Wading through the week......

Good Afternoon Company Girls! I'm a little late today...hubby had his day off today and we had lots of errands to go on and we still have the grocery shopping to do! They implemented a new program at his work that says that if he works 45 minutes longer each day, then every other Friday he gets the day off.....this was his first real day and it was pretty nice although I kept getting confused and thinking it was Saturday!

Well, all the kids are finished school now...so, summer has officially started in our house and I think there's about 75 days left til school comes back .....thank the Lord the summer usually goes quickly because the way my teens are already sniping at each other I feel it's going to be a very, very, very long summer!!!!! This week was filled with graduation activities for Megan, a year end potluck luncheon and class for quilt class, an orthodontic appointment for Megan, an appointment with a new social worker that will help go the the maize of getting the help we need to help a disabled young adult through the system....(it's all greek to me!)....plus I had to take our van to the shop to once again get our AC worked on but that was cut short with a phone call from my sister to tell me that my mom was having chest pains again (she had a heart attack last December), and I also had to figure out how to take Maya to her end of year school band party too......then hubby and I took Megan for her special grad dinner with just her and us,.....so, ya...it was kind of a busy week.....my mom was okay....after my sister gave her her nitro and she rested all afternoon...thank the Lord....

Anyways, I'm hoping that this week will be a little slower...so far just one appointment to go for...but then again I have to take Megan to get a new bathing suit...which is a pain in the neck since I detest clothing shopping with a passion.....

I hope you all have a wonderful week...take it easy..

30.......long years....

Today, in my heart, I celebrate my unborn baby's birthday.....we called her Leah Catherine........she would have been 30 today.....I miss her all the time....sometimes I ache to hold her....sometimes I can't wait to see her.......to see what she is really like....and not just in my day dreams.....to talk with her, to laugh with her......

Happy Birthday, Leah.

Megan's Graduation.....

Megan graduated from elementary school tonight! One of the teachers asked me how many years I had kids going to that school....I said..'29....29 years and 9 kids'.......she said...'but you'll still stop in and see us from time to time won't you?'....'nope'...says I!

Now, I just have to get through the next 78 days until school starts up again....dear Lord. make it fast.....the kids are already at each other's throats and I've reached my limit!!!!!!!

I mean, really...when do four teens become cantankerous, not get along whatsoever toddlers?

I'm mean, really.....sweet Jesus please give me courage and strength!

End of an Era....

Good Morning Company Girls!

Well, even though the calendar says summer comes next week...really...it comes today! All my kids will be done school after today..and to me, that always signifies the beginning of summer....just as the first day of school..to me, is fall (autumn)....I know I'm weird...but when your life has revolved around your kids being in the school system for over 30 years...well, that's just the way it is.

Hubby reminded me this morning that after today we wont have anybody in the elementary school...the same one that eldest one started at about 30 years ago....what a run! He wanted to know if I was going to go over and give them all a hug....well, except for hubby...I'm not a real huggy person....then he asked me how many principles that I could remember.....!!! Good grief, I have a poor memory at the best of times but really...I think there's been at least 5,...maybe 6. Oh well, I wont lose sleep over it!

It feels really nice to have this era done...like we can finally move on...come September, all 4 teens will be at the same high school......pretty neat, huh?

Well, that's about all I have to say today....I plan on taking off in a few minutes...Megan's gone to school, and I have places to go and things to see!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

No more teachers, no more books......

Do you see the biggest kid w/the blow toy in her mouth on the left side of the picture? Well, that's Megan.....Megan, will be 14 next month. I've been homeschooling Megan since the beginning of last October and today is our official last homeschooling day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow she goes to her last school day at the local elementary school and then on Monday she 'graduates'! Yea!!!!

Since, after today, when some of my highschoolers will be done exams, and they can be home....this means that I can actually go out of the house without a shadow! It's been a very long nine months....at the beginning of all this I thought that this would be a good thing...when you have nine kids, with four still at home desiring your attention, it becomes really difficult to find one on one time without weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth from the other three.....but........I had no idea just how much it would impact me personally.....I began to dread quilt class....I would spend more time helping her do something then getting work done on my quilt...and it was actually difficult to really enjoy the fellowship of the other ladies when you knew a 13 yr old was listening to every word and would question you about it later....and then there was bible study....I finally gave up going to that....first, I naively thought she could just sit and watch the Beth Moore video...after all, Beth is really interesting...well, not to a 13 yr old with the mind of a 3 yr old.....then, we took her school work...to 'quietly' work on...that didn't work...then I let her take her game boy (with the sound turned off)...til she had to go to the bathroom on another floor in a strange church and couldn't find her way back! I was very conscious (although the bible study ladies and the quilting ladies, were quite gracious about the whole situation) about disturbing this special time that all these ladies had together.......so,...thank the Lord, my eldest offered to have Megan go to her house during quilt class...she doesn't live far from quilt class....but alas, I had to give up bible study. I am hoping that I can resume that in the fall.

So, yes...it's been an experience........not one that I care to repeat......I'm a lot older that I was when I home schooled two of my other kids for two years.....about 16 years older........I don't have the patience for the fifty million questions per day, just to wake up to hear the same fifty million again....and again...and again......good gracious, be still my soul.

Thank you Lord for all your blessings, strength and encouragement...without you I can do nothing.

Bermuda....ahhhhhhhhhh!

A year ago we were here....beautiful, gorgeous, peaceful Bermuda! It was the best time of the year to go...lovely and warm and the humidity was just starting up when we left. We timed it to be there for our anniversary...which is tomorrow, and it was everything you could have hoped and dreamed of.

Unfortunately, it will be many years before we can afford to go back.....it's a good thing we have memories and beautiful pictures to dream about.....perchance to let your mind wander.....to enjoy.

Thirty- Six Years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I posted this pic before but people say it's a good one...so I'm posting it again...cause.....next Tuesday, Lord willing, we will celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary! We met 39 years ago at a summer camp for underprivileged kids.....he had a cabin of older boys...I had a cabin of 8 yr olds....12 of them! The very first time I saw him, I thought he looked pretty good....he has a twin brother, who at the time was more rowdy...the life of the party...hubby was the quiet one...that appealed to me...through thick and thin...we've been together for 39 years! It's gone very quickly. Hubby's made plans for later on today...he has to work all day next Tuesday and then teach in the evening so we can't celebrate then....so tonight we're suppose to go to a place called the Shaw Festival and see a play! He thought of that all by himself...he was very pleased....and I am very pleased that I have a hubby that after all these years still likes to give me surprises as well as the regular things....like every morning he brings me my tea,...while I'm barely awake.....he says I'm spoiled...and I am!

36 years...WOW!!!!