So Loved

And the winner is . . . .

2009-07-17T17:16:00.001-04:00

Marci from Down on the Farm. Marci, please contact me via email at liasophiakimw @ insightbb.com (omitting the spaces) with your address and I will mail the piece out to you! Thank you to all who entered!!

The drawing

2009-07-17T15:44:00.001-04:00

The drawing will be at 5:00 pm EDT, today July 17th.

lia sophia Jewelry Giveaway - July 17th

2009-07-09T09:48:00.004-04:00

I'll be giving this lia sophia "Giddy" necklace 15-18" on July 17th.

If you'd like to win this adorable necklace leave a comment and I'll enter your name in the hat, or email me at liasophiakimw at insightbb.com.
View an online catalog at www./liasophia.com/kimwomack.

* open to US residents only

Weight Watchers

2009-07-09T09:41:00.001-04:00

I started Weight Watchers (again) last Tuesday. So far I've lost 10lbs. This time I put the WHOLE family on it. So much easier and now they are eating more healthy foods!! I must tell you about a site that I found!! It is amazing, so many yummy, yummy recipes.

http://weight-watchers-points-recipes.blogspot.com/

LOVING lia sophia

2009-06-28T08:16:00.005-04:00

Hi all, it's been a while since I posted I know, I've been very busy!! I just had to stop by and post about my new business. I am LOVING this. I have become an independent advisor for lia sophia!! I am having so much fun!! Selling GORGEOUS jewelry that is so much fun to wear. My latest piece is a stunner. Tahitian with Genuine Freshwater Pearls and Glass Beads. It's the perfect length too, 16-19" . This jewelry is so much fun, to wear and sell. Visit my website at

http://www.liasophia.com/kimwomack.

Big Girl aka Sheba

2009-02-24T18:31:00.001-05:00

Did you say "Food?"

The Love Dare

2009-02-04T10:05:00.004-05:00

Day 31 -

Ok, so I know I'm starting to blog about this experience pretty late in the game. However, overall it has been a good experience. Just the fact that the CableMan has agreed to do this with me is a HUGE leap in our relationship. Today we are to be sure that our marriage is given top priority over every other human relationship. I guess that includes my relationship with self doesn't it. I've been really into myself lately and I have to get over it.

Big Girl a.k.a Sheba

2008-11-11T18:30:00.002-05:00

Sheeba the queen of the house

2008-11-02T09:12:00.001-05:00

Halloween Party @ Aunt Gail's

2008-10-20T11:08:00.014-04:00

2008-09-21T22:46:00.006-04:00

Camping IS the best!!

2008-05-15T14:00:00.006-04:00

Hasta la vista Chickens

2008-03-09T09:23:00.002-04:00

Well we had to say goodbye to the girls. They were a lot of fun, but since we bought the Travel Trailer and plan on traveling quite a bit this summer it wouldn't be fair to them or us to leave them without their twice daily feeding and watering session. The princess will miss her "pet" Extra Crispy the black star hen. But we all said bye, bye and even freecycled their coop.

Let it Snow.

2008-03-08T09:23:00.008-05:00

Wow. Every 10 years or so we get a huge snow fall. This weekend is one of those once in a decade weekends. So far we have 8 inches of snow, they are expecting 12 by noon.

2008-02-24T14:46:00.018-05:00

Front Bedroom. Overhead cabinets, underbed storage and skylights.

Front Bedroom. Curtain closes to give privacy.

Girls on the sofa, the sofa turns into a bed.

Boys at the table, table converts to a bed.

Cabinets over the sofa.

Center kitchen, with microwave, stove and oven, sink.

Bathroom cabinets.

Bathroom.

Tub/Shower

Refer.

Microwave and Stove

Entry.

Left Side.

Front door.

Back.

Right side.

Name of Camper.

Chicken

2007-11-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

100th post

2007-09-21T13:33:00.001-04:00

This is my 100th post and I am taking this opportunity to say that I will be leaving the blogging world for a while. Responsibilities at home and with my family are such that I barely have time to shower let alone blog. Thank you to all of my friends in the bloggy world, I will miss you all dearly and wish you only the best.

Kim

Am I dreaming?

2007-09-18T07:04:00.000-04:00

I don't normally make political comments on my blog but this stuff is just to silly.

http://www.beatricedailysun.com/articles/2007/09/17/ap-state-ne/d8rnhec01.txt

Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers of Omaha filed a lawsuit against God. He claims that God has caused "fearsome floods ... horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes,"

This guy is a goober. But let's play Devil's Advocate so to speak, the guy is an avowed agnostic, so how does he have any legal standing. I mean if you are not sure whether or not the defendant exists how can you sue him?

But beyond that this is just stupid. Have you ever heard of the term shooting yourself in the foot? I don't understand. He says he wants to prove anyone can sue anyone for anything. Isn't that the problem?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118998388438429143.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Next we have this little item about Senator Clinton. Seems the Senator thinks it would be a good idea to "require all Americans to get health insurance". Yeah that worked so well with auto insurance. Premiums went down, yada, yada, yada. Give me a break.

It would be so easy. . .

2007-09-17T13:44:00.000-04:00

It would be so easy to just quit. . .

quit homeschooling because this is hard.
quit cleaning the house because I never seem to get anywhere.
quit trying to teach my children right from wrong and just give them whatever they wanted.
quit submitting to my husband and stand up for myself.
quit trusting anyone.
quit loving my neighbor.
quit pushing through the physical pain and just lay down to sleep.
quit, quit, quit, quit.

It would be so easy to just crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

I will press on, and trust in My Abba, who I know has my back.

Pachelbel Bedtime

2007-09-16T16:41:00.000-04:00

This is just a cute song a Dad made up. The video is kinda grainy, but still. . . it's cute.

I suffer. . .

2007-09-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you. . . Psalm 42:5-6a (NIV)

For as long as I can remember I have suffered from bouts of depression and migraines. I don't know if the depression comes from the migraines or if the migraines come from depression. I despise myself when I become depressed. I have no reason for it, it is a weakness in me that makes me loathe myself. I'm sure that this loathing only adds to the depression. Anyway I have been having one of these pity parties for the past couple of weeks, maybe blogging about it will help.

Does anyone else suffer this way?

Two things

2007-09-07T07:18:00.000-04:00

I have found this Yahoo! group called freecycle, you can see if there is a free cycle Yahoo! group near you by going to www.freecycle.org. According to their website Freecycle is :

Welcome! The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,111 groups with 3,818,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!

It is fantastic, the people are really nice and there really are people out there who want your junk.

With that being said, I posted that I needed a chicken coop and got many replies. I'm going sometime this weekend to pick up a rabbit hutch which we are hoping to recycle into a coop. I am really excited.

So now can you guess the second thing? Yes we are getting a chicken. I think it is a Rhode Island Red pullet. Pictures will follow.

Thankful Thursday

2007-09-06T06:45:00.000-04:00

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Ephesians1:4-5

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

I am thankful for my children. I have posted their adoption story here http://soloved77.blogspot.com/2007/05/adoption-story.html.

Today I found out that a fellow blogger, Terri, just got a referral for a baby from China. Visit her blog http://riobello.typepad.com/adventures/2007/09/miss-ella.html, to see her reaction, it is priceless.

I am thankful and overwhelmed by God's grace, love, mercy, loving kindness, good gifts and forgiveness. We are His adopted sons and daughters and I simply cannot express the joy that brings me.

Chesterton

2007-09-05T10:02:00.000-04:00

The problem with Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting, but that it has been found difficult and left untried. - G. K. Chesterton

2007-09-04T17:50:00.000-04:00

The Cookie Monsters

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This video is from back in January. I don't who is greener the cookies or the boy and his dad.

The girl with no eyebrows

2007-09-04T14:40:00.000-04:00

From the bathroom I hear this. . .

Gabrielle: Mom, do you think my eyebrows are too bushy?
Mommy: No honey they are just fine . . .
Gabrielle: Danielle says they are bushy. . .
Mommy: She is just being mean. . .
Gabrielle: I think they are bushy. . . can I use the tweezers?
Mommy: (Thinks to herself just one pluck and she won't want to use them anymore, but thinks
better and actually says) No sweetheart only old ladies like Mommy pluck eyebrows.
Gabrielle: Silence
Mommy: (Has her hands in dishwater and is almost finished with the dishes)
Gabrielle: Silence
Mommy: (Finishes the dishes and goes to check on Gabrielle, who is standing at the mirror
putting on lipstick.)

Suddenly the child emerges from the bathroom with a scarf wrapped around her forehead. I ask her to remove the scarf and discover that she has SHAVED off her eyebrows with Daddy's electric shaver. Her explaination? She thought they were electric tweezers. Good thing eyebrows grow quickly.

Distraction

2007-09-04T06:48:00.000-04:00

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Revelation 2:4 (NIV)

Isn't it amazing how little it takes to distract us from our first love? I'll be the first to admit that I have been distracted these past few months. My prayer life has suffered, my church life has suffered and my devotion has suffered. It is so easy to get off track, to suffer from the "I'll do it laters" of life. Perhaps that is why I have been so terribly exhausted lately.

A question about chickens

2007-08-30T15:46:00.001-04:00

Can you keep just one chicken or do they need companionship? I just got off the phone with our local animal control board and they told me that you were allowed to have 5 non-crowing and 1 crowing chicken here. I thought we would start extremely small as in one chicken and see how it went. Is that possible?

Thankful Thursday

2007-08-30T07:08:00.000-04:00

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Today I am thankful to our Lord for this verse, even though quite often I forget it's promise.

I was reading the news and came across the story that Owen Wilson had attempted suicide. My first reaction was what reason could he possibly have to do that he has everything. Then the Lord whispered to my heart. . . "Does he really?" Then He brought to mind a time that things were so dark that I felt I had no where else to turn. Let's pray that Mr. Wilson finds a place to turn, to the Healer of hurts, the Lover of souls, the All in All.

I am thankful that in my time of dark and swirling despair that Our Father was there, even though for a while I couldn't seem to find Him.

What do you do?

2007-08-29T08:10:00.001-04:00

What do you do when faced with a decision and there is no clear leading one way or the other? Do you continue to wait? I suppose I just answered my own question.

Ode to a dishwasher

2007-08-26T10:17:00.000-04:00

Well I seem to have MUCH MUCH less time these days. With Homeschooling I am now minus 6 hours give or take, a day. So now I need a new dishwasher. If it isn't one thing. . . . well you know the rest. I spent much of the day yesterday looking online at portable dishwashers. And the winner is. . . .

Hot, hot, hot.

2007-08-24T06:53:00.000-04:00

I know everybody is saying it but darn it, it sure is hot. We went for a nature walk the other morning and it was 85 degrees at 9:00 am. Needless to say being the delicate flower that I am (ha, ha) I turned those kids around and marched them right back home. Seriously, I was beginning to wonder if global warming was real for a while. Then I got to talking to my next door neighbor and he said that this summer reminded him of summers when he was a kid. We broke a record here in Kentucky the other day. The most consecutive days in the 90's or higher. Yesterday we broke a record temperature that was set way back in 1888. Well there was no global warming in 1888 was there. So I still really have a hard time believing in global warming.

Here is a tree we saw on our nature walk. We were really looking for birds, but for some reason they wouldn't hold still. It couldn't have been the fact that the kids were running and hollering and generally acting as if they had never been outside a day in their lives, could it?

Still here. . .

2007-08-23T11:02:00.000-04:00

I'm still here I've just been trying to get this homeschool thing going. While I was gone I found this . . . as the person who sent it to me said "I dare you not to cry. . ."

Charlotte Mason to the rescue

2007-08-16T08:35:00.000-04:00

I have been swimming around trying to keep my head above water. I knew that I wanted to give my kids a home education with substance. I looked at the ABeka curriculum, the Bob Jones curriculum, etc. The ones that are used in our local Christian schools. I'm just not really a fill in the blank kinda of girl. I wanted a curriculum that would make my children think. One that would be well rounded with art and music, latin and so much more than these curriculum offered. Don't get me wrong, we are going to be using the ABeka math and I'm still looking for a handwriting program that I love, but I wanted more than just reading, writing, and arithmatic.

Enter Charlotte Mason and http://amblesideonline.org/. I am really praying that this is what I have been looking for. So far it looks very promising. I am super excited.

Does anyone else use Charlotte Mason?

Jeff's Birthday

2007-08-15T06:03:00.000-04:00

Today would have been my brother Jeff's 37th birtday. He passed away almost 4 years ago. I really miss him.

Homeschooling my crazy kids

2007-08-14T13:49:00.000-04:00

Ok, we've been doing "informal" homeschooling all summer. You know finding learning wherever we were. We looked at the beach and learned about dolphins. We watched the space shuttle and learned about rip currents at the beach. We named lots of different birds in Florida that we don't have at home. This week was the week to knuckle down and hit the books. I think my kids thought that homeschool was going to be all field trips and fun, which we will do plenty of, and no books.

Well since the weather has been 100 degrees or more in the shade I decided that it was time to come inside and get some of the serious things out of the way. Hey, I must tell you that I prefer the "informal" myself, but I can't have kids who can name EVERY bird in the whole world and not be able to read or add. I just had to seperate them all. I put them together and they play and nobody gets anything done.

Has anybody else had this problem?

Count your blessing Monday

2007-08-13T13:37:00.000-04:00

Count your blessings with us. Go on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com.

Today I am counting as my blessing our family vacation. We had a wonderful time.

Farms Questions Part 1

2007-08-11T15:03:00.001-04:00

I want a farm. I want to be able to raise chickens and cows and grow enough vegetables and fruits to almost sustain us. So my question is what is the right size for a farm to be able to do that? Should it be 10 acres? 20? 30? I have no experience with this sort of thing but I know it is something I want very much. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Home again

2007-08-10T09:25:00.000-04:00

More pictures to come.

Leaving Tomorrow

2007-08-01T21:51:00.000-04:00

I'll be leaving for vacation tomorrow. I will miss you all. Have a great week while I'm gone. Lots of pictures when I come back.

Count your blessing Monday

2007-07-30T06:38:00.001-04:00

Wanna count your blessings with us? Head on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com/.

Today I am counting as my blessing the capacity to dream.
Not sleepy dreams.
Grand, Huge daydreams.

Dreams of children growing in the love of our Father.

Dreams of a farm.

Dreams of Heaven.

Dreams of Friends and Family.

Dreams about life, and happiness. The Lord gave us the capacity to dream and the desire to grow and I thank Him for it.

Quotes

2007-07-29T22:08:00.000-04:00

I know the world is more than sound bites. I know that sometimes wisdom comes from a thousand words and not from little snippets. However, here are some of my favor quotes.

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other. John Adams(1735 - 1826)

Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order. John Adams

I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for something else of which they are only a kind of a copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same." - C. S. Lewis

I have found a desire within myself that no experience in this world can satisfy; the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. C. S. Lewis

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. C. S. Lewis

You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body. C. S. Lewis

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell. C. S. Lewis

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. C. S. Lewis

This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practise ourselves the kind of behaviour we expect from other people. C. S. Lewis

We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. C.S. Lewis

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.
C. S. Lewis

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one. C. S. Lewis

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow. Aesop

We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them. Abigail Adams.

It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem.
G. K. Chesterton

To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it.
G. K. Chesterton

If there were no God, there would be no Atheists. G. K. Chesterton

Here's the truck.

2007-07-28T16:47:00.000-04:00

Show and Tell Friday

2007-07-27T06:47:00.001-04:00

I'll be fine once we get there, and I am hoping that the change in climate will do my arthritis some good.

Thankful Thursday

2007-07-26T06:44:00.000-04:00

I am a bit down this week. I'm not feeling well (tired, achy, and a little depressed) the kids are a bit too rowdy and well my giants are back.

However, I'm thankful that God is a conqueror of giants. If God be with us who can stand against us? Thank you Father, for loving the unlovable. Thank you, for being a Big God who can work in my life without any help from me. Thank you, for being there when I run to you, and when I don't. Thank you for loving this imperfect woman.

I would die for that

2007-07-25T07:38:00.001-04:00

This song, well it made me cry and it made me feel very blessed at the same time.

I found it at http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2007/07/i-would-die-for-that.html and she found it at http://www.ccostello.blogspot.com/

Gabrielle and packing

2007-07-25T06:49:00.000-04:00

In less than 10 days we will be setting off for a wonderful treat. We will be going on a family vacation. My husband and I, the kids and my parents are meeting on the beach in Florida.

Yesterday, the kids were getting a bit rowdy, so I told them to sit down and make a list of the things they wanted to take with us to Florida. Well my youngest daughter decided that she isn't much of a list maker, she is more of a doer, so she got out her suitcase and proceeded to pack it (for the 4th time). She packed her clothes very well, then she decided that clothes just wouldn't be enough, so she packed a box of Mac & Cheese. In case she got hungry. I laughed until I cried. She got angry, but I couldn't help myself.

Count your Blessings Monday - On a Tuesday

2007-07-24T15:31:00.000-04:00

Today, my blessing is my husband. He says he loves me more than fishing. So he must love me alot.

Ain't he cute?

Wanna Count your Blessings with us head on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday

2007-07-20T06:58:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!" Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!

Head on over to Kelli's place and join the fun! http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/
Yesterday the old Taurus finally broke the camel's back so to speak. Every 6 months for the past 3 of the 6 years we have owned it we have had to do MAJOR repairs, so when my husband called me yesterday and told me that it would require another very costly repair which wouldn't even fix all that was wrong with it I was at the end of my rope. I asked him what he wanted to do. He said trade it in. Now I was dubious to say the least. I did not want a new car payment and I doubted very much that we would qualify for anything but an extremely high interest rate. But I bit my tongue and swallowed my pride and did the submission thing. (Why not follow my own advice right?) Well, the Lord blessed me for doing it. We got a very low APR 2.9% and after A-Plan (my dad works for Ford), trade and rebates we got close to $9,500 off the trucks price. The payments are still going to tax an already over-taxed budget, but they are manageable. Now we have a new Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew cab (we can all fit in the truck and we couldn't all fit in the Taurus). While the above is not an actual picture of it (it was very late when we got home and my husband drove it to work so I didn't have time to take a picture), it is the best I could do from the web. The truck is 2-toned Forest Green and Tan. My husband is happy, no more costly repairs, at least on the Taurus, and I did the submission thing which throughly please my husband.

Thankful Thursday

2007-07-19T06:22:00.000-04:00

Today I'm thankful for. . .

1. The Lover of my Soul
2. The Rock of my Salvation
3. The Prince of Peace
4. The Avenger of the Saints
5. The Water of who quenches my soul
6. The Deliverer of the captives
7. The Wellspring of Wisdom
8. The Indescribable Master of eternity
9. The Incomparable Maker of the universe
10. The Beginning and End of all things

All this adds up to a Matchless God.

Laurel Wreath is guest hosting TT this week head on over http://www.laurelwreathsreflections.com/

Count Your Blessing Monday

2007-07-16T07:24:00.000-04:00

Head on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com/ to participate in Count Your Blessings Monday.

I am blessed. . .

Silly as it may seem I'm blessed by indoor plumbing. No trips to the outhouse for this delicate flower.

Good Manners Monday

2007-07-16T07:06:00.000-04:00

Today Home School begins after a brief break. We are going to be learning to set a proper table. Now this isn't going to be how we eat every night (since we don't have a dishwasher I really don't want to wash all these dishes), but I wanted to have them learn that Sunday nights and when we have company this is how the table should be set.

Show and Tell Friday

2007-07-13T09:16:00.001-04:00

Wanna share the fun? Go to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ .

Submitted for your approval, a silver tea service set. It isn't like tea sets I've usually seen, I'm honestly not sure exactly where it came from, I believe it used to belong to my Nana, but I'm not 100% sure of that. Anyway it looks wonderful in my newly painted kitchen. We replaced all the fixtures with brushed nickel and silver so this go very well with it.

Thankful Thursday

2007-07-12T06:26:00.000-04:00

I'm thankful that someday Jesus is coming back to set up His kingdom.
I'm thankful that we serve a God who wants a relationship with us.
I'm thankful that the Bible is the literal word of God.
I'm thankful that He pours His perfect Love into our imperfect hearts
I'm thankful that the kitchen is finally painted.

The kitchen's done.

2007-07-10T14:58:00.000-04:00

The kitchen is done. It took forever, and even though I say it's done there are still a few touches here and there that need to be accomplished. Like hanging pictures, and putting on a door pull here and there and a couple of drawers that need to be repaired, and a new floor would be fantastic, but as for the all out painting thing, I think it's finished. The colors don't show up very well in the photo, the top and cabinets are painted in a Behr paint called Popped Corn and the bottom is a color called Daredevil.

Yes that is a rooster hanging from the ceiling. I had Bunco here last night and I won 2nd prize, I wanted to win 4th prize. Fourth prize was the rooster wind dancer so the girl that won 4th traded with me.

The tablecloth is a JCPenny clearance item. I love a good sale and the table is so long that normal table clothes don't usually fit on it, 104', so I lucked out on it.

If you look closely on top of the refrigerator is Ugly Roosters brother. It seems a sales associate at the Hallmark store my mother works at dropped him and chipped his tail, so now I have a new Ugly Rooster.

Behind the curtain is my washer and dryer.

5 Random Questions Meme

2007-07-09T22:29:00.000-04:00

Ok Lana G. over at http://airmiles.wordpress.com has tagged me for a meme, so here goes

Her Random Questions were

Are you a morning person or an evening person?

I'm a morning person. My husband is an evening person.

If you had the chance to travel by boat, train AND plane on your next vacation, name the destination you would choose for each of these methods of transportation.

By boat I would go to Jamacia. By train I would go to Chattanoga, (you know Chattanoga choo, choo). By plane I would go to Paris I suppose. I'm really a homebody though. I really don't like to travel.

Other than Jesus, which biblical character would you like to meet and why?

Job. Sometimes I feel like we have a lot in common only he did a better job at it than I did.

Do you have any brothers and sisters and if so how many?

I had a younger brother. He passed away about 3 years ago from a dissecting aoertic anureism. I miss him a lot.

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains and why?

Again I'm a home body but I like both the mountains for the hiking and the beach for relaxing.

I tag anybody that wants to answer these five random questions. Just post the answers on your blog and I will post your link here.

What is your favorite movie?
What is your favorite line from your favorite movie.
Who is your favorite female from the Bible and why?
How long can you hold your breath?
Paper or Plastic? Why?

Happy Fourth

2007-07-03T06:07:00.000-04:00

Still Painting

2007-07-02T06:36:00.000-04:00

We are still at it, I can't wait to show you all pictures of my beautiful new kitchen. On another note, we had another miracle. Yesterday, when we got home my husband's car wouldn't go out of park, we were devastated. We spent the whole rest of the day, praying, and lamenting over what we would do since my van is parked and undrivable. Later in the evening my husband saw a neighbor who has the same make and model of car was pulling into her driveway. My husband walked over and asked her if she had ever had this problem. She said that she had and showed him how to fix it. Praise the Lord. The car is fixed, well at least it will go into drive. Thank you Jesus. Again for being the one who provides for all our needs.

I am overwhelmed!!!

2007-06-29T14:10:00.000-04:00

We had a financial emergency this afternoon. A large check that was supposed to be here didn't come and they said that it would be next week before it was processed. This threw us into an unimaginable tail spin. I put out an email requesting prayer. Within in one hour our short term needs were met. The God we serve is AWESOME. Don't get me wrong. Even if He hadn't provided for my short term needs, He is still AWESOME!! I can't imagine life without the Lover of my Soul.

Show and Tell

2007-06-29T07:07:00.001-04:00

"Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!" Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!

If you wanna join the fun go over to http://www.kellishouse.blogspot.com/.

I'm not very original today, but here goes. . . . I'm getting ready to paint my kitchen, cabinets and all so here is . . .

My show and tell today . . . this book. I was doing another Beth Moore study and this one caught my eye. I have always been drawn to the book of Daniel, as a matter of fact I even named my daughter Danielle. It is a very good study and I am really learning a bunch. I am also on the look out for a really good study of Isaiah. I just love digging into the word.

With this study you can download the video and audio sessions from www.lifeway/women

or you can download the audio sessions on your iPod from the iTunes store for $3.99 a session, that's what I did and it works out quite well. Wow I sound like an infomercial. Gotta go clean and paint. Have a great day.

Thankful Thursday

2007-06-28T06:52:00.000-04:00

1. I'm thankful for the lean times, so we can enjoy the times of plenty.
2. I'm thankful for the sad times, so we can enjoy the times of joy.
3. I'm thankful for the night, so we can enjoy the morning.
4. I'm thakful for rain, so we can enjoy the sun.
5. I'm thankful for hectic times, so we can enjoy the rest.
6. I'm thankful for the cold, so we can enjoy the warmth.
7. I'm thankful for the weeping, so we can enjoy the laughter.
8. I'm thankful for the mess, so we can enjoy the tidy.
9. I'm thankful for the lonely times, so we can enjoy the friendship.
10. I'm thankful for a Father in Heaven who knows how to give us balance so we can enjoy all of His good gifts.

The Lord's Prayer

2007-06-26T11:31:00.000-04:00

I received this in an email and I thought it was very good.

Our Father Who Art In Heaven.

Yes?

Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.

But -- you called ME!

Called you? No, I didn't call you. I'm praying.

Our Father who art in Heaven.

There -- you did it again!

Did what?

Called ME. You said, "Our Father who art in Heaven" Well, here I am.What's on your mind?

But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer.

It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.

Well, all right. Go on.

Okay, Hallowed be thy name .

Hold it right there. What do you mean by that?

By what? By "Hallowed be thy name"?

It means, it means . . good grief, I don't know what it means.

How in the world should I know? It's just a part of the prayer.

By the way, what does it mean?

It means honored, holy, wonderful.

Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,on earth as it is in Heaven.

Do you really mean that?

Sure, why not?

What are you doing about it?

Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control - of everything down here like you have up there. We're kinda in a mess down here you know.

Yes, I know; but, have I got control of you?

Well, I go to church.

That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money -- all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?

Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me!

I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!

Excuse ME. I thought you were praying for MY will to be done.

If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it.

Like you -- for example.

Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups.

Now that you mention it,

I could probably name some others.

So could I. I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things.

I would like to, you know, be really free.

Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together -- You and ME.

I'm proud of You.

Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here.

This is taking a lot longer than it usually does.

Give us this day, our daily bread.

You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is.

Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.

Praying is a dangerous thing. You just might get what you ask for.

Remember, you called ME -- and here I am. It's too late to stop now.

Keep praying. ( . . pause . . )

Well, go on.

I'm scared to.

Scared? Of what?

I know what you'll say.

Try me!

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

What about Amy?

See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up!

Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories.

She never paid back the money she owes me.

I've sworn to get even with her!

But -- your prayer --What about your prayer?

I didn't -- mean it.

Well, at least you're honest. But, it's quite a load carrying around all that bitterness

and resentment isn't it?

Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her.

Boy, have I got some plans for her. She'll wish she had never been born.

No, you won't feel any better.You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet.

You know how unhappy you are -- right?

Well, I can change that.

You can? How?

Forgive Amy.

Then, I'll forgive you;

And the hate and the sin will be Amy's problem -- not yours.

You will have settled the problem

as far as you are concerned.

Oh, you know, you're right. You always are.

And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You . . (sigh).

All right . all right . . I forgive her.

There now! Wonderful!

How do you feel?

Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all!

In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed quite as uptight tonight. I haven't been getting much rest, you know.

Yeah, I know.

But, you're not through with your prayer are you? Go on.

Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Good! Good! I'll do that.

Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.

What do you mean by that?

You know what I mean.

Yeah. I know.

Okay. Go ahead. Finish your prayer.

For Thine is the kingdom,and the power,and the glory forever.

Amen.

Do you know what would bring me glory --What would really make me happy?

No, but I'd like to know.

I want to please you now. I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly follow you. I can see now how great that would be.

So, tell me .. . . How do I make you happy?

YOU just did!

What is a Covenant?

2007-06-25T12:27:00.000-04:00

Covenant - n - 1 : a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement : compact 2 a : a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action b : the common-law action to recover damages for breach of such a contract.

Binding agreement. Binding. Bound.

I would rather be bound to God than any other.

ABF Picnic

2007-06-23T20:41:00.000-04:00

Today was the ABF Picnic.

When we got there it was cold, overcast and there was a mist on the lake.

Greg got the little john boat ready.

Mike cooking the burgers, boy were they yummy. Keith wouldn't let me take a picture of him. Larry is patiently waiting for his burger and keeping the cook company.

I don't think this is Alex's best side.

I don't know what they were all looking at but it wasn't me.

Tommy and Austin watching a snake eat one of their fish.

Danielle a.k.a. Pochahantas and her new obsession, kayaking thanks to Mildred.

Alex and Josh in a pond prowler.

Greg praying for bigger fish.

Some cows came to get revenge for us eating thier cousins.

Gabrielle grubbin' on watermelon.

Noah grubbin' on watermelon.

Ashley, Austin, Tommy, Pam and Jodi getting a drink during the little summer shower.

Waiting for the rain to stop.

R.I.P. Ugly Rooster

2007-06-22T14:43:00.000-04:00

It is with a heavy heart that I report Ugly Rooster is no more. It seems there was an accident in the kitchen, no one will own up to who exactly was the perpetrator in which Ugly Rooster met his doom. Farewell Ugly Rooster. LOL.

Show and Tell

2007-06-22T06:46:00.000-04:00

Thankful Thursday

2007-06-21T06:15:00.000-04:00

Today I am thankful for:

Being able to put both feet on the floor.
Being able to kiss my husband before he goes to work.
Being able to hug my children and tickle them, and they still enjoy it.
My iPod, you can download sermon podcasts for free and listen to them while you work, makes the work go by faster.

Christian Service Ideas

2007-06-20T14:53:00.000-04:00

Say Thank You to Someone who has ministered to you. Pray. Listen. Visit a sick friend. Visit someone in the hospital who has no family. Pray. Clean a neighbor's walk. Mow a single Mom's lawn. Open a door. Send an anonymous gift. Give a gift certificate from a grocery store. Pray. Tip generously. Help someone learn a new skill. Babysit someone's children for free. Share a smile. Pray. Show up on sick friend's doorstep and clean their bathroom. Read to a child. Help carry a load. Share a smile. Buy yarn for a single person who knits or crochets. Invite someone to Sunday School. Pray. Get a group together and do a mini makeover of someone's yard. Take a boy hunting. Visit a nursing home. Financial Counseling. Tell the truth in Love. Pray. Buy a cashier a soft drink. Write a letter to someone overseas in prision for their Christianity. Sponsor a child. Host a yard sale and donate the profits. Take tapes of worship services to the elderly or shut-ins who can't attend worship. PRAY!!! Adopt a missionary. Come along side a busy mother. PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Love. . .

2007-06-20T06:46:00.001-04:00

My Bible Study has been doing the Beth Moore study, Loving Well. It has got me thinking about what love really is.

Webster's Dictionary defines the kind of love I am talking about as - an unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others b : a person's adoration of God.

Is Love really an emotion? If it is an emotion is it somehow different from all other emotions?

I cannot sustain many emotions long term. I can be angry, but only for while, then the anger dissipates. I can be sad, but only for a season then the saddness mellows.

If Love is an emotion how can we be commanded to Love? Love must be something more than a chemical reaction, more than just a gut feeling. Love must be a choice. A choice we must make with the help of God.

The Cableman's Father's 76th Birthday

2007-06-16T22:59:00.001-04:00

We celebrated the Cableman's Father's Birthday this evening. It was a fun evening. Here is a picture of the Cableman, his Father and his 2 sisters, another brother was unable to attend and was missed.

This is a picture of my new wicker furniture purchased for the party. I bought it at the Goodwill for $60, after some paint and new pillows I think it looks pretty.

Here is another picture of the Cableman's sisters and Father and some random nephews in the background.

And for all of you who are wondering what So Loved - Kim looks like here is a self portrait.

Show and Tell

2007-06-14T22:06:00.000-04:00

Wanna share in the fun? Visit http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ and post your show and tell.

My Papaw was a professional photographer. He took pictures of weddings, proms and did family portraits in his basement. As a child I was fascinated by all of his equipment, but the thing that intrigued me the most was this light meter. Camera's have automatic light meters in them now, but I remember him putting this up to a person's face to get the settings just right.

Papaw passed away in 1981, the summer before my 13th birthday. I was the oldest grandchild and had spent the most time with him. When I was 2 they say I used to call him Bumpy. He was a tough old bird with a heart of gold. He loved my Nana with a passion. This Father's Day I will miss him and wonder what he would have thought of his granddaughter.

Thankful Thursday

2007-06-14T06:53:00.001-04:00

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

Today I am thankful for my Adult Bible Fellowship class. I have always longed for strong Christian relationships, and I have found them among the ladies in my ABF. They strengthen me, hold me up, love on me and exhaust me all at the same time. I love you ladies more than words can say.

Count it ALL Joy.

2007-06-13T06:57:00.000-04:00

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

James 1:2-7 NIV

Last night at Bible Study so many of my friends had so many burdens. My heart was very heavy for them. I spent a fitful night of concern for them. Perhaps it is because I have been there, in great pain and need. I know the feeling of struggle. I also know that I would not trade my struggles for all the money in the world. They have made me who I am, what I am. The season of pain and heartache may seem long, but oh, it is so beautiful on the other side. To have a heart that has been refined by the fire, to NEVER be the same again. No, I would not trade that for anything.

Don't misunderstand me. I am sinful and my heart is not pure or perfect, but it is softer than when my journey began. My faith is stronger than it used to be.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Hebrews 12:1-12 NIV

No, trials are not easy. They are not meant to be. My giants haven't always been laundry and dishes. There used to be a saying in strength training, "No pain, no gain." Well without pain our souls cannot gain either. It is not for "no reason" Jesus is called the perfecter of our faith.

I have learned this though, the sooner you recognize the trial and the sooner you put yourself on your face before God, the sooner He comes along side of you and helps you in the trial. Notice I did not say the sooner He removes the trial, which sometimes He does, I said the sooner He helps you in the trial.

Who would you rather have helping you? God? Or yourself?

I do NOT have all the answers, but I serve a God who does.

Hebrews 12:11 says, No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

It produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. This is so true.

Gabrielle the Beauty Queen

2007-06-12T15:40:00.000-04:00

The New Pool

2007-06-12T12:26:00.000-04:00

How to have a Yard Sale. . .

2007-06-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

I was going to post my tips on having a successful yard sale, when I realized that I got my information from the web. That being said, here are some sites to help you host a successful yard, tag or garage sale.

http://www.yardsalequeen.com/yardsale.htm
http://www.ifg-inc.com/Consumer_Reports/GarageSale.shtml
http://www.thelaboroflove.com/forum/dollar/33.html

Junk Extravaganza

2007-06-10T21:27:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I agreed to do a yard sale this weekend, yesterday as a matter of fact. Now yard sales are fun to go to, I love a good yard sale. However, hosting one is a whole different story. It is exhausting even under the best of circumstances, but I didn't stop to think (well I did think and it seemed like a good idea at the time) that this weekend was junk pickup in my neighborhood. I thought it would be easy, have the yard sale and put whatever we didn't sell out for junk day. Wellll. . . . . if that was all I had done things probably would have gone fine, but. . . (there's always a but isn't there?) I decided to clean out the basement too, so my once clean house is now a shambles. I never know when to stop. I was talking about giants the other day. Did you ever make your own giants? I have this weekend. Oh well, at least I'll sleep well, after all this hard work.

The Cableman's Boat.

2007-06-09T21:03:00.001-04:00

I got several questions yesterday about my Show and Tell picture, so here are the answers.

The boat slip is at Nolin River Lake in Leitchfield, KY.

No, we do not live on the lake we live in the suburbs of Louisville. I would love to live close to Nolin, but I don't really have to live on the lake.

I dream of having a "mini" farm. One where we can grow our own food, etc. However, the Cableman has been in his job for 18 years, and it would be difficult for us to find a job with the kind of benefits he currently has.

We have a pontoon on Nolin, with a canvas "tent" cover. We camp on the boat. We call it our "redneck" house boat. We can't afford a houseboat right now and we are trying to remain as debt free as possible and cannot justify the payments a houseboat would require. We have a little porta-potty on the boat for emergencies and no real shower. Sometimes we rent a campsite close to the marina so we can have a hot shower.

It's a lot of work taking 4 kids and a husband to the lake, but they love it so I do it. I enjoy fishing and riding in the boat, but am exhausted when I get home after a lake weekend.

The "Million Dollar" view is one of the perks of the lake.

Show and Tell Friday

2007-06-08T06:14:00.001-04:00

Kelli hosts Show and Tell every Friday, to get in on the fun go to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com

Today I wanted to show what I call our Million Dollar view. It is the view from our boat slip first thing in the morning. Isn't it lovely?

Update - The only reason we ever leave the lake is because Mom (that's me) gets kinda tired of roughing it. That and we can get kinda smelly after a while. LOL!!

Thankful Thursday

2007-06-07T06:57:00.000-04:00

I am Thankful for. . . .

The fact that once God starts chasing you there is no getting away from Him.

http://www2.bc.edu/~anderso/sr/ft.html. The poem "The Hound of Heaven".

Loving Well

2007-06-05T23:14:00.001-04:00

We started our Women's Bible Study tonight. I have never done a Beth Moore study. I'm must say that I wasn't sure what to expect. Now after having gone I'm very excited. Then when I got home my sister-in-law was on the phone and I asked her if she would like to go and she said yes. I've never really invited anybody to a Bible Study before, I'm very excited.

Kim and the Giants.

2007-06-04T14:10:00.000-04:00

Well the Lord and I knocked down a couple of those little giants today. I wouldn't have been able to do it except for Him. So many times I wanted to sit down and "rest". But I remembered something I read here. http://www.cmomb.com/the-sin-of-sloth/.

James 4:17 - Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

I know the good I ought to do. And if I don't do it simply out of laziness or being overwhelmed then I am sinning.

I was also inspired by Claudia O. at http://teenytinycabin.blogspot.com/who commented on my blog entry. Thank you so much for your encouragement.

So with the Lord's help I knocked out all the laundry, and cleaned my own bedroom (I am forever griping at the kids to keep theirs clean, time to practice what I preach.) and I cleaned the bathroom. And He motivated me to fix dinner for tonight, since I'm going to fellowship night with some ladies from ABF class.

Maybe just maybe I can get the Living Room done before I leave.

Blessing to all of you from the One who gives us strength.

Off to slay more little giants.

There are Giants in the land.

2007-06-03T13:49:00.000-04:00

Today in ABF we studied about the children of Israel coming at last to the promised land. God was reminding them of why they had to wander for 40 years. Partially because they kept looking back to Egypt, partially because they were unfaithful to Him and partially because they were afraid, and didn't trust Him.

What giants do I face that keep me from entering my promised land? Mountains of laundry, more clutter than should be allowed by law, whining children, overweight exhaustion. My giants seem insurmountable to me, as I write this my 6 year old daughter is whining in my ear. I'm tired.

Isn't it funny that no matter how many time we trust Him in the big things, it's sometimes the little things that pile up to make our giants.

Show and Tell Friday

2007-06-01T06:54:00.000-04:00

Ok, today's Show and Tell will be my mantel.

We have a "faux" fireplace and the mantel catches everything as soon as people walk in the door. So I decided to clear it off and start over . . .

Here is the before, the picture above the mantel was my Nana's (my grandmother). She was a great woman of faith and I am proud to have been her granddaughter. She passed away in 1994 before we had kids, but I know she would love mine. Ooops, sorry this is supposed to be about the mantel. Ok here it is blank.

Here it is with Stuff. . . please ignore the vaccum cleaner beside the mantel one of the kiddos had finished cleaning their rooms. I think the picture is too high. . . but maybe not.

If you would like to see more show and tell then head on over to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com.

Thankful Thursday

2007-05-31T09:13:00.001-04:00

Again, I am blessed. It's difficult to find one thing to be thankful for. . .
Today I choose. . .
My Savior. My Rock. My King.
If you've never heard S.M. Lockridge's sermon My King, it's worth a listen. If you have heard it then it's worth another listen.

An Adoption Story

2007-05-31T08:49:00.000-04:00

Someone asked me to share my adoption story. It is a LONG, beautiful story of God’s grace and provision. It is a story of His strength and His courage. You see if He weren’t a courageous God, and if He weren’t a God of ALL strength and power, then I could never have become a mother.

When I was 18 years old I had my appendices removed at that time they found a small ovarian cyst. I was told that it was normal and not to worry. Approximately 6 months later I had this horrible pain in my side and I went to the doctor. I had a cyst the size of a basketball on my ovary, they surgically removed it and said not to worry. Six month later I had a cyst the size of softball, they surgically removed it and said not to worry. And so it went for 4 more surgeries.

At 21 years old I got married. We began trying to conceive right away. After 3 months, at my regular check up I ask the gynecologist if I should be worried and she said probably not, but because of all the surgeries I had gone through she would just schedule a laparoscopy to “take a look”.

When I woke up they told me that I had lost one of my ovaries because it had twisted and became severely infected around and that they had done everything they could to save the other ovary, but I had a less than 5% chance of ever naturally getting pregnant.

Enter all the fertility procedures and drugs, it was a terrible time. We weren’t sure which things were acceptable to our faith and which things weren’t this was 14 years ago and the science was still pretty new. Now I don’t believe I would have tried IVF knowing what I know now, but that is only my own personal choice.

By the time we started looking into adoption we had spent most of our money and some of my parents money on the fertility treatments and at that time private adoptions were running about $15,000 to $20,000.

Enter the Cabinet for Children and Families. We decide that perhaps we would try to adopt a special needs child. We went to the Adoption Training, had a home study and opened our home for adoption and started waiting. This was around Christmastime in 1995. At that time the State was DESPERATE for foster parents, so they called us and conned us into becoming foster parents. I had always said that I couldn’t be a foster parent because it would hurt too much when the children left. But, (there’s always a but isn’t’ there) everything flowed so well that we agreed and within 3 days of opening our home we had a set of 2 year old twins. Then suddenly we had their 1 year old brother, then enter their 4 year old sister.

We were a family, at least we thought we were. Their birth mother was very low functioning and she told us that she would let us adopt them if she couldn’t get them back. They were in our home for 3 years.

Other children came and went but I had the four siblings to ease the pain of the leaving. It was difficult but God gives you the strength you need when you need it. He is a good and gracious God.

Then one day out of the clear blue sky they called us and asked if we could take a premature newborn whose mother had left her at the hospital. I jumped at the chance. I had never had a baby, we were thrilled beyond belief. She was beautiful. I was thrilled and life was good.

One month before the siblings were to have their parental rights terminated an Aunt and Uncle appeared and said that they wanted to take the siblings. Under this States old laws and the old Federal guidelines they were able to take them. After 3 years, they were just gone. I was devastated, but remember I said God is good. He left my baby with me, she was 3 months old and thriving, He gave us strength that we would have never had on our own.

Eleven more children came and went, I loved them all, but they weren’t meant to be mine. I trust Him for each of them. He loves them more than I ever could. My baby was still here with me. She was growing into a beauty!!

She made me laugh when there was nothing to laugh about, she gave me hope. One night I was praying. Begging God not to take my sweet little one, and I heard Him speak to my heart. It wasn’t audible, just quiet and firm and sure. “The child is yours.” From that moment forward I knew, and I gave her the name Danielle. Her birth name was very close to this, and we had always called her Danni. Danielle means God is My Judge, and He is the only one I trust to judge what child belonged in my home.

The State and Federal guidelines changed about this time. Danielle was 24 months old, and we were heading down the home stretch to adoption. The State started a new foster parenting pilot program and they asked us to be one of 15 families to test the program. It was called concurrent placement. It was for children who were working toward reunification and adoption at the same time. We said okay. So we stopped taking children in the regular foster program and opened our home to concurrent placement children only.

The thing about being in a new program is that it took awhile for any children to be chosen for the program. So we didn’t have any placements for a while. This was good, because we needed a break. We took our first vacation and enjoyed our daughter.

Danielle is bi-racial and my husband and I are both Caucasian , so we wanted her to have a sibling who was bi-racial like her. So I began to bug the Cabinet workers for another baby. I pestered them for 6 months and the answer was always the same. We don’t have any babies in the concurrent program right now.

I had started trusting the Cabinet to give me another child, instead of trusting the one who gave me Danielle. Isn’t it strange that we can trust God only so far? That when our wants overwhelm us that we stop trusting him and start trusting ourselves and others?

I had worked myself up into a real huff. I was in the parking lot at the local Meijer and I told God that He was in charge. I said “Lord I’m not going to worry about this anymore, if you want me to have another child, you will bring that child to me.” He must have been waiting for me to let go, because when I got home there were 4 messages on my answering machine. They had a baby and I needed to come down right away and get her. Needless to say I did, and that is how Gabrielle came into our home. (By the way, Gabrielle means the Lord is my Strength).

Danielle’s adoption was finalized and we were ecstatic. She was happy too she did a somersault , in the court room. (I don’t think she really knew what was going on , but we were all thrilled, including the judge.)

Gabrielle’s mother was a very young , very hurt, very confused girl. Life had not been good to her. She told us that she would give up parental rights to Gabrielle, as long as we adopted her, but there was a catch; we had to adopt her son too. You should have seen the look on the social worker’s face when she found out there was another child. Birth Mom had another child in a different state’s custody who was just 1 year and 10 days older. We agreed. It took some time to cut through all the red tape between states and get the boy here.

While we were working to getting Noah (Noah means Peace) from one state to another, my social worker called me. She said sheepishly “I don’t know how to tell you this (long pause) but Danielle’s mother just had another baby.” Hysterical laughter on my end of the phone. I couldn’t do anything but laugh. She said “Are you alright?” I told her that I was but that I had to talk to my husband about this new turn of events. Of course our answer was yes, and so Andrew Isaac came to be our child. (Isaac means laughter.)

Noah followed about 2 month later. The red tape took awhile but everything flowed like God had meant it to be so we were at peace.

We had 4 adoptions in 12 months and we were a family. We closed our home to foster children, our quiver was full and we started a new stage of life as permanent parents.

I told you the story was LOOOONG. But it is full of God’s grace and provision. We aren’t the perfect parents. But we tell the children that each and everyone of them is a gift from God.

Some things I learned from all this are:

You can’t always trust a social worker or a birth parent, but you can always trust God.
Even when things seem darkest, God is always working for your good.
God is in charge and nothing you can do will take that away from Him.

I’m tired from the telling, so I think maybe I’ll go grab the kids and we will watch a movie together. I hope my story has blessed and encouraged you. God is a good God, even when things don’t go the way you planned them.

APRONPALOOZA

2007-05-29T19:07:00.000-04:00

What a great idea. http://writer-mom.blogspot.com/

Check out this site. They are having a HUGE apron giveaway.

Constantly Amazed

2007-05-29T10:09:00.000-04:00

I am constantly amazed at God's good grace. Thank you Lord!! My husband and I are enjoying a renewal of our love and have entered a new period of getting to know one another again. I am so grateful for this and I would shout it from the highest points of the earth if I could but I am a pretty simple girl and I don't travel much so I will shout it from my blog.

Thank you Lord for the Cableman!!!

Memorial Day at the Lake.

2007-05-28T17:06:00.001-04:00

Another weekend of sun and fun. The lake was crowded and a little dangerous, especially when I was driving the boat. I'm not a very experienced driver and the boat got swamped when I drove it.

The Princesses Danielle and Gabrielle fighting off the Dread Pirate Noah.

Pirates board the ship and take the Princesses hostage.

Captain Cableman to the rescue.

Show and Tell Friday

2007-05-25T06:49:00.000-04:00

For more show and tell or to post your own head on over to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/

I wanted to show my bathroom. Since this weekend is a lake weekend, I thought "Hey why not show my Fishing Theme bathroom." I know it's weird to have a theme in a room, but my husband was complaining about not having any room reflect his personality. So I thought why not?

The picture came from Hobby Lobby, at one of their half price sales.

The shower curtain and towels came from good ole' Wal-Mart.

They say every home should have a little humor in the decorating. I guess mine is bathroom humor.

Have a blessed day!!

People to Pray for. . .

2007-05-24T12:53:00.000-04:00

I wonder what would happen if we prayed for those who curse us?

In that vein I'm gonna pray for these people.

2007-05-24T09:10:00.001-04:00

My hair looks just like this today.

Thankful Thursday

2007-05-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

This is my first Thankful Thursday. If I listed everything I was thankful for it would fill up the entire page and the entire day just listing them. So I'm going to pick one thing I am thankful for today. I'm thankful for my cousin Jennifer. She is a wonderful Christian woman. She is my sister in Christ. She is the "God-Mother" to my children. She is my confidante. She is my friend.

Thank you Lord for Jennifer.

Matthew 18:15 - 20

2007-05-21T23:04:00.000-04:00

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Jennifer Gill says that the Matthew 18 model ". . . is meant to be a tool to rebuke and call fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to repent and come back to the fold."

I personally am convinced that the church would suffer from much less "hypocrisy" if we practiced this model of conflict resolution. Notice that the first step is to go directly to the person who has wronged you. It doesn't say tell everybody what happened and make sure they are all on your side before you go to the person.

Show and Tell Friday

2007-05-18T06:52:00.000-04:00

This is my first Show and Tell Friday.

I wanted to show my little poodle, he was a Valentine's day present from my wonderful husband 2 years ago. His name is Valentino, and we call him Tino. He is my buddy. He follows me around all day and is utterly devoted to me.

To see more show and tells, visit

http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/

Nolin River Lake a Haunting History

2007-05-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

According to Trails.com and the story I heard as a kid goes:

The name Nolin comes from early area settlers. The settlers were over-nighting on the river, and a young girl named Lynn wandered away from the riverside camp and became lost. Other members of the group looked for her but to no avail, returning to camp day after day, uttering the words, “No Lynn,” giving the river and later the lake their names. The father, after giving up on Lynn, died of a broken heart.

However, according to the Army Corp of Engineers' Website:

The Nolin River is named for the early American explorer and Kentucky militia member, Benjamin Lynn. Serving under George Rogers Clark during the Revolutionary War, Lynn traveled to Illinois to spy on the British and Indian forces, and also played a pivotal role in the Northwest Campaign on 1778-79. Following his return to Kentucky, Lynn and several friends were camped in the Green River Area. Lynn became separated from his friends and could not be found for several days. Each night, they returned from the search reporting “No Lynn.” The river at which they camped became known as the Nolin.

http://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/nrl/article.asp?id=258

Either way it's an odd thing to name a lake that way.

Gas Prices and Gardening

2007-05-15T09:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Noah and I spent part of the day wandering around the local garden center dreaming of a huge garden. I'm really impressed with his love of plants. He asked if he could grow cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons and marigolds in the garden. I told him sure and we shelled out $4.50 for some more plants. He was very excited. He REALLY wanted to buy his Daddy an apple tree and surprise him by planting it, but I told him that he and his Daddy would have to take on that project.

This morning the news is reporting gas at $3.29 a gallon (they may as well say $3.30). I told the Cableman it was a good thing school is almost over and that we were homeschooling next year. It will be much less expensive on gas, not driving the kids back and forth to school everyday. And, it is a good thing we are putting in a garden since fresh fruit and vegetable prices are bound to go up!!

A Mother's Day Planting Extravaganza

2007-05-13T19:57:00.000-04:00

Today being Mother's Day my husband decided to give me something I haven't had in 8 years. Vegetable plants and a Rose bush. I'm so touched. Yesterday, he took me to Home Depot and let me pick any rose bush I wanted, I picked Blue Girl, I can't wait to Miracle Grow and love on it until it's HUGE!! Then last night when we came home he made me steak, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and a HUGE salad. I am the luckiest woman in the world.

Just look at what we planted.

Spearmint just for fun. I wanted to plant it beside the house on the little strip between the driveway and the house just like I remember having as a child, but our wonderful neighbor weed eats that spot for us and I didn't want to tell him to stop, so for now I'll just put it in this cute fairy pot I got at a yard sale last year for $3.

The cableman wanted Strawberries, I've never container grown Strawberries before I think they need a bigger pot.

I thought I had bought some Better Boys and Sweet 100's but when I got home all I had were Sweet 100's, oh well, hope they like cherry tomatoes.

Here is my attempt at an heirloom tomato. A Mister Stripey.

Here's the Cableman's Patio Tomato plant, we'll see, I'm a bit dubious.

And. . . Drumroll please. . .

My Blue Girl Rosebush. I'm so excited.

Didn't make it.

2007-05-12T08:31:00.000-04:00

Hello, my name is Kim and I'm a yard sale junkie. I slipped, I fell, I backslid. I went to several yard sales yesterday. I spent a whopping $10.50. I bought 2 TV trays, 4 terra cotta pots, 3 tennis balls, and an electric scooter. I got the scooter for $5. It was an amazing deal and probably worth at least $50, but the man said he just wanted to get rid of it.

I potted up 3 pots of "mixed" flowers and plan on giving one to my Mom for Mother's day, one to my secret sister on Sunday and keeping one for myself. The scooter is at my brother-in-law's, it will be a good project for him since he can't leave the house and a wonderful birthday present for Danielle if he can get it fixed. I'll use the tennis balls for the kids at the lake, since they float (or at least I hope they do) they can swim after them.

I did however overspend at a plant sale. There is a little old lady on the street behind one of our local Catholic churches who sells plants. I don't know if she does it to make ends meet or if she does it for a hobby, but somehow I let her talk me into $15 worth of plants. I usually don't let people talk me into things like that, but since she was older and I didn't know how much she needed the money I went along with her. I guess I'm just a sucker when it comes to old people.

Cutting the Clutter

2007-05-10T09:33:00.000-04:00

I have such an urge to go to a yard sale this weekend. I really want to poke around in other people's stuff and see what they are selling. To bring home a prize, something I can't live without, is my ardent dream. However, my bigger dream is to have a home that isn't cluttered with junk. So I will refrain from buying other people's junk and instead focus on cleaning out and decluttering the clothes. Man this is going to be hard. Please pray for me.