For my son Andrews 21st birthday, and daughter Gabriella's 13th birthday, we took them all to Catalina Island for the day. My sons best friend came along. He is living with us until he and Andrew find an apartment to rent near the school they will be attending in the fall, which happily is near us!

Everyone with the exception of the baby was responsible for their own packed lunch and back pack for the day.

It was 10am when they dived into their lunch:)

Walking towards that caban at the end there for the tide pools and for the kids to kayak around the island.

A Carnival cruise ship was in harbor for the day.

I love the freedom homeschooling offers us. Adventures and experiences... together.  And on a weekday!

I am fortunate that my husband has a very flexible work schedule, and is always interested in finding  things to do as a family.

We found a stable on a walk towards the interior of the island.

This one loves to travel and is always the first one ready to go with dad on an outing.

And this one keeps up with the big kids and finds everything amazing.

Catalina is just 20 miles from our home. It's a nice little day trip. We take an express boat over which is half the fun.

Instructions for kayaking around the island. I was a little nervous as neither my husband or myself would be going. We intrusted our daughters to our son and his friend Chris. They are good guys. Smart, strong and level headed... most of the time.

By the looks on their faces maybe I should be worried... co-conspiritors.

It was a good day...

I have not blogged in such a long time.  I really do miss it.  It has been hard finding the time ever since Bella arrived.  I can't say I have any more time now, quite the opposite actually. The older kids are so busy with activities, classes and such, and well Bella... is quite the handful!  She expects someone to participate with her in all she is doing.  I suppose the result of having so many older kids in the family who dote on her along with Momma and Daddy .  She can usually find SOMEONE to give in to her tugs and pulls and requests to sit and play with her.  She is really quite exacting on HOW she wants you to play too.. anyway... I hope to start blogging again despite the busyness.

I thought a good way to jump back in would be thru a photo journal of our summer. Little writing required which takes the pressure off of writing the days top blog best seller :)

So stop by when you can and see what our family is up to. Take the time to say hello and introduce yourself. I look forward to getting to know you while your getting to know me!

 Two days a week is violin practice. August is break time... I can't wait! (sshhh)

Archery lessons at the homeschool fair. My four oldest.

Left to right: Dominique-16 Gabriella-13, Andrew-21 (almost), Kadeeja- 14 

At the homeschool fair, each of the girls placed first, second or third.

Tia-age 9, won both first place in photography, and also in bread baking!                                                        

Dominique, Gabriella and Andrew are all aspiring writers.

Summer is well underway at out house.

We are continuing with a few subjects (math, science, latin and writing), but the pressure is off. No lesson plans have to be prepared... YIPEEE! The kids stay up a little later, sleep a little longer, and everyone is beginning to RELAX.

The end of the year for most is the last day in December... for me, the last day of school seems to be the closing of our year.  I look so forward to the break, but yet as soon as the lesson book closes, I begin to get exited about our "new year" and spend my summer plotting and planning; pouring over catalogs, buying new pencils and mapping out an idea of what next school year just might look like!    

We started homeschooling in 1995 and I still look forward to the first day of "school" :)

 Until then... come back and peek into what we've been up to this summer, and tell me how you and your family are spending yours!

My husband was able to help me resize the photo's so I could post them... thank you husband!

Julianna Bella Rose... we call her Bella

All of us except my oldest; and only son.

These pictures were taken aboard a Carnival Cruise line the first week of October.  My husband planned this HUGE trip for us, and worked hard for a year to pay for it.

We cruised the Mexican Riviera and had shore days in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

It was an amazing trip. The first time my daughters had been on a cruise.  There were so many things that made it enjoyable, but one of the most basic pleasures the girls and I wallowed in everyday was; Seven days of no schedule to follow, chores, school, cooking, cleaning or taking care of the dogs.

Seven days! I don't think I have ever gone seven days since having  children of not doing laundry! It was such a treat.

It was also fun to have the time to primp and dress up.  Very different from the norm :)

Bella did great even though she suffered some with her second tooth coming in.  I have lots of pics I plan on sharing and different blessings that came prior to our trip and during.

I'll give you a little peek to one of those blessings.. A few months after paying for the trip our finances were cut drastically. We didn't know how we could manage to still go, but it was too late to back out. God provided for us in so many ways that allowed us to go and go in style!

It is so neat to see my daughters watch the hand of God move on their behalf. Even in the little things that are of little importance. But our heart desires, no matter how insignificant ,are never overlooked by our loving Father.

Have you ever had a thought, not really ever put into prayer, just a little heart desire for something like wanting to paint your dining room but couldn't due to limited finances?  Then one day, completely out of the blue the Lord  orchestrates events in your life and blesses you with that little, insignificant desire you had??? One that you hadn't even really spoken out loud about?

Those are the times that really make me feel known, looked upon and loved by my heavenly Father.

It is such an adventure to be a believer and watch the hand of God move in our lives and the lives of others.

Walking with the Lord, being loved and led by the Lord, is never boring.

 It has been so long since I have written anything!

Hello my old friends, and hello to those whom I have yet to become accquainted with!

Life has been very busy.  All my friends here at homeschool blogger knew God had been very good to me and my family thru healed relationships and the arrival of a new daughter:  Julianna Bella Rose.  

She is beautiful and wonderful, and so enjoyed and loved. 

It's amazing how our hearts as mothers always have room to love another child. And still feel awe and wonder  watching that new life in our arms grow and become their own little person while still being tied to the hearts who conceived them, and the family' whose loved them.

A person. A new life. A part of a family. It thrills my soul.  I have loved being a mother.  I am so pleased with the position God has given me. Mom.

I hope you all enjoy seeing an updated photo of us. I know it is VERY late in coming. So much has happened since then. More growing. Many steps forward,  some backwards.  The Lord will not leave me unrefined... I'm thankful for that. 

(after writing this I could not post the family photo's as they are too big and I'm going to need help in re-sizing them so they will upload). Hopefully soon. Keep checking!

It's good to be back. I look forward to re-connecting with old friends, and making new ones.

Beth

Last Sunday night I sat down and watched Extreme Makeover. It's a television show that selects  families in varying need and circumstances, then blesses them with a new house.

 Sitting still long enough to watch a tv show in it's entirety is a rare thing for me. But two things drew me to this particular episode: It was in Alaska, which I love ( I lived there for a short period in my early twenties), and the family being blessed was a single mom with a lot of kids whom she homeschools.

Most of you know I was a single mom for a long time with five children. As I watched this show I saw some of me, and many of the single moms I know, in this woman and the life she shared with her children.

I looked at what she was trying to accomplish while raising her children alone and  with so little.

Materialisticly(sp?) they had very very little, but where there was a lack of things, there was an abundance in relationship, love, loyalty and family.

The time and effort this mom put into the raising of her children was evident in the children's countenance, their open love and adoration for their mother, and their bright, bright, minds.

While I watched I reflected back at  what it took to have that with my own children and my heart went out to her, and to the other mothers out there who are living a life set apart, despite the trials, despite the lonliness and difficulties, to give their children their best. 

By best I mean the giving of themselves; their time, their love and committment to raising honest, loving, caring, and godly children.

You know when you have nothing, sometimes the best there is to give of yourself is more readily given.

Maybe theres something to that?

After the show I knew I wanted to post something on my blog to encourage and praise those single mom's out there who are giving their life despite the hardships, to the raising of their children.

I know what it takes, I know the moments of despair, the lonliness, the fears, and even the hard physical labor it takes to do it all alone.

 I'm praising you and thanking you for your love of your children, and your love and devotion to God. I'm encouraging you to hang in there to give those precious blessings the best there is to give:

Yourself.

You all are wonderful women. Your rewards will come and for many of us, they already have come by the love returned to us from our children.

Just that will make it all worthwhile.

Some women I would like to encourage, and praise publically for their love and devotion to their children are:

Lisa

Janet

MaggieRaye

Mary Jo

&

Theresa

These are just a few, there are many many in the world who deserve to be recognized.

If you know of one or some, take the time to love on them, praise them, and encourage them.

The line they tote is a hard one. Often times they feel overlooked and forgotten and feel terribly alone outside of their relationship with their children, and their God whom they hold onto desperately.

They are both mother and father, and have to be both man and woman in getting the daily needs met.

Don't forget them.

This is your day ladies.  Any of you and all of you who are walking that road of parenting alone:

I'm remembering you.

Your labor and love are known and appreciated.

Your efforts won't be for nothing. Your reward will be great.

I love you and am proud of you all.

The Lord has brought home my Adam.


 For many many months, I asked the Lord to bring him home. Reminding Him, in order for me to fulfill my role as Eve, I needed my Adam.  To be his helpmeet.
 The Lord in His unfailing love and compassion heard my cry.  And His response was,
 
"Yes, daughter, I will give you back your Adam.  I believe you know how precious this son of mine is to Me now, just as you are to Me. And you will take the things I've shown you these past months and love and serve Me better by loving and serving him with unconditional love, unconditional honor and unconditional respect.  I trust you to take the things I've taught you, even when it's hard, even when others might say you are a fool, and obey what you know is written in my Word regarding marrige and your role as his helpmeet.  I trust you to obey Me and submit to your husband, and trust Me with the outcomes.  I trust you, to trust Me, with his growth, his heart, his life. I trust you, that you understand, it is the Holy Spirits job, and only the Holy Spirits job, to convict and change him when and if conviction and change is needed.

I'll give Him back to you, now that I know I am your first love and you know all you need is found in Me and you will never again replace Me with another". 


Prayers do get answered. He does give above and beyond all we could ever ask, hope or think. 

He does care when our hearts are broken, He does redeem and restore our lives. 
Not only did the Lord bless our marriage and heal it, He blessed us in many other ways, some I will share at a later time. But one of the ways He has shown us His love and grace, was to open up my womb and bless us with a baby; due the first week of February!  We are both rejoicing, and  looking forward to the coming year, a little older... a lot wiser.