http://maroofstore.com/rumyn.html?ipe=tfcwfy

A new beginning 2010

I haven't been on here in a very long time. There are many things I want to change and work on this year with this being one of them. Even if no one but me reads this, I need to get some things "put down on paper, albeit virtual". I want to go back and revisit the last 39 years as this year I will turn 40. This is a good time to do it. I need to keep myself accountable dag-nab-it!! This is the year for me to work on "myself"...I don't think it's selfish as some might think; in fact, I think it's one of the best things I could do for my family. I want to become healthier in many areas: Physically--I have a goal of 125 lbs in mind. This isn't set in stone but I know it's a healthy weight for me and I feel better at that weight. Exercising is going to be key. I need to be stronger and be able to keep up with the kids and taking care of my home. I think it will help with singing as well. A big goal for me is to run in a marathon by my birthday in August. What I put in my mouth and when I put it in is also a big part of this. I'm seeing MANY friends and loved ones going thru serious medical issues and I don't want to put my family thru that if at all possible. This is the best thing I can do for me ...and them. Spiritually--I want to develop a stronger devotion/fasting/prayer time. I want to go deeper in these areas with the Lord. I'm also feeling a stiring of excitement with some things I feel the Lord is going to be doing for me, Bryan and our family. I am looking forward to what this year holds!!! Socially-- I want to develop some closer circles of friends that I can be there for and that can be there for me. To get to know people who I wouldn't think I would have too many things in common with. This last year I have been surprised to become friends with a few people who I didn't necessarily like when I first met them or thought they were somewhat "different"...I was wrong about them and glad to be so!! I also want to show people I'm deeper than the "goof off" most only see. Parenting--- To work on bettering my relationships with my kids, having more "fun" time with them. To help Stephen figure out himself and explore the idea of him having Attachment Disorder; what that looks like for us as parents and how to help him work thru it. Mentally--I want to learn as much as I can about farming, gardening, canning, sewing and taking care of farm animals. I think this is going to become a bigger part of our lives and I would like to begin learning what I can and discovering more things. I think this also plays into my teaching time with the boys and their schooling. I do know I've learned more homeschooling than I did all my 12 years in school. I want to keep learning more.

ELECTION DAY!!!!

It has been forEVER since I have blogged and for the two or three people who actually READ this thing, I'm very sorry!! I will try to do better. I think having dial-up has hindered me more than I care to admit! Then I've had schooling, wife and mom duties and THEN my mother for three weeks here. That's for another story tho......

I never grew up being taught or thinking voting was that important. Maybe it was my parents.... maybe it was sort of how the country was at that time or maybe a combo. Plus, for me, I hate the lying and false claims and just all the C R A P the politicians dole out so I never made it important. I didn't want to think about it because I figured whatever they were saying was a lie anyhoo. I think times have changed. For me AND for this country. I'm going to MAKE it a priority to have my boys grow up knowing the importance of voting and being well informed. My two older girls didn't get that from me and I now have to go back and tell them how important it is. Elizabeth is 19 and does care about who's going to be in office. She moved but didn't register in time and I want to remind her of how important it will be in 2012. Brittni will be 20 then too. (Oh my word, I feel old...)

We talked all day yesterday about voting and how it works and it's importance. We even did some "voting on issues" at the dinner table that our country faces. The boys were mainly clueless as to what those issues meant but that didn't matter. Usually they would vote YES to my question but DAD was able to make them think by saying he didn't think he would vote yes to a particular question. THAT got them thinking "why not?" We also took them with us to the polls today to vote. We both were thinking there would be a huge line but we only were there about 20 minutes. I'm really glad we took them and made them a part of this election.

WHYYYYY

WHY WHY WHY

Do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an 'S' i n the word 'Lisp'?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, 'It's all right?' Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, 'That hurt , you stupid idiot?'

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE...... The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Politics

I do not like to debate politics.  I do not like to even give my opinions in this matter because it seems that all of  the politicians are dishonest and vague.   I would not want to be a politician and I pray that God NEVER sends me down that path.   I do think this year's election tho has rallied some interest from people who never give it a thought usually.   Even the younger generation.  My daugther, Elizabeth-19, called the other day all worked up over some things she heard about Obama.  I told her to not complain about them but to do something about it if she feels that passionate.   "What can I do?" she replied.   Well, you could get involved and try to make changes, get informed, and most importantly, pray.  PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!     She said she's afraid Obama will become president and then we'll all die b/c he's the antichrist.   I told her she should not be afraid, if that were true, b/c IF it were, and we did all die... we would go to heaven anyway so we win either way!    I have my thoughts about all the things that are happening in America and some of them I won't share.   This one I will tho:   Do you really think these things are happening (ie: bad economy, terrorism, crazy election candidates) for no reason?   We have become bored, appathetic, selfish and greedy.   God wants us to want Him so maybe, just maybe, He's allowing some of these things to kick our heads out of our butts and start making Him THE most important thing.    You think??

This is a link to become more informed on your candidates.  I do not have one on John McCain but I will later.

http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=302137342405551

 

SAMUEL IS 10!!

(I'm only 3 days late posting this one so I'm getting better!! HA.)

Time has flown by so quickly.... This needs to stop!! I've told Samuel he's not allowed to get any older or grow any taller. He's not obeying. The name Samuel means "Asked for by God" and for Bryan and I this was definitely the case. The Lord gave me the name Samuel before I had ever met Bryan and I wasn't even sure I would get married again or have more children but if I did, Samuel was the name for a boy. I had no trouble conceiving the girls but for Bryan and I, it took over 2 years so I felt like Hannah from the Bible. It was hard alot of the time because I felt like maybe God was punishing me for my past mistakes and that I wasn't a good enough mom to have more kids.
Samuel has been an awesome blessing for the last 10 years. He's a great mixture of Bryan and I too. He's got Bryan's smart brain and he's got my outgoing personality. He can talk to anyone, any time, any where, about anything and doesn't need any information to get started. (Bryan says that about me too) Adults love to talk to him and even when he was 3 or 4 he would carry on conversations with adults forEVER! He loves science and making up skits and puppet plays and doing projects that I like to akin to MacGyver. He's not afraid to make a fool of himself and I love that he's seemingly secure in who he is! He has several nicknames: Samo, Moo Moo, and Micah calls him Yo Yo. He doesn't like that one. YOUR AWESOME MOO-YO!!! WE LOVE YOU!!

SEAN TURNS 6~~!

So his birthday was July 31st and I'm a little behind.... sue me! =o) Sean turned 6 this year and it's hard to believe. Its seems like he's been "old" forever. Anyone have child like this? He talked in sentences at 18 months and has been telling everyone his opinion ever since!! He's direct and to the point but I like that because you always know where you stand with him. He's very gentle and loving and easy going until ya make him mad. Which doesn't happen too often but look out if it does! He's a very hard worker and Bryan and I think he'll be a real cowboy someday. He will work circles around everyone when in the mood and doesn't quit till the job is done. He loves the farm and cowboy boots and just "doing farm life". He's a bit of a perfectionist and wants to quit if he can't do it right the first time. He's a complete mixture of Bryan and I...lol. Bryan sings "You are my SeanShine" to him as his special thing... he hates it! =) We find it amusing but don't bug him too much with it... too much... HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEAN... WE LOVE YOU!!

And they said they weren't tired.....

THE CAMPING TRIP

My hubby, Bryan, has had a pretty blessed life. Two parents who loved him, stayed married, raised him in a Christian home. Two nice sisters. He's smart, funny and talented. For some reason... God's very interesting sense of humor??.....just keeping him humble.... we aren't sure but Bryan has a rain curse on him. Yes, a rain curse. Ever since I've known him, he has had this curse. Even the day after we married. Whenever we have a trip to go on that requires him to pack more than a couple of bags.... it rains on him. Not just a drip or three but BUCKETS!! Comes out of no where, was sunny the hour before, and slams him!!! Our recent camping trip is no exception!! We arrived at my mom's house the evening before our trip to pick up her camper. It was late and very mostquito-ey, so we decided to just get things switched over the next morning. No bad weather that was to be coming... sunny skies and hot is what they said. It poured. AND poured... and poured! He had to change his clothes completely b/c he was so wet. I think maybe the root of this curse may lie in the fact that he says he doesn't like to get wet. WHAT??? You take showers every day... you play at the pool... you are going to a park to play in the waterpark part!!!! Does this make sense to any sane person out there? I didn't think so. Doesn't to me either. I just shake my head at him and laugh.... while standing in the house...nice and dry.

Camping

We like to camp. When Bryan and I go alone, I LOVE to camp. With children (this year being seven boys ages 9 and under; including an infant) it tends to put me in crazy mode. Once we are there and are set up, I'm usually fine. The couple of days before we leave however are another story. I'm psycho! I'm not sure what it is about gathering the stuff and trying to organize it all, etc., but it just makes me so cranky that I even annoy myself!! I'm going to try really really hard this year to not be psycho. So far so good! (But we don't leave until Friday so there is plenty of time for this to become a lie...) I think I'm afraid I'm going to forget something. And I try to leave the house clean so we don't come home to mess and clutter so that probably adds to my psycho-ness because the more a mother determines to keep something clean, the more the "child-mess-radar" kicks in. It's uncanny really. Sort of similar to the "mom's on the phone and all of a sudden all children need moms attention even tho they were outside for a 1/2 hour prior and didn't come in ONCE" syndrome. We are going to Sana Clause, Indiana and camping at the Lincoln State Park nearby for 5 days. It's very nice and clean and the sites we got we really liked from the last time we went. Some close friends who have 6 children and Bryan's aunt and step-uncle (who we are very close with more like friends than "aunt and uncle") are coming too. We are going to Holiday World for two days. This is an awesome place. Very very clean, and affordable. It has a huge waterpark and a regular amusement park. There are free drinks all day and free suntanning lotion. It's worth the 5 hour trip there. Altho with the gas prices these days.....

The Maiden Voyage

Ok. So I have no idea what I am doing but does that matter? nope.... not where I'm concerned!!! I'm not good at journaling and there are so many things that I need to get down in print that I decided this was the way to go for me. I've followed a good friend's blog through their adoption journey and it was so great to gain an understanding of her feelings, fears, frustrations. I laughed out loud (it helps that she is hilarious when she blogs) and I've cried for joy for their family's awesome adventure when they adopted their daughter from Ethiopia. So here I am deciding where to start. Probably should go backwards and start with the most recent things in my life and then work my way back. I wonder if I'll make it all the way back to when I was a baby... HA... I hope not.