I actually love Marsha's answer to this, you should check it out after you read this of course. Oh yes, back to the question...I can drive a stick and love it!!! 

Last person you spoke to on the phone? I'm not sure if it qualifies as talking to a person, but I talked to my sisters answering machine. 

How old are you today? 42 years and 11 months, yup soon I will be 43. Where did the time go?

What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? I don't have cable, so therefore we get no channels. However, if I had cable I would love watching women's softball. 

What is your favorite drink? Oh my gosh, I had this amazing mango ice tea thing once and I just fell in love with it!! I have yet to drink it again, my love is kind of fickle. One day, however, I will revisit that love of mine!!

Have you ever dyed your hair? Yup, once or twice many many many years ago. 

Favorite food? Hmmm.....not to sound extremely boring, but I am loving salads lately. 

What is the last movie you watched? Ummm...I can't remember. I'm sure the movie wasn't boring, it is just that memory has faded. ;o)

Favorite day of the year? Easter!!! :o)

How do you vent anger? Gosh, it depends. Some times I vent at the person, not proud of it but it's the truth. Other times I play the piano till the anger passes. And yet other times I go for a walk to let off steam. 

What was your favorite toy as a child? I think all the houses my sister and I would make out of cardboard for our Barbies.

Favorite Season? Fall all the way!! :o)

Cherries or Blueberries? Ummm...both!!! :o)

Living situation? ...kind of an odd question, but I live with my husband of almost 22 years and currently our four children. I say 'currently' because one of them is a full time college student who is home for the summer the another will be headed off to college this fall.

When was the last time you cried? I think a couple of weeks ago after I got back from Connecticut. I had been there to help my 104 year old grandmother and for the first time ever she looked so weak and frail. I was strong over the weekend, but I got home and lost it.

What is on the floor of your closet right now? A dog.

What are you most afraid of? Heights. I used to be able to handle climbing up high, but now not so much.

Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese Burgers

Favorite dog breed? Lab/Retriever .... Right now we have 3 dogs, none of which are a Lab/Retriever. I figure at some point in my life I will get one though.

Favorite day of the week? Not sure....

How many states have you lived in? 4, Connecticut, Mass., Maine, and NH (where I currently live)

Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.

What is your favorite flower? Lilacs

Did you get an H1N1 vaccine? Nope and I never ever plan to. 

Saturday, June 26, 2010

David Crowder Band - How He Loves



Today is one of those days that the Lord has really shaken me up. It is not a bad thing to be shaken, just extremely humbling. You see my heart has been filled with ugliness for a person and though I thought I was 'standing for righteousness', I was actually sinning against the person and against God. I am so happy that I serve a living God who is more then able to 'take me to task' and show me all my yuckiness. I also am happy that I serve a God who does not leave me in my yuckiness, but instead reaches His hand out to pick me up and dust me off. I have sought forgiveness from God and now I am going to seek forgiveness from the person. It is interesting because all the anger I felt toward the person is gone. Honestly, it's like having dirty windows and then cleaning them to see how good things really are. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and please watch/listen to the video, it is an amazing song about an amazing God. 

Friday, June 25, 2010

Woman's Day Book~~ June 25th

Outside my window...blue skies, the sun is shinning, and the birds are all having a field day.

I am thinking... about how hard it is to let our kids go. 

I am thankful for... a loving husband who is very supportive about me going back to school.

From the kitchen... lots of salads!! :o)

I am wearing...orange t-shirt, jean capris, and sneakers.

I am remembering..... when the kids were little and life seemed so simple.

I am going... to clean my bedroom and attempt to make it a 'haven'.

I am reading…. a lot material for Pathways and a lot school information.

I am hoping… that all things will work together.

On my mind… 10 weeks left till my daughter heads off to college.

I am hearing... the dog bark.

Around the house... the girls are at work, the boys are chatting, and I'm wasting a little time here.

Noticing that… worship is important for the soul. 

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Thursday Five!

Thursday Five


 Share something that you are:
Happy
Grateful
Jubilant
Ecstatic
Thankful

1.) I am so very happy that things are looking good for my going back to school

2.) I am more then grateful for a God who loves me and is in the details of my life. 

3.) I am jubilant that my working at Pathways has opened a couple of doors.

4.) I am ecstatic that after 21 years of marriage, I love my husband more then ever. 

5.) I am grateful for my four wonderful children and have been amazed to watch them grow into adults. 








Back to School


I'm so very excited to be sharing that starting in the end of August I will be attending Liberty Online University!!! :o) 

I have gone back and forth for several years about what to go back to college for. Initially I went for Early Childhood Education but due to life's circumstances, never finished. My struggle was if I wanted to continue with that or move on to something else. If you read my last post about Pathways, then you know I volunteer at a local crisis pregnancy care center and I love it!! Based on that, I decided to start a new track of learning one that I think will be very fulfilling. 

My heart has been geared to the struggles of women, so I am pursuing a career in Christian Counseling. 

I know that each of us has a story and our stories many times contain deep wounds. My heart is to help others work through their wounds so they can be whole.

I'm excited to see what this part of my life brings. 

What about you? Have you ever considered going back to school? If so, then what are your plans. If you already have your degree, please share what it is in. 

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Pathways

I thought today's ramblings should be about a place that I love, Pathways Pregnancy Care Center. Though the name is "....Pregnancy Care", let me tell you it is so much more then caring for the needs of pregnant women. 

The client advocates, of which I am blessed to be, are trained in lots of areas:
Pregnancy
Post Abortion Counseling
Past Sexual Abuse Counseling
Financial Counseling
Parental Counseling
Grief Counseling
Marriage Counseling
Discovering and Making Boundaries
Destructive Relationship Counseling
and more!!

The services that Pathways provides are free and not just limited to an area of counseling.
We provide:
Baby clothes
Baby Items
Gas Card
Earn While You Learn Program 
and more!!

I often hear people say that the 'pro-life' community just want to "save babies" and really doesn't care about the mother. I have news for those people, we care about both. If a women chooses to have an abortion, we are still there to comfort and counsel her. If she chooses to have the baby, we are there to help in any way possible. It is not like once they have the baby, they are totally on their own. We also care about the whole woman, and realize that many choices we do may not affect us to till years later. That is when a woman may seek out post abortion counseling. 

I know for a fact that the ladies I serve with are not judgmental or condescending. They love on the person, no matter the circumstances. 

If you want to be involved with something like Pathways, you can go here and find a center near you. 

Friday, June 18, 2010

Flash Back Friday


Oh, what fun this will be!! I'm so glad that Penny started this meme, or whatever the right bloggy lingo is for it. 

My flash back goes way back to 1983 or there about, which would of made me 15 or 16. We we went to my cousins lovely wedding at the family farm. My sister, my cousin, and I snuck a little bit to drink and did some other illegal thing, which shall remain nameless. We all headed home together and ended up at my cousins house. I think we did something else illegal, not really sure and then he was going to bring me home. On the way home it started to drizzle, but the roads seemed fine. He came to a stop sign made a complete stop and then for some reason when he accelerated the car started to fish tail and it ended up wrapped around a telephone pole! We were both okay, but a little bruised and shook up. I remember get out of the car and just looking around at the cars going by and the houses that all appeared to be empty. I knew that we would be in a lot of trouble if the police found us there and since I lived with my grandmother I was afraid I'd be sent back to my mothers. I told my cousin that we needed to leave the scene, so that is what we did. We started walking toward my house, but we took a detour and these guys stopped and asked if we were in the accident. We told them yes, and they gave us a ride home.

My sister was there waiting for us, she had no clue what happened. Once we told her, she knew I would be in big trouble so she told me to hide while her and my cousin went back to the accident. By the time they got there it was buzzing with 2 ambulances, 3 police cars, and 1 fire truck. They were all puzzled as to where the 'victims' were. My sister and my cousin told the cops what happened and they were going to just tell them that he was alone, but the cops asked about a girl. Apparently someone called 911 and told them that a boy and a girl were in the car. My sister, being the fast thinker she is, told the cops that the girl was a run away who had left the scene. She told them that 'I' was okay, but I did not want to be found. For some strange reason they believed her. 

Later that night my head hurt and my hand hurt terribly bad. I knew I had to see a doctor, but I didn't want to tell my grandmother what happened. I talked to my sister and we decided I better tell the truth. My grandmother was upset, but not to the point of kicking me out. She took me to the hospital where it was determined that I had a small concussion and a bruised bone on my hand.

Whenever I go to Ct. and drive past the "pole" I get a slight chuckle and tell my kids about that day. :o)

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Thursday Five!

Thursday Five



I found this and thought it would be fun to do. Share something that you are:
Happy
Grateful
Jubilant
Ecstatic
Thankful


I'm happy that I got to visit my lady friends today and brain storm about money raising ideas for the missionaries our church supports.

I'm grateful that we live in a free country where we can freely support missionaries.

I'm jubilant that my husband and I are planning some form of get away vacation.

I'm ecstatic that for the most part school is over.

I'm thankful that the doors are opening up for me to go back to school and get a degree in christian counseling. 


I want to put a plug in for my friends blog, I Could Be Fake, it is a fun blog to read. 

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Home School Graduation Pictures 2010

I cannot believe it has been almost two weeks since my daughters graduation and I have yet to blog about it. Without further ado, today's blog post goes to sharing about her big day. 



This is a terrible quality picture of the graduation girl all dressed her finery. 


This is Shannon, Emily's little sister helping her get ready.


You can barely see this, but it is me and Emily.


This is Emily's dad and he is sharing a wonderful heartfelt speech.


Then it was my turn to talk.



Then the girl graduating got a chance to talk.


Emily's Pastor praying over her.


The hug after the prayer.


Me and hubby after the ceremony just sitting and chatting. 


Little sister picking up big sister.
________________________________________________________________

I cannot believe that my years of homeschooling this girl are over. It honestly seems like yesterday when the cute pony tailed girl was anxiously awaiting her Kindergarten curriculum. How fast the time flew by and now she is on her way to the next stage of her life. She was accepted into Masters Commission and will do at least one year in a discipleship/arts program. I am in awe at the young lady she has become. No, she is not perfect but she is an amazing young woman and cannot wait to see what God has in store for her. Homeschooling all the these years has not always been easy, but it is honestly the best choices that I ever made. 

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Womans Day Book ( June 3, 2010 )

Outside my window... grey skies and drizzling rain.

I am thinking... about my daughters homeschool graduation on Saturday.

I am thankful for... the freedom to homeschool.

From the kitchen... not sure.

I am wearing... jeans, Bristol Days t-shirt, a pink zippy, and bare feet.

I am remembering..... the countless days we spent going over phonics. ;o)

I am going... to watch a movie soon with my daughter.

I am reading…. nothing at the moment. Yes, that is really sad.

I am hoping… that it doesn't totally downpour at the graduation. Granted it is inside, but we will be cooking stuff on the grill.

On my mind… preparing for my daughters graduation party.

I am hearing... my daughter shuffle through pictures and the boys chatting.

Around the house... Emy is looking through pictures and the boys are upstairs.

Noticing that… grey hairs do not come easy. ;o)