Progress!

Jon may be without income, but he is certainly not without work! My amazing husband has been working over-time on improvements to our small home.

In addition to drywalling, mudding and painting, he also found time to create some much needed shelving for our dining area. I love my handy-man!

Jon is scheduled for a job interview this week. Please join us in prayer that we will clearly discern God's will regarding my husband's future employment. Thanks for allowing us to share our lives with you!

Silly Sisters!

Both of these silly sisters have November birthdays!

Just a few weeks ago, our friendly, caring and energetic middle child celebrated her 10th birthday with family and friends. She had a fun paper-crafting party where each of her guests created a cute scrapbook, complete with pictures, out of paper-sacks and decorative paper. What an amazing young lady she is becoming!

Tonight is the eve of my youngest child's 7th birthday. My, how quickly time has passed! Seven years ago, we spent Thanksgiving Day at home with a jaundice baby undergoing light therapy. That precious baby girl has grown into a sweet, gifted red-headed, blue-eyed beauty! She has enriched our lives with her frequent singing, little love notes, quick wit and radiant smile!

Both of these silly sisters also recently had very positive conferences with some awesome teachers who had lots of great things to say! I am one proud mama!

"I have no great joy than to hear

that my children are walking in the truth!"

III John v.4 NIV

All Is Well!

Thankfully, all members of our family are feeling better and our busy routine is in full swing.

Middle school conferences were last week. It was a pleasure meeting N's teachers and hearing all the wonderful, positive comments about our son and his school performance thus far. I know those things to be true, but there is something extra special when other people notice as well!

G started basketball practice a few weeks ago. She is enjoying the challenge of learning new skills and working as part of a team. She is one determined young lady! Tonight, I enjoyed watching their first public debut. It was the Cougars vs Prairie Ridge! (Did I mention that we are the Prairie Ridge Cougars?) Everyone was a winner! Thirty-one 4th and 5th grade girls and all had play time!

Our little A is so happy to be back to school after missing a full week! I am not convinced that she is 100% yet, but she is improving! As I write, I am listening to her cough in her sleep and am petitioning our Lord for total healing!

As of tomorrow, Jon will be laid-off from work. He has a few possibilities for more temporary work that he will be exploring. One thing I know for sure, he isn't very good at sitting around. I am positive that he will find something to occupy his time and, hopefully, to contribute to our personal economy. Once again, we covet your prayers in this matter!

I have some exciting news to share! Most of you know that in addition to tutoring, I sell an amazing line of children's books. Last week, I had the privilege of becoming a verified supporter of Toys for Tots. This enables me to collect cash donations for TFT which, in turn, will be used to purchase books and activity kits for needy children in my community. Usborne Books is matching the donations by 50%! So TFT will receive 150% of the contributions raised in excellent, entertaining books and fun-filled activity kits. It is such a gift to be able to give!

As we approach another season of thanksgiving, we are rejoicing in the little things and trusting God in all things - because in His hands, all is well!

The Flu in K'zoo

It is just after 8 am on this warm, wet October weekday. One child is already at school. The other two.....sound asleep in bed?!!

The elementary school has been canceled for the rest of the week! The letter sent home regarding the closing stated that the building was closing due to a high number of students absent reporting flu or flu-like symptoms.

The Health Department confirmed that H1N1 is in "full swing" in our county.

Our family has had our share of sickness in the past several weeks: from sinus infections to strep throat to the flu. Our county's Health & Community Services states that "symptoms of H1N1 typically include a fever above 100, cough, sore throat, achiness, headache, chill, fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting."

The local media has really jumped on this claiming that over 50 schools across the area are closed due to H1N1. But is that really the case? My personal opinion is that schools are closing because of high numbers of absentees.

Regardless, my girls and I will spend part of the morning disinfecting our home. After personally experiencing miserable flu-like symptoms for the past 3 days, I want to do whatever I can to help keep the ones I love healthy!

Cover those coughs! Wash those hands! It has only just begun!

Back to Work

This was a busy week! In addition to a week-long birthday celebration, this was also my first week back to work in three months! And was it ever a challenge!

None of us were feeling our best and I was concerned that I would have to take a sick day or two either for a child or for myself. But we put on our game face and persevered. I did allow some important parts of my daily routine to slide, and hope to fit them back into my mornings by rising an hour earlier starting next week. All in good time and better health!

It was great to be surrounded by such amazing, positive staff and these truly wonderful children. I am looking forward to seeing much growth and progress and can't wait to jump into action!

Twelve Candles

This past week, we celebrated N's 12th birthday!

We have a special birthday tradition of doughnuts, candles and gifts at the crack of dawn. Our tradition required some adjustments to accommodate new work and school schedules. So after some serious pondering, we decided to kick off the birthday week with our Birthday Doughnut Celebration on the Sunday before the birthday. Instead of our traditional song, we sang "Happy Birthweek to You!" and allowed one present to be opened. A few days later, on N's actual date of birth, we enjoyed a great after-school visit from some out of town family and a wonderful dinner out to Logan's with more family. Even his teachers got in on the celebration, or so it seemed - no homework!!!

It has been an amazing privilege to parent N and a joy to watch him grow, learn and mature. We are so proud of our son and we love the person he is becoming! Children are a blessing!

1st Grade, 4th Grade and Middle School! Oh, My!

I love September!

Cooler temperatures,

falling leaves,

new tennis shoes,

and six uninterrupted hours of quiet!

Ahhh! So refreshing!

The kids seem to be enjoying it as well! The girls are happily sporting their new outfits and N is ear-to-ear grins with his new middle school I.D. card around his neck! Middle school?

How did that happen?

N starts his day very early and is at the bus stop around 6:30 am. He metamorphosed into a responsible, independent young man before my very eyes! I have never felt more proud and sad at the same time! He likes changing classes, having extensive lunch options and meeting new friends. Not so crazy about the homework, though! I can't say that I blame him there - the other night we spent over two hours together working on math!

This is G, my young Nancy Drew wanna-be! (This summer, she read every Nancy Drew novel that she could find on the shelves of our local library!) She is loving life as a 4th grader and wishes she could do N's math homework for him! She loves a challenge! G has enjoyed reacquainting with old friends and making new ones.

Our little A is also very fond of school! She is proud, spirited and independent. She has "the best teachers, in the best class, in the best school in the whole world!"

Jon and I are so blessed with our three happy, brilliant, amazing children!

"We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us - one gracious blessing after another."

John 1:16 NLT

Employment Update!

Jon was laid off of work a week or so before Labor Day which meant that we were able to spend the kids' last week of summer break and the holiday weekend together as a family! What a blessing!

Earlier, I shared the possibility of Jon going to Texas. It was a "no-go"! We had prepared for the worst, but were graced with the best! Thursday before the holiday, Jon received a call to return to the welding work on Tuesday! It could not have worked out better!

I am looking forward to returning to "the best job ever" this coming week! And I am so thankful for God's provision during my hiatus this summer and for the gift of being able to be home with my kids!

A Run Well Done!

This morning, G and her Aunt Suzanne competed in the Grape Lake 5k. G took 1st place in the "Under 10 - Girls" catagory! Way to go, girl!

Counting My Blessings

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Colossians 1:11-14

Once again, my husband Jon has worked himself out of a job! I told him he was too efficient! On Friday, he interviewed with a construction temp agency. They have a job for him………in Texas!

For the past month, he had been working three hours away, which left me single-parenting Monday through Friday. I couldn’t help but wonder if this situation was just God preparing us for something more. It now appears that I was just getting my feet wet!

My frustration, tears and disappointment have passed and I am now resolved to make the best of the situation. There is so much for which I have to be thankful: a home, food, clothing, two vehicles, paid bills, abundance, family, health and work when so many go without. Contentment is relative. For as many as have more, newer, bigger and better than me, many more have less, older, smaller and worse. But, have or have-not, we all can have Christ.

Christ Jesus is every girl’s dream come true – to be known, to be loved, to be accepted, to be rescued by a prince. For that, I am so thankful.

A Big Fish Story

It was a quiet Sunday morning and not many campers were aroused. Jon, N and G grabbed some poles and headed out onto the lake. Jon cast out a line and had a bite before he could pass the pole, so he set the hook and told N to start reeling! It was a fighter! When the fish broke water, N froze. Jon shouted "Reel! Reel!" Did I mention that they were in a paddle boat? Without a net? When the fish surfaced close to the boat, Jon reached down and grabbed it by the mouth! They paddled into shore, took a few quick pics (Thanks, A.L.) and released her back to the lake as she was full of eggs. Jon claims she was a 21" large-mouth bass! And my son, well, he was the envy of the lake!

Good "Buy", Grocery Challenge!

The All-You Grocery Challenge has come to an official end. My exit form is submitted and the winner will soon be chosen. But that is not the end. Win or lose, we are all winners! I resolve to take those practical tips and new insights gleened from the challenge and "bank-roll" them into my coupon cutting, deal seeking, money saving repertoire! This is just the beginning!

My Top 3: Skimp? Not me!

There are few things that bring me more satisfaction than scoring a great deal. However, I firmly believe that there are some places where paying more pays.

• Skin Care - I love my pricey, never-goes-on-sale moisturizer! Over the years in an attempt to be more frugal, I have tried many other brands. I begrudgingly use them up so that I can skip back to the mall to exchange my big, green dollars for a small, green jar.....of perfection.
• Tennis Shoes - My husband recently shared that his grandpa used to say "If my back hurts, it's time for new boots". When it comes to tennies - quality, good support and comfort trump price. Other people pay between $40 and $70 for my preferred brands of tennies for the family! I wait until they go on sale at Kohls! Combine the sale with an extra 15% off (or more) coupon and they are under $25. I have even found them clearanced at 80% off!
• Trash Bags - Silly, I know, but I can't tell you how many times I have skimped on quality and ended up with sticky, stinky garbage all over my kitchen floor! We have also tried lining small trash cans with repurposed plastic grocery bags.....great exercise lifting and walking to the dumpster 10x's each day.....but not for us! Still, I won't pay full price. I scout the ads and save the coupons. Have you ever been to Meijer for a sale item and the shelf is empty? Yeah, I got there first!

So there you have it - My Top 3: Skimp? Not me! Its gotta be quality!

Joy in Sacrifice!

Earlier, I shared that Jon will be working out of town for a week! I must shamefully admit that my immediate thought was not "Oh, no! I am going to miss him so much!", but rather, "Oh, no! He's going to blow my grocery budget!"

Last night, Jon shared that he very well may be working out of town for the duration of the grocery challenge!

I love a challenge!

I asked him if he thought he could live on $50/week. He said "Maybe". I asked "What if I send you with a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly, chips, a bag of apples, coffee and raman noodles? Could you supplement that for less than $50?" Now, my husband, being the wise man that he is, rarely agrees to my requests without full disclosure of my personal expectations. So he asked "Do I have to save receipts and keep track of everything?" to which I replied, "Nevermind!"

Sometimes, he suprises me. He looked at me, sighed and resigned himself to my request. "I'll do it for you!"

Actually, he does a lot "just for me". He works long, laborous days to support our family. He sacrifices time and interests to provide. He tackles my "honey-do list" when he would rather rest. He hangs out with the kids without complaint. And he does it all with joy!

He may very well "blow" my grocery challenge budget! But I'll take him over saving a few bucks any day!

A Household Favorite!

Cranberry-Glazed Chicken is on the menu for tonight! I am excited as this is one of my favorite meals and it has been a while since I last made it. If you or your kids are a fan of sweet and sour chicken, then this simple version is worth a try!

1# boneless chicken
salt and pepper
1 T butter/margarine (I use olive oil)
3/4 c cranberry sauce (1/2 can)
1/4 c chili sauce
1/4 c apple juice
1 T brown sugar (I skip this)

Pound each chicken piece to flatten slightly (optional). Sprinkle w/ salt and pepper to liking. Brown in butter (oil). Mix other ingredients in bowl and pour into pan. Simmer, covered, 15 mins. Remove cover and boil until sauce reaches desired thickness.

This recipe was given to me by my Aunt Martha. I am not sure of the original source, but it's official name is "Festive Company Chicken". I double the recipe and cook my chicken thoroughly before adding the sauce to the pan.

My Newest Challenge!

The All You Grocery Challenge! Last month, I registered as a participant in this challenge which started Monday, July 13. As a participant, I agreed to commit to feeding my family of five on less than $125 per week and save my receipts. Easy, huh? Did I mention that includes eating out? You can follow my progress for the next 3 1/2 weeks....

This challenge did not begin quite the way I had hoped, but such is life! On Monday, I made an unplanned stop for lunch. It totaled $9.28 for three kids and myself. And, upon leaving the drive thru, I realized that I did not get a receipt. I did pay with a MC and can print the transaction from on-line if that is acceptable.

My intent was to shop Monday evening when my husband could watch the kids. However, he needed our vehicle for much of the evening so he just picked up a loaf of wheat bread and a gallon of milk while he was out (totaling $3.87).

By Tuesday, I was sick and not up to shopping or anything else. I did force myself to make a run to our healthfood store for gluten free bread ($5.49 per loaf! Yes, per loaf!) and noticed some discounted cucumbers that I grabbed as well ($11.67 total).

The gluten free bread is a very small loaf and very expensive, but very necessary as G and I are gluten intolerent. I have downloaded some GF recipes that I found on-line to make our own bread and hope to try some in the next week. This would be a huge relief to our grocery budget. Living gluten free on a modest budget takes considerable effort and planning!

By Wednesday afternoon, I was starting to feel somewhat better and did our major shopping for the week. I went to both Walmart ($14.94) and Meijer ($30.13 after coupons, bottle returns and sales.) My kids were such great troopers – I treated them to drinks at Arby’s and two of my kids enjoyed the free sandwiches ($6.32 for 4 drinks and 4 sandwiches)!

To date, I have spent $76.21. That leaves me with a well stocked pantry, fridge and freezer and $48.79 to go through Sunday. Week 2 begins on Monday.

Today, Jon informed me that he will be working out of state next week with no food/travel compensation. Herein lies the greatest challenge yet....do I let him buy his own food and hope for the best or do I shop sometime early Monday (like 12:01 a.m.) so that I can stock him with food before he has to leave and hopefully not go over budget for the week. He will have only a cooler and coffee pot. I'll have to think on that one!

G's Performance

Here is a short clip from the musical finale: GPS - God's Plan of Salvation!

Summer Vacation!

The kids are out of school and I am out of work for the summer! Time to make some plans for entertainment and provisions!

My husband had been out of work much of the year. His resume was posted and he was ready to go. Who wouldn't want a veteran steel erector with excellent work ethics, natural leadership ability and 18 years experience? But such is life for commercial builders in Michigan! With no job leads, Jon decided to join an investigational drug study. He had several out-patient visits and one 8 day stay in the clinic. Upon being released from the first phase of the study, his plan was to return for phase 2 a month later. But as only God-above could have arranged, Jon was invited to work as a temporary, full-time welder in a fabrication shop. He officially bowed out of the drug study and eagerly accepted the position. At first we anticipated only a week or two of work. It is now going on a month and he will continue next week. What a mighty God we serve!

The school year ended with a bang! We were the proud parents of two graduates: N from elementary school and A from Kindergarten! Yes, we were proud of G, as well, who thrived tremendously in the 3rd grade!

So far this summer, we have enjoyed mostly cool, dry days - great for riding bikes and playing at the park. Oh, and for baking! Usually, I dread the heat of the kitchen in the summer, but not this year! G attended two weeks of performing arts day camp and we all enjoyed the musical performance at the end of the camp. The kids and I have been participating in the summer reading program at the library. We have also enjoyed a trip to the beach, a day exploring the metro transit and downtown Kalamazoo, berry picking on our property, a magic show, swimming, and playing with friends.

While our future is uncertain, we know we are in good hands! Thanks for your continued prayers on our behalf!

Restored Power!

It was a long three months, but the light has triumphed over the darkness and we are enjoying full power and lighting in our home once again! Here are some valuable lessons we learned from this experience.....

• We are still better off than the pioneers! G was learning about pioneer life on the westward trail. What we learned at home was that a single or even several candles produce more shadows than light. We were thankful for our lamps, flashlights and other temporary lights that afforded us much more lighting than the pioneers enjoyed.
• It does save energy to turn off the lights! We saw a significant drop in electricity usage over the past few months.
• God is gracious! We had no idea just how dangerous our home was until all the wiring was replaced. We were protected from fire and loss. Ignorance is bliss and God is good!
• We want to be in the light! "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.....I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." (John 8:12;12:46 NIV)

Lighting (or lack thereof)

Some of you have asked if our ceiling lights are working yet. The answer is yes... and no. Upon returning home Friday, we were happy to find two working lights in the kitchen and one each in the dining room and living room. Well, that is the extent of the good news. Outside of those shared living spaces, the house is pretty dimly lit. However, my resourceful hubby resolved those issues. I took a few pictures and posted one here as words cannot accurately express his ingeniousness. I think interior decorators refer to it as the "Urban-Industrial" look!

Random thoughts on laughing and singing

More and more, I find pleasure in the small things. More and more, I am discovering my love to laugh. More and more, I freely and unashamedly practice this gift of expression. Here are some of the things that recently have made me laugh.....

One of the teachers that I work with hung signs in her classroom bearing the names of various continents. One afternoon, I commented to one of the kids that I was freezing cold. She simply pointed to the sign above my head and said, "You're in Antarctica!" Well, that explains it!

The thought of my 80-something year old grandfather sending me countless forwarded e-mails each week is enough to make me chuckle. But a few weeks ago, he sent one that was actually funny. Here are a few excerpt that made me laugh....

"When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her someplace expensive....so, I took her to a gas station. And then the fight started.... "

"I asked my wife, "Where do you want to go for our anniversary?" It warmed my heart to see her face melt in sweet appreciation. "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!" she said. So I suggested, "How about the kitchen?"
And that's when the fight started...."

And my most favorite....

"A woman was standing, looking in the bedroom mirror. She was not happy with what she saw and said to her husband, 'I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.' The husband replies, 'Your eyesight's near perfect.'
And that's when the fight started...."

Sometimes, I laugh at things I shouldn't, like a timely retort from a smart-mouthed kid. It's funny, maybe not appropriate, but funny. I can appreciate his gift of wit.

Sometimes, I laugh at things I shouldn't, like a certain child singing her heart out: off-key, off-tempo, off melody, just off. It's funny, very funny. I can appreciate her exuberance and lack of self-consciousness.

I, too, love to sing and I love to listen to others sing. I had forgotten what a gift singing is until I lost it. Acid-reflux took it's toll on my vocal chords. There was significant damage and I struggled to control my pitch. I remember sitting in church one day thinking about how God had given me this wonderful gift, my voice, but I was too self-conscious to share it with others. So I had wasted it . I sat humbled and praying that God would give me another chance at using the gift He gave me for His purpose. I believe God healed my vocal chords. My voice has been restored and He makes me laugh, and sing, with joy.

Laughing is a gift. Singing is a gift. And Christ is the greatest gift of all.

A Whirl of Activity

For my many, faithful blog followers (he-he), here are some highlights since my last entry: A turned 6; G and I were out shopping at 4 am on Black Friday and snagged some great deals; our home wiring went bad beyond repair; we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior with many friends and family members; Jon returned to work; we said "See you again in three years" to some very dear friends; Lisa got a (paying) job; N played basketball; the kids started music lessons; N registered for middle school; we said a tearful good-bye to our wonderful golden retriever and we are anxiously awaiting rewiring to be completed on our home! Whew! The past few months have been a whirl of activity and events. And, through it all, we can testify to God's goodness!