This week started off HOT as usual.  But we have been blessed the past two mornings with some cooler temps.  What a blessing.  Nice weather for swinging or sitting on the back porch and not melting.

Our fridge was broken for three days...so that meant out to eat.  It was nice for me, especially, but I would say the whole family loved it.  Of course, we tried to go to sandwich shops to keep the cost lower.  Look at the yummy sandwich Erika and I shared one night.  It was delicious.

Yesterday, we went to the dentist, just to get the kids teeth cleaned...it is hard to believe it has been a year.  The dentist was very kind, which I appreciated..because it causes great trauma in Tori's life to visit the dentist...she has been praying about it every night for weeks.

All the kids' teeth were great and he said Erika's teeth were the best he had seen all month.

We are full swing into our fifth week of homeschooling and it is going great.  So much better than last year.  Erika is a little sponge and is sad when we are done for the day.  She is learning so much of the Bible, along with her letters and numbers.  And there is a high emphasis on phonics.  She is a joy to teach because she is so eager.  Josh and Tori are plugging along.  They are busy all day with school, but love that they don't have homework at night.  The weeks fly by now that we are in school.  I can't believe today is Thursday.

Last night, we had our first night of Leadership Training.  So awesome.  Lee is really pushing them out of their comfort zones.  This is more of the adults of the church.  The young people will still come here on Thursday nights.  We are definitely getting busier.  God is bringing us some amazing people.  It is a neat process to watch and be a part of.

We are enjoying it not being quite so hot.  Right now, it is a little warm, but nothing compared to what it was earlier in the week.  It makes life in Belize much more enjoyable when you are not constantly wiping sweat off your face:)

I made this little video of Erika saying her scripture...and just enjoying her swing.  You cannot hear her at first, but when she starts the scripture, you will hear her.  Watch how, as a 4 yr old, she has the Word in her, but still gets distracted when the dogs next door come to the fence...I have to remember...she is just 4:)

Erika saying Psalm 100

Homeschooling

You know things never really turn out or look quite like you thought they would?

Well, that is a little like how I am feeling about homeschooling my kids. I always thought it would be so cool to homeschool my kids and protect them from that big, bad world of peer pressure. But my kids actually have done pretty well in public school. They have lived for Christ in a world that does not find Christianity cool. They have stood up to kids who were doing the wrong things and lived right in spite of that. I am not saying they were perfect, but I am proud of them.

When I first learned we were moving to Belize, and Lee said, of course, we will homeschool. I was so excited and envisioned quiet mornings of reading together, and me helping them along with their studies. But I didn't think about my littlest, LOUDEST one.

We have had to work on homeschooling all summer and it has been a little different than I thought. I didn't think about the errands that would still need to be ran, the cleaning that would still need to be done, and making three meals a day instead of one. Having the kids home all the time leaves no quiet time for me. No time to shop alone. No time to read a book.

But we are figuring it out slowly. We are learning the ways that we need to homeschool. And thankfully, Erika will go to preschool two days a week in a few weeks.

We are finishing our studies from summer and then will take a little break. September 1st is when we plan to officially start.

And I have to tell you....I have a whole new respect for homeschooling moms.

Summer

Summer has been so busy thus far. Having three kids home and homeschooling, and swimming, and running to other activities has kept me on my toes.

The kids are having to make up some work before starting homeschool in the fall. It has been a hard thing for them, because they just want to enjoy their summer. The good thing, unlike other moms, I have not heard "I'm bored" at all so far.

We are swimming a LOT. It is good. It wears me out, but we all sleep good at night and it is a good energy releaser for them since the apartment is so small. And it is good motivation to finish their work so we can swim.

Tori is going to camp next week. She is so excited. She was not going to be able to go because her age group was going when we will be in Belize, but they changed it to this next week. I am very happy for her because the last few years it has just not worked out for her to go. It is actually a local camp where she just goes during the day...which is good for me. And her best friend will get to go too.

The other new thing is that Tori is going to start going to youth on Wednesday nights. One of the leaders invited her and our youth pastor said it was okay. I cannot believe how hard it was for me to leave her there. She is my baby...(well, actually, Erika is my baby, but still...) When I left, I was so sad...we always have girls night when Josh is at youth. But it is good. It will be amazing for her to get to experience a great youth group before we move.

I finally feel that we are getting in some sort of pattern. I am getting used to staying home. And it is for the most part, healthier, I think. I don't have money from a job, so we eat out far less now. And eating at home is just better.

Lee is busy fundraising. He meets with 2 or 3 churches every day. We have been blessed by the response of the pastors. It will be a busy summer, but it is so exciting to know you are in God's will.

We have a few trips this summer, so July will be a whirlwind. Both sides of our families are taking us on a trip this summer, and then we will go to Belize for a week on a mission trip. And Josh has Youth camp in the middle of all of that...


I LOVE SUMMER and yes, I do, have a great tan...

Beginnings are Scary, Endings are hard :)

Today was my last official day at work. Its surreal...I don't even really know how I feel. I think I am too overwhelmed with so many things right now to really express my feelings. It is coming out more in just feeling on edge, I guess.

It was weird going to work today knowing it is my last day. It is all I have known for the last 7 years. I have not planned anything on Tuesday or Thursday for years, because that is when I work. Now my schedule is wide open--open ended. Next week, Erika has preschool on Tuesday, then that is it for her. Josh and Tori only have two weeks left of their school.

Our life as we know it is ending---and a totally new life is beginning. My kids have only known public school. And I have only known sending them to school every day. Now I am their teacher, responsible for their physical being and helping to make sure they get a social life. We will now be together 24/7.

As I was driving to the office (church) today, I thought how much I will miss, not miss, and what I've learned...

I will miss the staff---they are my family

they are my friends

they have walked with me through so many things...

mainly the tears of sadness and joy with the process of Erika

I will miss the adult time I have while the kids are at school/preschool

(even though it was while I was working)

I will miss the little lunches out that Lee and I get sometimes while I am working

...just the two of us.

I will miss the LAUGHTER and FUN of the office.

This morning, Pastor Adam left me a going away gift of a black rubber snake in my drawer.

the constant harrassment of Darren :)

and the girl talk with Kelly...and all her encouragement.

I WON'T miss...

the high pressure when we have big events going on

...now I just get to enjoy them, without the planning

carrying caseloads of water and whatever else I buy at SAMS each week

TAX SEASON

Erika's too short naps on preschool days.

What I've learned:

To work hard and be proud when I finish a project

to appreciate women who work full-time and then come home and take care of a family

(since I only did it part time)

seeing first hand how hard my husband works and appreciating him for it

that I can learn to do anything...if I try

that computers are an incredible blessing and also a pain when they dont work right:/

how blessed I have been to work in a Christian environment

so many computer skills that I never had before working

My whole routine is changing.

I will be busier with the kids being home all day.

God is calling me to a time of rest, and a time of seeking Him all the more.

I am entering a whole new world, a whole new culture...and this is just the first step.

The House is BARE!!!

Tonight we prepared for our third garage sale. It is crazy. We have moved before, but we have never SOLD almost everything before we moved. We took down Josh's bed, it will be picked up tomorrow. Lee's parents are getting our bedroom set and an antique dresser on Monday. So we are down to the basics. Still need to get rid of our dining room set...badly. Because we can't take it with us!!!

This afternoon, Erika and I made a cake together. So fun. She felt "Big". And then Tori frosted it and decorated it. Oh, and please notice my right and left handed daughters. God gave me one of each. I think one thing over the last couple of months that I have learned is to enjoy the simpler things in life. I am so looking forward to homeschool. A big box arrived of lots of paces for the kids to work on over the summer. It was kind of exciting to me, although I don't feel I can deal with it at the moment.

I am ready for my life to slow down a little. Hopefully in June :) It seems that every day I have this huge "to do" list. I have to decide what MUST get done today and what I must put off...

Moving day is May 15, Lee's huge Chuck E Cheese party is the 17th, closing the 20th, then we head to Atlanta on the 30. Just all that makes me feel tired.

Good Night.

Homeschooling

Today, Josh and Tori took the diagnostic testing for Homeschooling. It is coming at a very busy time for me. I really wished we could have waited, but in order for them to get into a school that will keep their records here in the states, we needed to get moving.

It was just that even though they had the day off from school, there were a lot of distractions, like needing to show the house this afternoon. The house really needed to be cleaned, so as I tried to keep Erika quiet and entertained, tried to clean, tried to cook three meals, I also was summoned to the dining room a million times to answer questions. It really showed me that it will be a relief to be living somewhere smaller when we homeschool, and that I really need to have some sort of preschool curriculum for Erika to keep her busy as well. It will also be nice to be a full-time stay at home mom at that point, so that we will be in a better routine. Right now, a lot of the way my life is, simply is because of me working and Erika being in preschool.

We left in the mid afternoon for the house to show. That was actually so good for everyone. We went to our new favorite park in old Katy and the kids released some energy and we all got fresh air. They were able to come home and finish and Erika and Lee took a good nap, while I made two huge things of lasagne. For me, it has been a busy day and I am looking forward to bed tonight.

My brother and sister in law will be here tomorrow. I am looking forward to spending time with them:) in the afternoon.