Defining JOY

We have had a VERY rough week at our house. Each day of school is still a struggle for us, and after having been home together for 2 full weeks, it was incredibly difficult to go back and face the next semester - especially for me. I just enjoyed being home with the kids SO much and realized how good we had it "all those years." I have been praying for God to help me not take things for granted and he has certainly answered that one! (Another lesson in "be careful what you pray for!)

I have to admit that I didn't feel very joyful this week at all. I felt like I was on survival mode to just get through each day. I worked hard to keep my focus right and to look for truth past my emotions and hormones. I asked God to show me what He was doing and I hid under the umbrella of my amazing husband. Then, one day, for some reason, I looked up JOY in the dictionary. I found this:

JOY –noun

1.	the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of seeing her son's success.

2.	a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated: Her prose style is a pure joy.

3.	the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.

4.	a state of happiness or felicity.

Well, I didn't have delight, or happiness, I didn't feel satisfied, pleasured, elation, my son was NOT succeeding, I didn't feel appreciated, glad, gay, or felicity...whatever that is! But, because I looked it up on dictionary.com there were lots of ads on the page, too....including this one:

How to be happy
Watch this short video on the key To happiness and joy in knowing God
www.HappinessAndGod.com

Well, I didn't even click on it to check out their video....just seeing those words was all that I needed. Through all of my crazy hormones and emotions, I still know that God sent us to school this year, that He has a wonderful plan for us, and that He will go before us and see us through. And THAT gives me satisfaction, gaiety, elation, pleasure...and JOY. And peace. And strength for the next day.

5 addictions

My dear friend Tami at The Next Step tagged me to post 5 of my addictions. I LOVED reading hers and am checking on everyone else that she tagged so I can read theirs, too, so I'm game to play along! It's been really interesting as I've tried to nail down 5 - and it was fun to ask my family to get their input, too. So, in no particular order, here goes:

1 - SNUGGLING. With my hubby, my kids, my dog, my cat, or even just my body pillow....just love that feeling of snuggling up tight!
2- My FIREPLACE....which goes nicely with #1.....snuggling BY the fireplace! This is the first house that I've ever lived in that has a fireplace and I just LOVE it! My Dad, bless his heart, supplies us with free wood and delivers it right to our garage! I have seriously been known to turn the a.c. up in the summertime so I could build a fire without frying everyone in my house!
3 - MAKING LISTS. On paper or just in my mind - they're everywhere in my house and in my office! I often make a list of the lists I need to make. A little anal, you think?
4 - FOOD. I love to eat out and I really enjoy cooking, too. Mexican, Italian, sweets, salty, healthy food, junk food, meat and potatoes, pastries and desserts, fruits and veggies...you name it, I like it! At our house we TALK about 'eating to live' instead of 'living to eat', but I'm just all talk on this one.
5- MY HAIR. Its the only part of me I've ever really liked. The gals in the office at school have asked that each time I come through their door, I would walk in slow motion and flip my hair from one side to the other - ala a shampoo commercial. I know that at some point, I ought to cut it off, but I've never nailed down an age for that....40? 50? 60?

OK...I made it! Thanks, Tami...it was good for me to get to thinking a little bit while I'm on vacation and my brain is otherwise in neutral. :-)

I'm baaaack!

OK, after a friendly reminder from my friend Beth that it's been a month since my last post, here's a quickie! The kids don't have school today - they're still in bed and I can't WAIT to tell them!! There is a broken water pipe in the elementary so they get the day off....I still have to go teach Jr High and Sr High, but I'm excited for them.

Lots and lots of stuff going on, but there are only so many hours in the day and I'm really having to prioritize....and blogging is not too high on my list these days. I'm wondering if I'm going to get to Christmas cards ( or Christmas shopping! ) and I don't remember the last time I got to the Y to work out. Really, though, lots of "newsworthy" stuff going on...and maybe I'll get caught up over break. Some of the highlights, though, were Amanda singing with the Lincoln Symphony at the Lied Center (which will be broadcast on NPR on the 21st) and Molly having an epileptic seizure....who has EVER heard of an epileptic dog!?!? Scared us SO badly!!!

Facebook!

OK...here's the new fun thing - facebook! I only wish I had been on it all those days I was "stuck" at home with no adult conversation! :-)

Busy, busy, shockingly busy

Can you sing it like Madame Blueberry? "You've no idea what I've got to do....." (I LOVE Veggie Tales!)

It has just been crazy busy around here...ever since school started, it seems. And, I guess maybe it's really not that hectic of a schedule, just that we're STILL adjusting and it's exhausting. There has been lots and lots going on, though....first school pictures, field trips, first report cards, concerts, halloween, a camping trip....and I even have taken pictures of some of those things...just don't ever find the time to sit down here and write it all down.

The highlight for me lately has been getting report cards. As a homeschool Mom, don't we always kind of, in the back of our mind, wonder if we're TOTALLY screwing our kids up....well, at least I did. So, to get report cards in black and white, filled out by someone other than me, saying that they actually have learned something over the past several years, was a great relief. And, they all did pretty well....mostly just a few behavior things we need to focus on and I'll let you guess which kid that is! :-)

School really does seem to be going better. No more tears or tantrums, no more being locked in a bathroom stall. I find the kids laughing and being silly with their friends, and they're signing up to do "extra stuff" that they don't really have to do. We still talk about going back to homeschooling and are weighing the pros and cons of each....and there are many. I am hopeful that God will show us very clearly what our next year will bring - just as clearly as He did this with this year.

Ready for Christmas?

It's Monday morning and I'm getting around to head back to school....and guess what I'm working on all week!! Yep, Christmas music. It's not even Halloween yet, let alone Thanksgiving, but we're playing O Holy Night and Sleigh Ride today. The only people who start on Christmas earlier than retailers are Music Teachers! :-)

The coolest new thing!

We just thought of something that will be THE COOLEST new thing for us at school this year - a SNOW DAY!! When you are homeschooling, those don't really ever happen.....you hear other kids talk about them and you see them on TV shows, but it's not quite the same. I'll bet you'll be able to her the whoopin' and hollerin' from our house the first time we see the name of our school scrolling across the bottom of the TV screen!

A quick update...

Wow, it's been a long time since I've been on here, huh? Again, there is SO much going on to write about, and my camera is FULL of pictures, but I just don't have the time to sit down and put it all together. Actually, maybe I do have the time...what I am lacking is energy. :-)

School is going better - for all of us. We are nearing the end of the first quarter and still hanging in there. I was just reading James in the Message Bible and it says ...."don't try to get out of anything prematurely...let it do it's work in you so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.." I can see that we are ALL learning valuable lessons through all of these trials, and if it had been up to us, we certainly WOULD have pulled out prematurely. God knows so much better than we do!

We have a nice short week and are SO looking forward to a little vacation. We get out early on Wednesday and are going straight to pick up some friends and then heading to the Children's Museum until they kick us out at closing time! We're gonna stay up late, sleep in, snuggle up by the fireplace, spend time with old friends...and if the weather would cooperate, we'd go camping.
And, maybe I'll find time to get those pictures off of the camera so you can see them!

Dirty and Happy!

Look at our dirty, stinky dog!! We took her with us last week to Mom and Dad's house in Pawnee and she LOVED it out there!! She had acres and acres to run and run, and when she got hot and tired, she went straight to the mud to cool down! And, it hadn't been raining, so it wasn't just ordinary mud....it was sewer mud - and it was S-T-I-N-K-Y!! Bruce hosed her down and got her all cleaned up...and then a few hours later, she did it again!!! She came home a tired and happy, happy dog!

Gonna need a bigger boat!

Mr. Alex is growing up all too quickly and is into "scary movies" lately. He and Bruce watch them together whenever they get some time to themsevles, and lately it's been JAWS. Last night, there was a midnight showing of it at the Grand Theatre downtown - and they went!! They've been talking about it for weeks, but we didn't know if Alex could make it that late. When we got home from school, he curled up to take a good nap so he'd have a fighting chance (and of course I volunteered to snuggle up and nap with him!) and he made it! They were both up when the rest of us went to be at 10:00 and I heard them come home at about 2:30am!!

Go Cart

Uncle Jerry bought the kids a go cart to have at Grandma and Pa Stallbaumer's house. It's going to be GREAT fun, but for now they're just a little bit too small for it. They can't quite reach the pedals enough to control it well and it goes fast enough that it's pretty scary. It's very safe (which I am THANKFUL for!) because it's really wide and very low to the ground. There are miles and miles for them to ride out there, so once they grow just a couple of inches and get the hang of it, they're going to have a blast. Bruce rode it and had a great time, although he is just about too big for it. Thanks, Uncle Jerry!!

Another first

We had another first at our house yesterday. Since this is our first year at "real school", we're having lots of them, but this one was a big one....Parent Teacher conferences. Bruce and I used to have them every evening at the dinner table, but this wasn't quite the same.

After having been my kids teacher all of these years, handing over the reigns to ANYONE else is a big deal to me. But, once again, God has a plan. Mr. Riley is Amanda's teacher and he is a wonderful, Godly man. He prayed with us and shared with us about their year so far. Miss Peterson is Alex's teacher and she is a lovely, patient, Grandma-like lady who is perfect for him this year. She also prayed with us about how we can all work together to best serve Mr. Alex. And Andrew has Mrs. Garcia. She is a delightful, energetic gal who is excited to have Andrew in her class - and he LOVES her too!

We are still struggling through the transition - mostly me these days, admittedly - but are taking one day at a time and looking for God's leading through it all.

Faith and Hope

Borrowed this one this morning....isn't it great?!?! Thanks, Brenda!

A picture's worth 1,000 words

If a picture really is

worth 1,ooo words, then this would should tell you how things are going for school! Andrew LOVES it!! Amanda would still rather be home, but is doing much better. And Mr. Alex is really struggling these days. Really misses Mommy and believes that school was invented as some form of torture for kids. The entire staff at school has been fabulous to help him and we're learning some really valuable life lessons through it all. God is absolutely at work and we are trying hard to "consider it pure joy".

These shirts are their chapel shirts and they all wear them on Wednesday for chapel services. They are "Calling all Characters" to become People of Purpose - lots of great lessons for all of us!

Go big red!

We live just off of 14th street and just north of Memorial Stadium, so on Saturday game days, the traffic is CRAZY! (Last week it was EXTRA crazy with returning students PLUS the State Fair PLUS a home game, but that's not the point of my story!) Anyway, when the game is over, traffic going north on 14th street is backed up for probably an hour as people try to get out of town and onto the interestate. Last year, Amanda started going up to the corner of 14th and waving our Husker flag as people drove by after the games. It turned out to be great fun and is now a bit of a tradition here, and yesterday all 3 kids took turns doing it. People will honk and whoop and holler and one guy even threw a $1 bill to Andrew yesterday! Very fun!

Bragging on my hubby!

NEWS RELEASE FROM AMERITAS: Sales Culture Associate of the Month! The Sales Culture Builders Team is pleased to announce September’s Group Sales Culture Associate of the Month . . . Bruce Bond!

Bruce, a senior actuarial analyst, has been with Ameritas since October 1999. He was selected by the Group Sales Culture Recognition Committee based on his exceptional contributions to his customers, team, department, and to the Group Division and company.

Here are a few things associates had to say about Bruce.

“Bruce is a true team member when it comes to resolving problems that arise.”

“He always has both the customer and the company in mind.”

“Bruce has always shown true professionalism in all the dealings I’ve had with him.”

“Bruce has a vision that reaches beyond his department and significantly impacts all of Group.”

“He is consulted on the majority of spreadsheets that are used for rating outside of SalesXpress.”

“His openness to share and spread his knowledge continues to propel all who are around him, and the Ameritas Group Division, to be disruptive.”

“There has NEVER been a time when I requested assistance from Bruce that I was rejected, and generally he volunteers even before I can ask for his help.”

“Bruce has an advanced understanding of our rating systems, Excel, programming and many other key elements of our company processes.”

“Bruce’s problem-solving skills, his knowledge of Ameritas methods and his selflessness make him a unique asset to his department and the company.”


As September’s award recipient, Bruce will receive an award certificate, a $50 gift card and front-door parking for the month of September! Congratulations and thank you, Bruce! The things you do each day help to create and enhance our Group Sales Culture.

Pep Band Premier!

This isn't the greatest picture, but I think its fun. And if we end up at LCS for years and years, it will be special to look back on. We had our first home football game on Friday, which means Pep Band! There were a few glitches that we'll work out, but the kids were GREAT!! They are talented musicians, really neat kids, and many are quick to pitch in and help moving and setting up equipment without even being asked which makes my job MUCH easier!

Update...

Just a quick update from our house....actually, from my office! The kids are in school all day long, but I only teach in the mornings. So, in the afternoons, I usually hang out in my office getting all of the work done that should have been done this summer. Once I get caught up, I hope to use the time a little more productively, but for now I'm still playing catch-up.

The kids are coming around slowly but surely. Andrew is great - and has been since day #1. He now insists that I drop him off at the front door so he can go in by himself like all of the other kids. Then, I go around the curve and park, then the rest of us get out and walk in together. Funny guy! Alex is doing alright, but would still rather be home. We're making sure we get plenty of snuggle time in the mornings and the evenings, and I go down to see them all at noon recess each day. Amanda is still not sold at all. She is realizing how good she had it with homeschooling and she wants to go back. One bright note, though, (no pun intended!) is that she is getting to play the cello which she has fallen in love with!

We're all really looking forward to a long weekend and a short week! The band has their first Pep Rally and Football game this Friday - that will be fun!

Thanks for your prayers - keep 'em comin' please! The transition is still very difficult, but we can see God working.

TGIF

The kids had never heard of "TGIF" before - and have certainly never appreciated it! When we were snuggling this morning before getting ready for school, we taught them what it stood for and it sure has lots of meaning to us today! We've survived the week and it actually has turned out well....the kids all had a great day today and are settling in nicely. We stopped at a big McDonalds playland after school to celebrate. It was fun for me to see the three of them playing together again!

We are going to do absolutely NOTHING all week-end and I am looking forward to that for sure!!

Better

I am happy to report that things were better today for all of us. We are all growing and learning a lot through these changes. The faculty and staff have been very faithful to pray for us - they are a great group of people who love the Lord and love teaching, too.