Merry Christmas!

christmas2013

View the entire collection of cards.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Pictures!!!

Happy Birthday Micah!!! Happy Birthday Kerith!!!

5 years ago two little babies came into our lives screaming. What Doctors said was impossible without their help God said differently.

enchanted rock

 Jonah was scared to hike to the top but he got over his fear and loved it.

Hiking to the top you have to enjoy the view.

the trip up was not without injury. Grace fell and skinned her knee.

Kerith is happy to be on top of the world.

even I made it to the top. I maybe fat but I can still climb. my motto was I came, I climbed, I conquered

Stone Street Soaps projects, Titus turns 3

Need a gift for Christmas? check these out www.stonestreetsoaps.com I figure it is ok to spam my own blog.

Titus turned 3 ten days ago. He continues to have a painted on dirty face. He loves cars, trucks, and hot dogs. Next up is the twins birthday in about a week and then Jonah's 5 days later. 'Tis birthday season for us.

I am on etsy!

With my soap. Do check it out if you have the time http://www.etsy.com/shop/StoneStreetSoaps?ref=si_shop

Soapbox minute Rape and Abuse

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and decided to write this. My hope is that it will help others know how to minister to families that are going through the devastating hurt of sexual abuse or rape.This is only my perspective and what I have felt, seen, and dealt with this past year. I am in no way an expert only speaking about my experience and what I wish I would of have gotten from my friends and Christian community.

My rose colored glasses have been opened. My sister was attacked twice, raped once and only a hand full of people reached out to me. Yes they said they would pray but not one stopped what they were doing to pray WITH me. You see there is more hurting than just the rape victim, there is the family. The family that feels helpless, the family that feels like the world is spinning out of control, the family who wants nothing more than the person they love to get back what was lost knowing they never will. I watched numerous facebook groups started to pray for so and so mostly dealing with sickness or death. Every time I was added to a group my burden would get heavier. I am the type of person who carries my own weight and the weight of the world. Other peoples grief affects me deeply. I could of left the groups but didn't because in my mind it would be letting weakness show.

Maybe I should of taken it upon myself to start a group for my sister but I was to stricken with anger and overcome with  my emotions to think clearly.  Looking back I wished I had, it may have given me an outlet to express my grief. It is grief you know. Just like experiencing a death in the family. Death is not easy to talk about and many people don't know how to handle that grief. Rape is taboo. So taboo. Sexual abuse is taboo.  We are not educated enough in dealing with rape and sexual abuse. We are taught through media that maybe it was the victims fault. I have seen first hand how our justice system works and how it treats the victim. They are scrutinized. People will go to extremes to make it sound like the victim deserved this treatment,  that some how the victim was some way responsible.

 I have seen gossip about my family, I have seen questions asked whether or not it was my sisters fault, I have seen people look the other way hoping not to make eye contact, I have been asked for the details of the event, I have seen the judgement, I have seen people walk the other way. I know when tragedy strikes it is hard to gauge what to say and what not to say but don't let THAT fear keep you from reaching out.

These are my thoughts on reaching out:

1. Pray with them. Take their hand and pray. After you leave and are back in your own home pray some more.

2. Offer meals or any help they may need. just like in death the trauma and shock take a while to wear off and then after the shock wears off the grief sets in.

3. If social media is a big part of your Church/Christian community why not start a private prayer group for the family and victim.(you may want to ask permission first, some people are very private people)

4. Do ask if they need anything. Don't ask for details. Allow them to open up as they see fit.

5. Be aware that there will be lots of anger. Lots and lots of anger. Allow them the freedom to be angry. I repeat allow them the freedom to be angry.

6. Be angry and hurt with them and in that let them see your tears so they will know they are not alone in their grief. Isolation plays a huge part in how dealing with these type of events feels.

7. Time. The grief, shock, and trauma don't just go away and wear off. Just like any tragic event, it is life changing, there will never be back to normal just a new normal.

These are just a few of my thoughts and tips. God does give us more than we can handle and with that we make the choice to rely more on him. If you know someone going through something similar please reach out. Please offer them compassion. Please offer them grace and please bring them before the throne of Jesus.

Art Reading Project

Art Learning project one cheerios glued to letters. Oh course a few cheerios made it into the mouths

Kerith had the letter "K"

Jonah joined in as well even though this activity was meant more for my pre-schoolers

Week 1 school

Wooo it is complete! I have some observations. One is I am going to learn how to do this by trial and error. This concept doesn't bode well with a lot of books I've been reading and advice I've been given who claim I need to do this and that. I've never been a traditionalist when it came to learning therefore my teaching methods will probably scare some people. I'll get some of those methods later. What curriculum am I using? Well a little bit of everything. A Beka, Bob Jones, Horizons, Reading Eggs, my own a little bit of of this and that.

The kids came back from their grandparents after a week( yes my Mom took all my kids to give me a break. I will not divulge when my last break was) wanting to start school the next day. The excitement came because while they were away Eric and I made them a school room complete with table.

So we dug in and completed our first week. They have lost all their enthusiasm now but we are onto week two and I have no doubt this is where God wants us. 

Friday Funnies

My funny/lovable kid talk memory from this week:

Jonah "mom can I paint now?" Fifth time asking me. He was so excited and dying to open his school supplies. "why do you want to paint so bad?" Jonah " I want to paint a picture of you because you are so beautiful"

He really is that sweet.

grace

This year has been incredibly difficult. In fact I cannot remember things being this tough since the days we were going through infertility treatments and the loss of our Aj. I am still healing from a lot of the things that happened and still healing from a lot of words that were spoken with good intentions but left me with a scorched heart.

Proverbs 12:18

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

This year like all the rest of the difficult times has taught me something and spiritually speaking I grew up. Less Pharisee and more like Jesus. Yes worth it. I say that knowing the person who raped my sister is still out on the street, I say that knowing people misjudged the situation and spoke gossip, I say that in spite of being hurt by friends who chose to care more for the lives they were living then to pray with me and for me.
The misconception that I live a perfect life but truth my life would be nothing and I would not be able to overcome the search for justice, forgive those that hurt me, walk on after my world was rattled without Jesus. Jesus offers grace. Jesus offers life. Jesus offers himself.

grace. God's amazing grace has been a theme this year. The things of worth are never easy but always worth it. Forgiveness isn't easy but it is always worth it.

School!

Don't ask me why he is wearing long sleeve it's like 100 outside

On the first day of school

Micah-Pre-K

Grace-3rd grade

Kerith Pre-K

Titus Mommy's helper

Jonah Kindergarten/1st grade

Homeschool take two

This year will be our second year to homeschool but it kinda feels like it's my first since I lived with my Mom part of last year. She just happens to be the one who homeschooled me ALL of my school up until college and my siblings way back when and is still homeschooling the last of my siblings. We are also in a new location in Texas and have to find all the Homeschool resources available to us. I really shouldn't be to worried since there are tons of resources these days for families like mine.

We actually weren't planning on homeschooling this year but the Lord had other plans. I did a Good Morning Girls study with a group of ladies and the study we did was based on the book "Anything" by Jennie Allen it was very thought provoking to say the least(put it on our reading list you won't regret it). I felt God nudging me the last couple months to take the step out of my comfort zone. It isn't something I really wanted to do. I am not the best teacher, I have a learning disability, I am an introvert those things are just facts about myself but as soon as I gave those things up and took the step of obedience God was desiring of me I felt great peace. Homeschooling for me is stepping out of my comfort zone and into obedience with Christ.

So this year I will be doing 3rd grade with Grace, Kindergarter/1s grade combo with Jonah, and pre-k with Micah and Kerith, and Titus I am sure will be right in the middle.

The New Place

Front of House


Kitchen/Living/Breakfast area


Family Room Upstairs

Looking down on the dining room from the family room. Since we have no need for a formal dining space it will be a music/reading area

1/2 bath and off to left is a nice sized laundry room enough room to store my soap supplies

Another view of the living/kitchen/dining We are so blessed to finally have a home and space to roam(and no I had no intention of rhyming)

What a Year

Home is an awesome word and an even better place to be. After not having our own place for 222 Days -- or -- 31 Weeks and 5 Days(yes I counted!) we are finally home! I will write on all that God has taught me in that time as soon as I am able to put into words all the lessons I've learned(which are MANY). For now I am just enjoying the unpacking and sleeping in my own bed.

So what is up?

Well...we are still not settled. It's been one thing after another since October for us to say we are weary is an understatement. This time has been difficult yes but we can honestly say our walk with Christ has never been closer. How can you pray for us? It's simple we need to be settled soon in order for the kids to start school in the Fall. So pray our issues with our house will resolve and we can move onto the next step.

Easter