Carolina Mommy

It always amazes me what the Lord chooses to use to teach me a lesson. At first, it was just a little bird. But that little red bird taught me a lesson. It took me back to over a year ago when I finally came home to my babies where I should have been all along. It took me back even further to when Webb and I made the decision to home school our children. He took me back to where I needed to be so that He could speak to me. I had gotten to a place where I was just overwhelmed with everything. Being a wife, a mother and a teacher. I wasn't finding the joy in my days that I yearned for. I wasn't finding the joy in each of the children that the Lord has entrusted in my care. "If this is where I am supposed to be, then why is there no joy in it?", was all that I could ask myself. Well I knew that I was where I was supposed. I am to be home taking care of my husband and children. When I was working, this was all that I yearned for. This little bird made me re...

It always amazes me how God coincides things in my life. Things that really don't necessarily have much to do with each other. As you know I am on a weight loss journey (among the many other things I am working on). But I have also started a Bible study on having a heart like Jesus. While pondering and mulling over some questions in the study I couldn't help but to relate my christian walk to my weight loss. When we become believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us. We are made new! God loves me and wants all of my heart. Fortunately He shows me what I need to change in steps. I am so thankful that He does not throw the full book of what I need to change to have Jesus' heart. What an overwhelming feet! Just sitting here in this moment a mountain of things flood to mind and I am sure that in His mercy He has not shown me everything yet. But I need to focus on what He has shown me and one step at a time, moment by moment, day by day - follow Him! Now how this is related...

I have been pondering why I am trying to lose this weight. Mainly while I am walking/jogging on the treadmill. I used to read a book while walking, but with the increased speed it doesn't work out so well. (Actually it barely worked before as my coordination is not that great on a treadmill.) So lately I have used my time walking to talk with God and reflect, making it productive in more than one way. I have decided thus far that my main reason is because I just don't want to feel achy! I have always had back problems (lifting heavy things as a pre-teen/teen was not a great idea) but additional weight has definitely made it worse. I would also really, and I mean REALLY, like for my left leg get back to some sort of normal. Yes, doctors have told me that it is messed up forever and will always have residual issues. But, I still have hope that maybe one day my left calf and foot will more resemble my right. Now of course there are other reasons that swim through my mind....

There has been a lot going on here over the last few months. But all the recent fuss actually started just over a year ago when my husband and I returned home from a marriage conference the first weekend in May. It was then that we started praying and asking the Lord to bless us with another child, specifically a boy. We found out at the end of July that we were expecting again. I knew right away that this was an answer to prayer and that we would have a little boy in nine months. When it came time for the ultrasound it was confirmed that I was carrying a little boy! The pregnancy went well other then the typical morning sickness, being tired, etc...until the last month that is. I began having severe pain in my legs. Then the Tuesday before I had him my left leg began to swell severely. We went to the hospital Thursday night after talking with the doctor with the intent of being induced the next day, which was actually my due date (March 26th). Well I started to go into labor that morn...

With the New Year having come along I have been thinking about "resolutions". About past resolutions and the thought of possibly making some this year. Well my thoughts about past resolutions are that I don't think that I have really ever kept any of them, at least never for very long or until the "goal" was reached. So frankly what is the purpose of setting resolutions in the first place. Goals are great, but with my track record I think that I would be setting up for more failure. But I have been praying about what the Lord would have me do in the coming year. Well then it hit me...well nothing really hit me except that the Lord. Anything that I would resolve myself to do would be what He has already asked me to do. My desires for the year are to grow closer to my Heavenly Father. To reach a deeper level of intimacy with my Savior and King! To be a better wife. More understanding to the needs of my husband. To be a true "help mate" to him...

We started school today! It is still hard to believe that Catherine is already at the "schooling" age. We are using My Fathers World again this year as we were pleased with Kindergarten and are looking forward to all that this curriculum offers. Unfortunately our school day did not get off to the start that I had hoped and planned for. My calendar still isn't ready (oh well) - I did however have everything I needed for the lessons today. There is a rule to Homeschooling - I'm not sure if anyone has ever written on it - I am sure some wise person has, as I have heard it over and over again. "Do not plan anything in day during lesson time." (ie. appointments, errands, etc.) If you do it is so hard to get back to "school". Well my nurses visit to confirm pregnancy was this morning at 10 - right in the middle of the school day. With God's help we prevailed this afternoon and stuck to the plan that we mapped out for our "school" ...

While I was in Atlanta leaning all about the new product lines for PartyLite (just a teaser) my wonderful hubby was home with the girls! This is his third year with them on his own and he is always so willing to let me go for the week. This year he surprised me a bit more than usual. Normally I come home to a nicely put back together house. This year it looked the same (if not worse) - but NO complaints from me. They had an amazing time together. Now he didn't take them all over SC by himself (his mom did go with him) but just the same amazed that he even thought about it. On Thursday he took them to Hampton Plantation. Which was actually built by the Horry Family however many hundreds of years ago. Then on Friday he tried to take them to Cypress Gardens but ended up downtown Charleston because they got there too close to closing. Still ready to go out yet again - they all went to the beach on Saturday. Which I must confess he got in trouble for as it was Samantha's first tim...