keep on, keeping on

I've been keeping busy with Devin's school, home care and such.
Then there's my health, which I've been battling with. I try not to get discouraged but I do feel sad and frustrated at times about the relapse I've had and to think of all the progress I made that's gone and I'm back at square one. At the time of my relapse I believe I was trying to many new foods to fast because I was feeling better and stronger but I wasn't being as careful as I should have been and now I'm suffering for it. There's still so much I need to learn about my condition and how my body reacts to foods. It's a real test of self disciple and not giving up. I am truly thankful for all the progress that I have made, I just need to keep on the right track and take things slow. I've made so many mistakes and I really beat myself up about it, but that's one thing I can't do, as they say worry and stress can cause an upset stomach and bad indigestion. So that's a little bit about what's going on with me. I don't like to talk about it to much because I don't want to sound negitive or depressed. It's just one of those things I'm learning to endure. So keep me in your prayers!

On a lighter note: Mike and me will be taking off to Sunny Cal. tomorrow to see friends and attained the seminar. It will be a nice break and so good to see everyone again, I've missed you so! I do hope I'll get a chance to see you all before we leave. Please pray for our flight that everything goes smoothly and I won't have any pain. Devin will be staying back with his grandparents and all the other wonderful people in our home. A big thank you to all who are staying back and keeping our homes running, enabling us to go. We couldn't have made it without you!


Here's just a few random pictures of Devin....I will miss him!

Fishy mouth...

Art & craft time, we made this baby chick outfit for him.


The curls!

Prayer

Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, let me sow pardon; where there is doubt, let me sow faith; where there is despair, let me sow hope; where there is sadness, let me sow joy; where there is darkness, let me sow the light.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
O, Master, that I may not seek to be consoled but to console; not to be understood but to understand; not to be loved but rather to love; For it is in giving that we will receive; and in forgiving that we are forgiven; and in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Hard at work

Mike does a lot of work around the yard and I always manage to miss it as I'm in the house teaching. So the last few days I snuck out with camera in hand to get some shots of him at work... he won't like this one bit. 

Here's our new truck we got from a friend.

Zech, Mike and Andre spent an afternoon, tuning, cleaning and repairing it.


Yes, we have a boat on our property, not ours but it's here for now. And there's Mike working on digging a *leach line.
(*is that how you spell it?)


Hard work out in the hot sun!

school stuff

I've been teaching Devin in our living room for awhile until recently we got a new school desk for him....yeay! He really like it and it seems to inspire him to have more fun doing his school. Although he does get frustrated with the writing he has to do. He's a very good reader but when it comes to writing sentences, he lacks that inspiration. It's funny, sometimes he'll start yawning saying he's tired and then he begins to stretch his hands and fingers after very line he writes, which actually is something I taught him, just not after every line he writes though ha!
So I came up with a reward system, where after he finishes one page of writing without yawning and making excuses, he can then go over to this picture board of a park and place a person or animal on it. This has helped improve his work and he goes much faster so he can place something on the board.
He's doing very well in his reading and has finished 7 "Tommy & Meg" readers already. I'm so thankful it's going well. I love that little guy!

Play ball

Here's some pictures of the volleyball game.

Mike the wonderful host and cook.


Teens hanging out

We didn't have anything except the ball, so the guys put up those poles in the ground, tied a red rope across, outlined the court with hoses and in a matter of minutes we had a volleyball court, ha! You've got to make do with what you've got!

  Mike took some time today to fix up that area.We'll get a nice net and maybe even sand. It'll take a little time but in the end it should look like a nice court.

Happy Birthday Devin

Monday we celebrated Devin's 6th birthday. In the morning grandpa & grandma gave Devin his present; a soccer ball and lego car. Thanks guys,he really like them.


Later on everyone showed up and Mike got the grills going with some fine food and we all sat around the deck talking while the kids took off to explore and do those things that kids do. After awhile my mom (bless her soul) got them together to play a few games which they liked, as I worked on Devin's cake. Then the food was ready...yeay! And everyone enjoyed the bbq.


Then Mike and me presented Devin with his new bike. He was really hoping for one as he told me that he was getting tired of riding Aime's pink bike, ha!

Time for some cake and ice cream! When I asked Devin what kind of cake he would like he said he would like a banana cake with stawberry ice cream. "hummm.. really?" I said to which he answerd " Yes mommmy, I like my fruits!"
So that's what we had. Everyone seemed to enjoy it Thank God, I know Devin did.


He had dinosaurs on his cake as that's what he's into right now.


Later in the evening some of the guys played volleyball which I will post pictures of at a later time.
Happy 6th Birthday Devin!

Getting things ready

We will also be celerbrating Devin's 6th birthday tomorrow, as there will be more kids here and I think it would be more enjoyable for him. So I planned some fun games and activities for all the kids...I just hope everything thing turns out alright. I love planning parties but sometimes my body can't keep out with my mind, so I'm learning to take things at a slower pace and that not everything has to be "Go go!" But I'm thankful I have a house full of wonderful people that help me out, so my mind is at peace.

School starts

Yes... today Devin did his first pages in his first grade books! I was going to wait until Labor Day weekend was over to begin his school but he was just so excited when he heard he got new books he wanted to start right away, so we did some pages today.
I'm going with the ACE home schooling program. I did it last year with him and he did very well and enjoyed it too. Here's a little bit about it.
"Accelerated Christian Education know as ACE, has taken the conventional textbook and divided it into bite-sized, achievable, worktexts called PACEs. Each PACE is more or less equivalent to a chapter in a textbook. Each level consists of 12 PACEs in each subject.

PACEs integrate character-building lessons into the academic content and are carefully designed to develop thinking skills and create mastery learning. Students begin their PACE work by reciting their goals-the concepts they will learn, a Bible verse, and a corresponding character trait. From the very beginning they know what is expected and they assume the responsibility for their own learning!
From its beginning, Accelerated Christian Education has maintained high Biblical and academic standards and remained committed to setting children on a path for success. The goal is the same today: to prepare children for the world today and give them the academic and spiritual tools necessary to achieve their God-given potential.

Accelerated Christian Education's concepts are based on the following Five Basic Laws of Learning:

• A child must be at a level where he can perform.
• He must have reasonable goals.
• His learning must be controlled, and he must be motivated.
• His learning must be measurable.
• His learning must be rewarded."

If your interested or want to know more about them,their web site is "Schooloftomorrow.com"
Devin showing off his new books.... I'm so thankful he likes his school!