Almost the end....

Well, it is almost the end of November.  Did I give something everyday for 30 days?  No I am afraid not.  Did I give with a cheerful heart?  Yes, I would say so.  Did I enjoy this challenge?  Absolutely.  It has been good and although I can't promise that I will give something everyday I will certainly make it a priority it my life. 

We had Thanksgiving here with the Senterfitt's.  They were so awesome and we had such a blessed day.  There was way too much food and that was ok.  I have had leftovers everyday, I may just throw the rest out today.  I am the only one eating it and there is more then I could ever eat!  But anyway we had such a great time that I told Troy this should be a new tradition.  We should do this more often.  The kids played really hard and the adult conversation was great to have. 

Black Friday shopping was a crazy nightmare.  People desperate to save a few bucks were pushing, cussing and just plain grumpy.  Troy and I tried to be nice to those that we ran into but soon realized that they were not in the mood.  Troy and I even started to get grumpy and began fighting with each other.  It was stupid.  I finally suggested that we leave get some breakfast and then go somewhere else.  Wow!  Food helped!  I think it should be required that you eat before you shop on Black Friday.  I was so worried about getting a DS for Jackson (that we didn't even get) at Walmart for $30 off that I was willing to push too.  I ended up getting him one at target for only $10 off.  But there was no fighting at Target, no pushing and people were generally nicer.  It was also later in the morning.  Troy and I have decided that no sale is worth fighting with others or each other.  We are done with our Christmas shopping.  The only things I have left to buy are for stockings and that should be fun!

Sing Spell Read and Write

I finally got in the consumable books to SSRW.  I am so excited!  We had our first official day on Friday.  Here is how it went...Jackson loves the corny little songs and wanted to sing them over and over.  He mastered the first two steps and I stopped at step three because I wanted to spend more time on it.  Ellie joined in and is really getting it!  She only knows A and E but was able to find the letter's on a bingo card when shown a picture of that letter.  The fact that she can recognize them already shows me that reading will most likely be a cinch for her!  They both begged to "do school" yesterday which is great and I what I want!  WooHoo!

Here is a picture of Jackson in his new glasses!

Oh yeah, one more thing.....

Just remembered one more thing about giving.  A couple of months ago we were blessed by our church's benevolence fund.  We were able to get a new dryer, they fixed our car and we have been eating free on Wednesday nights. That is a lot and really extremely humbling.  It was always our plan to pay them back although we were told we did not have to.  Every quarter we have the Lord's Supper and we give to the benevolence fund.  We were able to start "paying it back" this week.  We have always given to it and we were so blessed by it.  We know that someone else will be too.  So if you are wondering where that money goes, I can't tell you how much it has helped our family.

It is Thursday and here I am not posting again!  But I will say it has been a good couple of days.  The kids and I went up to the fire station by our house on tuesday and gave the guys the cupcakes (finally).  They were appreciative and they spent almost an hour explaining everything to the kids.  They even let them climb up into the truck.  It was so nice.  We then went and dropped off a car seat to a family that just got a baby girl through foster to adopt care.  Then from there I went to Walmart where I saw Michelle randomly in the parking lot.  We ended up getting a bunch of goodies for Jay.  I hope he likes the yummy stuff!  Yesterday I was able to watch Lilly for Tracy.  She called me last minute for a last minute hair appointment.  Today I was not very giving.  I was exhausted and literally spent the day in bed.  But that is ok, I will make up for it another day I am sure. 

Some blessings, Aunt Cathy called out of the blue and offered to come pick Jackson up and had him for the day and he ended up spending the night with her.  So I had a fairly quiet day and evening without him.  Lilly and the girls played so well together that I was able to finish all of my assignments for the week!  That has not happened in a while. Oh and I was so tired yesterday morning that I was not sure if I could make it and Tracy brought me Starbucks!  That was a HUGE blessing!  Hey, it's the little things!

Oh and here is something I am going to do with the kids. Santa for a Senior is a program that is in most nursing homes that allows you to love on someone that may not have a family nearby or any family at all.  I think the kids will enjoy this.  They were so excited to see all of the Operation Christmas Child boxes in the hallway at church.  There are a ton!!!!!

Falling Behind

So I have not posted in several days and I am kicking myself for it.  I have however had several chances to give and I have also seen some blessings.  I was able to fill in for a friend at church so that she could hear an awesome sermon that was meant especially for her.  The kids and I made cupcakes for our volunteer firefighters by our neighborhood.   (They have been very busy lately). I have a super fancy very expensive infant car seat that was given to me and now I am able to give it to someone that just got a baby placed in their home unexpectedly.  We turned in our Operation Christmas boxes and I was able to show the kids how much of an impact and how important it was.  I spent time with a friend that has been lonely lately.  (I know that sounds kind of corny but the fact that I invited her to do something and just spent time with her really blessed her, I know because she told me so!).  I spent Saturday morning making cards for Jay and his fellow troops so that they could send special notes home from Afghanistan.  I know there is more but honestly I am unable to think of them.  That is why I am kicking myself for not posting! 

So here are some blessings.  A woman that I know from church that has recently become a prayer partner and a new friend really offered to watch my girls during the week while I am homeschooling Jackson.  She normally charges a lot of money to do it but wants to help me because she feels led by the Lord.  We got a flat tire and the spare ended up being flat too, not a blessing but it happened in our neighborhood which was a blessing!  Oh and it only cost $14 to fix!! 

Last Thursday was my last day with Caleb.  It was bittersweet.  I will miss the little guy.  He is so sweet and he liked to play with Charlotte.  He was super easy because he still took 2 naps.  I also made good money from watching him.  So losing him means I am losing a playmate for Char and a paycheck.  But I am gaining a play date because Denise will be home now.  This process has been smooth and stress free.  I am not worrying about where the money will come from our what will happen next.  I am at peace with it because I know that provisions will come another way.  Oh, and did I mention it will be easier to homeschool without him here!?  So that will be nice.  I am counting down the days until Kayden's last day.  Not because I don't want her here but because I can't wait for the quiet and the flexibility of not having extra kids.

Day 9

I did not blog last night because I forgot.  I need to do the same day other wise I forget.  So this morning I was thinking about what I gave yesterday and I was having a hard time until I remembered something that happened.  A friend of mine is struggling spiritually.  She has a past that won't go away and satan has really got a hold of her.  Yesterday she had a panic attack that was so bad that her daughter called 911.  When I got there she was still shaken but doing better.  I was able to spend time with her and pray for her.  She has a doctors appt today that could give devastating news.  But I am praying and my hope is in that it won't be.  That God is bigger then all of this and that He will be glorified through this whole entire situation.

** Just got the call and all of her tests came back negative.  See our God is good!

Day 8

Today after church and lunch the kids and I made a trip to Walmart.  We filled up our Operation Christmas Child boxes and got stuff for Thanksgiving baskets.  It felt good to do that and the kids were excited.  But Jackson could not understand why he could not buy Star Wars figurines.  The organization specifically asked for no toys with weapons of any kind.  I let the kids buy for a child the same age and gender as themselves.  Since we don't know the names of the children and we want to pray we made up names.  Jackson picked Josh and for the life of me I can't remember what Ellie picked.  I think it was Amy but I am not sure.  Regardless we will be praying for them and God knows who they are!

Day 7 and Blessings

Today turned into a lazy day.  I started out cleaning and then it turned into a lazy day with an extremely long nap.  Now I am going to be up late.  So I have been thinking about what I can do for someone else today.  I think I will bless my husband so that when he gets up at the crack of dawn for work he will have see how much I love and appreciate him.

On another note.  I have already started to see some blessings.  I know that they may not sound like much to some but I can see them as blessings. 

1. Troy just remembered that he can get reimbursed for school which means in 2 weeks maybe a little longer we will be reimbursed for his last block of classes and then right before Christmas we will be getting another check!  That is $3600 total!  The timing could not be better.
2. I got a letter from Mom today just to say thank you and it was so sweet and it made my day.  
3. A good friend offered to help with tutoring Jackson.  She is a first grade teacher.
4. A very expensive curriculum that I want and think would be very beneficial to Jackson was offered to me for a third of the price.  I will have to buy some of the consumable workbooks but that is ok, all totaled it is less then 1/2 of the original price tag!
5. A mom at church that I have only spoken to in passing, is a homeschooler and has a boy Jackson's age.  They played on Friday and had the best time.  She also has a girl Charlotte's age.  I am so excited to have met her.
6. I was able to continue working at the church even though I thought I would have to quit because I was homeschooling.
   

These are not all financial blessings.  I think sometimes Christian's think that if they give they will automatically receive and it will be financially.  Troy and I talked about it today.  I find myself wishing I could just go out and buy whatever I want or need really.  I wish I didn't have to pay half of my mortgage late or make my kids go without their favorite snack.  But that is our lot in life.  For whatever reason God has chosen this for us.  I am going to have to embrace it and go on with my life.  We have never been on the street and we have always had food to eat.  PB&J counts!   He always provides.  So I have to go with it and I have to have a cheerful attitude.  I teach my children to do things with a good attitude and my Heavenly Father wants me to do the same.  So I am and I will.  I may slip as all humans do but that is ok, He is good all the time!

Day 6

Today was a good day.  I was tired but it was a good day.  Jackson and Troy are going camping tonight and the girls and I are hanging out.  My kids are driving me nuts and I am having a hard time being gracious at the moment.  Unfortunately hormones are a factor! 

So Day 6, my neighbor has not mowed since at least July.  Today he was out struggling to get his mower to work.  I hollered across the street to come over and get ours.  It ended up that he had already gone through 2 mowers today and he was at the end of his rope.  I walked outside just at the right time, or should I say God led me out there at the right time!  He was so grateful and I was glad to have been out to see that he needed the help.

Day 5

Today I worked and then went on a fun field trip.  I bought my curriculum for this year and I think it will be good.  Jackson is excited to start it.  Today I stuffed bags for the Advent Calendar.  Our preschool ministry hands them out at Christmas time.  Technically I was on the clock for this but I would have done it off the clock.  I volunteered to help when she asked.  Maybe I am grasping at straws.  Who knows, what I do know is where my heart was when I was doing it and it was definitely with the families who are going to receive them. 

Day 4

Today I left the house!  I bought some thing for a friend that I know will be a huge blessing.  I also got a cool CD that comes with an extra one so that you can share with a friend.  I have already given it away!

Day 2 and 3

So a lot has happened this week.  I know it is only tuesday!  We pulled Jackson out of school and are officially homeschooling.  Today was our first day and went pretty good.  He is going to have to learn a whole new set of rules around here.  Ones that involve being a student and me being a teacher.  But I know that he will get it.  I am noticing that when I am stuck at home my ability to give is limited.  So here is what I did for day's 2 and 3.  Day 2, I was gracious to my son.  We were on time for once for baseball and we got there and were ready to go when he realized he did not have his bag.  I was irritated but I did not yell or punish I just got back in the car and went home to see the bag sitting on the front lawn next to his side of the car.  I know doesn't sound like much but I am working on anger issues and this was huge!  Day 3, today was even harder but I loved on Caleb today because he was not feeling well.  Oh, and I talked to a friend whose husband is in Afghanistan fighting and risking his life everyday.  My family and the Monroe's have adopted them this month so I was getting down what she and her four children need on top of what Jay would need.  I heart that family!

We have 2 boxes for Operation Christmas Child and I am taking the kids on Thursday to fill them.  I know they will enjoy that. 

Day 1

Honestly today I did not really give anything away monetarily.   I did however give my time and I loved on one of the sweetest boys, Riley Miller today.  I love that boy.  He was not having the best day and he ended up in my lap and I just talked to him and he just smiled at me. 

Last Thursday I received a thank you along with a gift card in the mail.  It was totally unexpected and it came from someone I barely know.  About 2 months ago, while at Mardel's, there was a woman who lost her keys.  The manager asked us to keep an eye out in case we found them.  The entire store was looking for her keys.  My kids looked while I shopped and I looked too.  At one point I looked up and saw a woman from church, someone that I has children that I have watched, I did not know her name but said hello.  She was the one who had lost her keys.  I told her we would keep an eye out and kept browsing for myself.  We were in there for at least 30 minutes if not longer.  As I went to check out I saw her still looking for her keys.  You could tell she was flustered and I went to her and asked if I could take her to get another set (home, husband's work etc).  She was surprised but accepted.  We then introduced ourselves.  She did not live that close but really I had no other plans that day.  I took her home and she was able to go back later with her husband and they found the keys.  That week at church I saw her and she told me the story and thanked me over and over.  It was no big deal because really I would hope that someone would have done it for me.  Flash forward 2 months and she sends me this beautiful card and a really nice note from her.  She didn't have to do that and she really didn't have to give me gift card.  I would do it agian tomorrow.  God is good and He put me there at the right time!