Hunting or Working. . That is the Question!

Micah was saying goodbye to the kids and myself before heading into a Wed. night meeting at the office.  He leaned over to say goodbye and kiss Jameson and Jameson said, "you going to work again?"  Micah said yes, I am.  Then Jameson said, "you taking your gun. ..you taking your gun and arrow? . . . Where is your gun and arrows?"  Micah got this dazed and confused look on his face and all of a sudden it hit me.  Jameson thinks that Micah is WORKING when he is HUNTING.  So, we had a good laugh and then explained to him that when Micah works, he is not hunting and vice versa.  :)  hahah.

Last Day of School Year - First Year Homeschooled - 2014/2015

Wow we did it!  We survived a year of homeschooling, our first year!  There were so many crazy days and sad days and lazy days and busy days and yelling days and field trip days and so many just DAYS!  183 school days accomplished to be EXACT!  I am sorry for all the exclamation marks but I was as excited to be done as they were. . because it meant we had accomplished something I was not sure could be done. . . . .we made it through the entire year of homeschooling and actually ended up with a well rounded year of education!
Honestly with all that we had hit us in this first year of homeschooling, I was pretty sure we would not survive it but. . . praise be to God and God alone, we did!  We brought a new baby home in December and Daddy was injured and had life changing surgery in February.  We also had Jameson come back to stay with us again in April.  It was a year for new beginnings and trials all in its own but then it also was a year of many victories!!!! 

Some of the things we accomplished were surprising to me too.  I plan to do a portfolio book of each year that we homeschool for the kids to keep for themselves but I had to at least address something so big in our lives in this blog. :)

Some of my favorite pros to being home and homeschooling my kids: Seeing them more often and spending more time with them, knowing the ins and outs of what they were DEALING with on a daily basis, watching them learn and retain, reading to them (when the volume in our house allowed such things), field trips, meeting their friends and hanging out with them, and the FREEDOM we had to choose when and if we were doing school on any certain day!

Lots of these days where we were sad and crying and frustrated. . . .and then lots of these days where we were happy and excited to learn. . .

Ending with these happy faces at the end of the year!  Last Day of school year 2014/2015 - May 22, 2015!

First Love vs. Math Tutor

Well Danielley this is a shout out to you!  So, background story is that my son doesn't really like to do math.  I don't blame him because it is not my favorite past time either.  The other part of the story is that my main reason for homeschooling is to try and get him excited about learning again, period.  I wanted him to feel more confidence in his own abilities and to feel uplifted and smart.  I wanted him to WANT to learn again.   So, after a very frustrating year, math wise, I called out for help!  I called dear sweet Danielle Shadle, my little man's FIRST TRUE LOVE. ;) I asked if she would tutor him once a week to see what she thinks we can do to help him.  She was more than willing to see what she could do to help.

So, today was the first day.  I dropped him off and she told me to go and take an hour to shop or just run errand.  When I came back, he was all smiles.  He had obviously been made to feel VERY special!  He wanted to show me all he had done and he was so proud that he had finished his math.  As we were walking to the car, she mentioned maybe having a sleepover for fun sometime in the near future with him and Ava.  :)  Then we said our goodbyes and got in the car.

The entire ride home and throughout the rest of the evening I heard the following statements and some of them were repeated numerous times:

"mom, can we do that again sometime?!"          EXCITMENT
"mom, that was so fun!  I did ALL my work!       EXCITMENT - CONFIDENCE
"Wow, I did all my work before you got done and I was sooooo fast!"  CONFIDENCE - PRIDE
"Can you text daddy to tell him I did ALL my work?     PRIDE - SELFWORTH
"hey, can I take my work along to do when we have our sleepover?!"   EXCITMENT
"mom I got the answers right!!!!  Danielle helps me!  I can't believe it!"     PRIDE - SELFWORTH

The list goes on, but I think that in one session he felt all the things I have been praying for him to feel all year!  God knew what he was doing by putting that little lady in our lives and his life for sure!  :)  She has a way of making him feel special and loved and cared about!  I love that and appreciate that!  Thanks Danielley and Nate, I know you know this, but you are a blessed man! :)  She is blessed too.  Good thing you snatched her up and married her when you did cause he was ready to swoop in and make his move! ;) 

I hope that little man continues to grow in his hunger to learn and work on learning while enjoying what he is learning! Thank you Jesus for a new rejuvenation! Feeling so ready for next year!

Jamers Homecoming!

Oh sweet boy, the journey! :)  As previously stated in some past entries, we are now able to see you more than we ever thought possible.  So fun to get to see you at the stage we are and interacting with you.  You are very funny.  Anyway, a few weeks ago, your mom stopped responding to our texts and phone calls. I was even facebooking her and no response.  I was keeping in contact with your grandma and aunt Wene and neither of them heard from her either.  So, the past week has been the most we have been missing you. I think I mentioned it to Micah and he to me at random times last week too.  Yesterday I was putting away a pair of your socks and Kaydence said, "that Jameson's?  Is he coming today mama?"  I sighed and said probably not but we should pray for him wherever he is.  On Monday Christian and I were at the store and he saw a hot wheels car and asked if he could buy it for Jameson. I let him, not figuring when he would see you and get it to you!  Then yesterday, lunch time, I was praying for you and asked God again to spare you from your hard life sometime soon or change your circumstances.  I guess God had you heavy on all our hearts for a reason.

Then it happened. I got the call.  Your grandma called me in a panic.  Seems that long story short, your mom had dropped you and your brother and sister off at your dad's motel room three weeks ago.  She told you she would be back the next day, and had an accident in the car.  She never came back.  Three weeks later, (today) your sister snuck you and your brother out and walked you across town to aunt Wene's house begging her not to make you go back to either parents house.  She was so brave.  You didn't have any shoes and she carried you most of the way.  She said you guys had slept on motel room floor and that she found drugs and lots of other bad things going on.  The ball started rolling and calls were made to CYS.  We called, your aunt called and even your mom called to ask the kids to go to foster care so as to be safe from your dad.  We just prayed and prayed for all things to come to light.

Fast forward to today. . . . . I got a call a little after lunch, asking if we were open to taking you into our care.  We said "of course, there is ALWAYS a spot for him."  then they said they had to try and keep siblings together but they would really work on letting us get you.  We can't take your siblings because we already have a full house they said.  At 2:30 the best call ever came. . . . . CAS called to say you were coming into care and we were to come and get you, that you were waiting there for us. :)   PRAISE GOD!!!!  Micah and I both cried and thanked them and God right there on the phone!  You were coming home to us sweet boy, our son was coming home!!!!!

Micah went to get you and then they had to run you to urgent care.  You were scabie free and lice free.  Micah had you face time me and you kept saying, "hi Chelle!"  they said while you were waiting for us, they asked you if you wanted to go live with Chelle and Micah and you screamed YEAH!  hahahah

When you walked in that door, you ran and half jumped in my arms and the biggest hug ever!  It was the best homecoming ever and so long of a wait!  Three years and one month too long!!!!!! 

Survey By Evan Smith

QUESTIONS FOR PARENTS:

1. Describe your personal faith journey? What experiences were significant in your personal spiritual formation? Did you come to know Christ as a child? What was your church experience like as a child?

wow, where do I begin.  My personal Faith Journey is still very much in process, as we speak!  So many times have been pivotal but I would start with I was born and raised hearing about God and Jesus.  I was raised in church every time the doors were open.  We attended a few different denominations and I really enjoyed seeing how each denomination was different in how they all worshiped.  The best part was realizing they ALL believe Jesus was the son of God who had died for our sins and saved us.  Some very significant personal spiritual formations would be one we are going through right now. I believe God is calling us to adopt three beautiful amazing little girls and keep them as our own.  They are sweet and at this point that I am writing this, we have had them for 18 and a half months.  They are all 2 years and under and our house has seriously been blessed by them but also seriously been turned upside down with the baggage that came along with them and their situation.  Our hearts are torn on what to do, as to weather to adopt or just foster and allow someone else to adopt.   Just this past Saturday, I gave up in my heart. I had been pleading with God to talk to me and show me what he wanted us to do, but I had finally said, “we are done, I have nothing else to give.  ON Monday we will tell the social workers we are done and they will have to find another family.”  This was completely out of feelings of exhaustion, chaos, frustration and being overwhelmed.  I called my dad and told him that we were going to a church the next day and we had specifically asked someone to pray over little girls.  I asked him to pray that if God wanted the girls to stay, he would have to speak through someone before we called on Monday.  At church, the pastor got a word from God.  He had heard nothing about our situation and yet he was given a word picture.  He saw me in a field and having a dream but afraid to go forth with it.  He said God wants me to step into the beautiful field and he would basically do the rest.  That God wanted me to do what I was born for, and minister to children.  He said God said i was overwhelmed and he mentioned a few other confirming things to me, and I knew,. . ..I knew what we were supposed to go through with the adoption.  I was not promised that it would be easy, but I knew I was being told to continue.  I found a song that I am going to end with.  I was typing this and letting music play in the background and this is the song I came across.  I won’t say I am not scared and overwhelmed still, but I do know I was born for such a time as this. . . . .  To God be the Glory!

Mandisa - Born for This

Feels like I've been holding my breath

Trying to still my restless heart

Everything hangs on my next step

Finding my nerve, playing my part

I found shelter underneath His crown

Found favor inside His eyes

Rock this boat and I just might drown

Honesty seemed to come with a price

There's a time to hold your tongue

Time to keep your head down

There's a time but it's not now

Sometimes you gotta go uninvited

Sometimes you gotta speak

When you don't have the floor

Sometimes you gotta move

When everybody else says you should stay

No way, no, not today

You gotta ask if you want an answer

Sometimes you gotta stand apart from the crowd

Long before your heart could run the risk

You were born for this, hey

You were born for this

I'm leaning on the ones before me

My father's father's dreams

I'm standing on the top of their shoulders

Calling the One, delivering me

There's a time to hold your tongue

Time to keep your head down

There's a time but it's not now

Sometimes you gotta go uninvited

Sometimes you gotta speak

When you don't have the floor

Sometimes you gotta move

When everybody else says you should stay

No way, no, not today

You gotta ask if you want an answer

Sometimes you gotta stand apart from the crowd

Long before your heart could run the risk

You were born for this, hey

You were born for this

One step, one move, born to trust You

Made to lay my life before You

So I gotta go uninvited

Sometimes you gotta speak

When you don't have the floor

Sometimes you gotta move

When everybody else says you should stay

No way, no, not today

You gotta ask if you want an answer

Sometimes you gotta stand apart from the crowd

Long before your heart could run the risk

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/mandisa/born-for-this-lyrics/#RSC2yUEZVtXJftJ0.99

1. How often do you attend church as a family?

unfortunately, we attend as a partial family.  my husband and I take turns taking the older ones to church on Sunday.  We alternate Sundays since we have two babies at home and one of us stays home with them!  The kids go most Sundays one way or another.  

1. How does your child feel about their church experience?  

They both like church and their friends and their classes. :)  They seem to really like the lessons and songs they sing too and they love the church kids choir they are involved in!

1. How often do you talk about faith as a family? (i.e., Do you have a formal time of family devotions? How and when do you talk about faith matters with your child? When do you pray as a family? When do you pray with your child?)

We home school for the main point of being able to instill in the kiddos the things WE find important and our Faith in God is one of those big parts of our curriculum.  I would say we talk  about God and our faith as a family very often.  We try to make it a very practical way to bring God and the Bible into our everyday lives!  Sometimes as far as official Devotions, it is a hit and miss but I would say a few times a week as a family.  We pray at meals, and at night before bed.  We also pray at random times of the day, like if our house is really stressed out, we will stop and pray sometime, calling out for peace and calm :)

1. What questions has your child asked about God?

My 9 year old daughter asks me sometimes, as we are reading books on slavery and martyrs and other sad tragedies, why God allows people to hurt.  Why does He not stop the pain and fix the situations.  She also asks why it seems when she prays about slavery over sees with young children to go away, why he doesn’t make it go away. :(

My 8 year old son asks a lot why God doesn’t heal people when we pray.  :(  I know these are questions I myself have asked and I am hoping to teach them, as I am still learning myself, that GOD KNOWS all and so he does what is best and also that this is not a perfect world, so bad things still happen but all will be better in Heaven!!!!

1. Do you know if your child has accepted Jesus Christ as his/her Savior? 

yes, my daughter Ava asked Jesus in her heart one day at age 3 1/2 while riding in the car with me.  We were listening to some music and the song talked about Jesus being in our heart.  We had talked to her a lot about Jesus but weren’t really sure at all that she was near that part.  So, after the song was over she spoke up and said, “mama, I Have Jesus in my heart!” I started questioning how she did it and what it meant and she said to me, “well, I just said Jesus get in my heart please!”  :)  She later talked through it more and she definitely understands it now better at age 9 years than she did then but it was super sweet and I am sure it made Jesus smile that this little 3 year old wanted Him in her Heart. :)

Christian also asked Jesus in his heart at a young age! He had been talking about it a lot to me.  and finally said he wanted to ask Jesus in his heart. We walked through the prayer of salvation and as normal, he received a better understanding with age.  However, he did seem to grasp that his heart should change because Jesus was now in his Heart.  A year ago, I heard him talking to my, at the time newly turned 2 year old, and she was eating her lunch at her high chair.  he asked her if she knew what sin was and if she knew who Jesus was.  Then, he asked her if she wanted Jesus in her heart so she could go to Heaven with him.  She of course said Yes, and he then gathered her little hands and prayed with her to ask Jesus in her heart. :)  So I think he got it.  I was a bystander the entire time.  Now our 2 year old tells people she KNOWS Jesus and he is in her heart!!!!

QUESTIONS FOR CHILD/CHILDREN (You may choose to interact with siblings if you desire to do so. Also feel free to adapt these questions depending on the age of the child. Also, remember that children are more likely to respond to you if you are using your hands in some way like, drawing, coloring, building, etc.)

1. How would you describe God?

Ava - Age 9 - “Creator of the Earth.  He sent his son to die for our sins on the cross.  He is God, Holy Spirit and Jesus.  He holds our hands everyday. “  Then she wrote the following on her white board later, so I scribbled it down:

- God is God

- God is I am

- God is the most Best friend I ever Had

- God helps us when we need him

- God never Lies

- God is powerful

- God is thoughtful

Christian - Age 8 -  “God is powerful and helpful, and He saved us.  He helps me do homework and when I took my shot He helped me not feel a thing because he is strong.  He Helps me not be scared and He heals me.”

1. How do you think God feels about you?

Ava - He is happy for me to love others and for sharing.  He thanks me for loving and protecting my foster sisters.  He thinks i need to work on not fighting with my brother.  God is proud of me and Loves being my Friend.  I think he thinks I will grow up to be a fine mother. :)

Christian - He thinks I am handsome when I get dressed.  He likes when I read my Bible.  

1. Who is Jesus and what do you know about Him?

Ava - Jesus is the Song of God.  Jesus died on the cross for people who didn’t even like him, but he still tried to save them.  He is the owner of Heaven and Earth and the way to Heaven is by Him.  Jesus LOVES everybody.  

Christian - Jesus is the son of God.  He NEVER sinned.

1. Who is the Holy Spirit?

Ava - He is God and Jesus.  He helps us when we are fighting Satan.  He tells me right from wrong.

Christian - Jesus

1. What does Heaven look like? Could you draw a picture of Heaven for me?

Ava - The biggest house on Earth but bigger and bigger with golden streets and gold everywhere.  Streets full of gold.  Animals don’t eat animals in Heaven.  Heaven is the most beautiful place ever!

Christian - Neat!  Has lots of angels flying around.  Water running.

1. What questions do you have about God? Jesus? Heaven?

Ava - Do animals go to Heaven?

         Why sometimes when we pray do bad things still happen?

Christian - why when I pray does not Jesus make me better right away?

1. Do you know what sin is?

Ava - Sin is like lying.  Satan tempts us to sin.  If Jesus hadn’t died on the cross for our sins, they would take us over.  We would all go to Hell.

Christian - Sin is when you lie, not telling the truth.  if you chew gum and you tell someone it is not gum, then you lie.

1. What does it look like when you spend time with God?  

Ava _ when I spend time with God, he always listens to me when I talk.  He knows how I feel.  I spend time with God when I sing and worship, and go to church and read my Bible.

Christian - I pray all the time and i read my Bible.  I pray when I go to bed, so I have good dreams.  I want to be like Moses to serve God.