13 and 9

I love September. Both of my treasured babies were born in September. What a blessed month for
our family!

My baby boy turned 13 on Sept. 24. Wow! When did that happen? He's growing into a smart, strong, compassionate young man. I find myself cherishing moments with him more than ever bc I know how fast time flies. We didn't have a big party since we don't really know enough people yet. Eddie's parents and sister & family came for the weekend. On his actual birthday, we ate at his favorite place "Snappy Tomato" and then he went to soccer practice.

On Sept. 10, Claire turned 9. The weekend before her birthday, Connor
had a soccer tournament in Memphis, so while we were there, we took Claire and her friend Della, who's brother also plays for the Wolves, to Build-a-bear just for something cute. Della's mother, and my new sweet friend took the boys to the book store so they wouldn't have to hang with the girls. Then, we all went to Huey's to eat their yummy burgers, and shoot fancy toothpicks through little straws to trybo make them stick to the ceiling. Fun times! Claire had dance on her actual birthday, so we ate at Red Robin before her class. We were the only ones there at the time so we gave Claire her presents. During dinner, I took Claire to the "little girls' room
and returned to Eddie and Connor hysterically laughing. The next thing we know, the waitresses came around with a special birthday treat for Claire, singing, of course. Claire loved it! He thought Eddie and Connor had set it up. Funny though, the servers just noticed the gifts, and did that on their own...for the second time! The first time, they came out singing and clapping when Claire and I were in the bathroom!! Eddie and Connor couldn't stop laughing at their expressions when they realized that the birthday girl wasn't there. Funny memories. We
all still laugh at that.

Oh, how I treasure these times as a family more now than ever. While I love celebrating their birthdays, a mom's heart aches a little for times gone by. Connor turning 13 hit me hard. I realized that our family only has 6 years left like this. All of us living together all the time, going places all together. I have to remind myself that they really belong to God, and that with every second that goes by, his plan for them is unfolding. I'm so grateful that He chose Eddie and me to
be their parents. I am overjoyed to see His fingerprints in their lives. What an honor! I love you Connor and Claire.

POP! POP!

Now shake it, just shake it...shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it uuuuuuuuuuuup! Popcorn! Popcorn!

As a former Kindergarten teacher, I used music A LOT in my classroom. This song "Popcorn", by "Greg and Steve", was always a class favorite.
However, I'm not blogging about my days as a Kindergarten teacher. I am blogging about POPCORN!!

Woohoo! Popcorn is a tasty, fun snack that my family loves. I have found , lately though, that microwave stuff just isn't good and it smells yucky when it's popping. Hubby has always liked dry popcorn. He always liked the air popped stuff, so when I read about just popping plain kernels in a brown paper bag, I had to try it. I just put about 1/4 cup of kernels into a brown paper bag. Folded the top over TWICE, and put it in the microwave on the popcorn setting. I actually had to add about 10-15 seconds the time, but it depends on your microwave. You really have to listen when there are 2-3 seconds between pops. As soon as you notice the pause between pops, take it out, because it will burn super fast!! You can salt to taste, eat it plain (like hubby), or do what I did and add about a teaspoon of olive oil and then salt. Of course, you can add whatever you like to make your own gourmet blend.

This method has to be healthier. Just look at the ingredients in microwave popcorn, and compare to the ingredients you use to make it using this method. Love it! Kids loved it, and hubby loves it, too! Try it!

I Can See Clearly Now...

Two posts in one day, I know. I couldn't help post the snake story, but I couldn't let this day end without posting about this big day for my girl. She has been super excited to get glasses. I thought she just wants to look cute, but turns out that she really can't see clearly.

According to the eye doc, she probably has not seen clearly since about age 3. So, this means that "fuzzy" has always been normal to her. :-( Turns out that she has a lazy eye. Amblyopia, so not what we generally think of with the turned in eye. Pretty much her brain stopped sending messages to see correctly out of her right eye. She is far-sighted in her right eye, and near-sighted in the left eye. Because she's still young, there is a chance that the vision in the right eye could still be improved, at least some, by wearing glasses. She might have to end up wearing a patch over her left eye for a couple of hours a day to try to force the right eye to work and hopefully get stronger.

I feel horrible that her daddy and I never knew there was a problem. How could we not know that our little girl can't see?? She had vision screenings in Kindergarten and 2nd Grade which showed no possible problems, and since she had never complained (until this spring) about not being able to see, we never had her checked by our eye doc.

We are going to get a second opinion from our doc, but until then she is giddy because she can see with her new specs! She has been so happy and giggly today looking at the leaves on trees and the edges of the clouds. It me smile, but makes my heart sad that she's almost 9 and just now seeing these things clearly. So grateful that we didn't wait any longer.

I think she also really likes the cuteness of the glasses. :-). I have to admit that I think she is adorable. Gosh, I love that girl.

YikeSSSSSSS!

After dropping the kids off at school this morning, I walked at the track and came home. I got a call from a friend and went outside to talk. I noticed our cat, Minnie (aka Minnie Pearl, Minnie haha, Minerva, Minerva Pearl, and Killer) ran up beside the outdoor sofa where I was sitting and I could tell she was playing with something. I didn't look. I've learned not to look.
I had to run inside for a bit, and when I went back out to the patio, oh oh oh, this is what I saw. I think it was wither almost dead, or stunned from playtime with Minnie. It is a non-venomous garter snake, so I pardoned it. I used a shovel to give it a free flight back to the tall grass beside our house. I'm not really afraid of snakes, but that grossed me out.

Help me decorate my new front porch, please!

Kelly's Korner's http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ "Show Us Your Life" is about porches this week. Since we just moved here in June, I haven't had any bright ideas about what to do to my new front entrance. Please give me ideas! It's very small, but I want it to be inviting.

A little (actually it's really looooong) story...

Now that the major unpacking is done, the house feels somewhat settled, and the kids are adjusting well to their new schools, I find myself in a place that I have wanted to be since having children. I wanted to be home with my children when they were babies, but it just never worked out. After all, I had a great job as a school librarian, complete with summer vacation and several holidays off so I could be with them a good bit, and an amazing babysitter to care for them while I was at work. Plus, hubby really wanted me to work.
About 2 years ago, the Lord placed a burning desire in my heart to be home for my children. I tucked it away as kind of a "pipe dream". It wouldn't stay tucked away, but I just couldn't accept that it was from the Lord.

When Eddie accepted
the job he has now, I immediately started applying for certification in TN, and started gathering applications for various school systems in the area. Once my certification was approved, I started sending applications to different places. We weren't planning to move unless I secured a teaching position. Guess what kept knocking on my heart? Yep, I kept hearing, "you need to be home for your family".

I prayed and asked him to literally put in my heart the desires he wanted me to have. The desire to be the keeper of my home just got stronger. Eddie has always been totally against the sahm gig, and the Lord wouldn't ask me to do something that my husband didn't want me to do, right?

After a heart struggle, I finally accepted that this is what He wants for my family. I prayed "Ok, Lord, I'm listening. I hear you, but if this is really your will for me and our family, you will have to change Eddie's heart."

Well, maybe He would...maybe He wouldn't, but what happened next was nothing I could have ever done on my own. Out of the blue one night on the phone, Eddie mentioned that he had been looking at our finances and he thought we would be ok if I couldn't get a job right away. I assured him that I was still filling out applications and watching school websites for job openings, and I was. Then, driving home from our nephew's party in March, we were talking about the applications I had submitted, and he said to me, "I don't want you to stress and worry about finding a job right away. I am ok with you staying home for a year or so." Those words blew me away. We spent the next few minutes talking about how we could make it work if I stayed home for at least the first year after the move. I knew that the Lord had changed
his heart. There was no other explanation, and I praised Him!!

I continued to watch for available library positions, and even had an interview in July. The job just wasn't for me, though. It was at a high school and those kids are a lot bigger than I am! Scary!! Haha!

I am still praising Him for this opportunity! However, week 2 of being home in an empty house has been difficult. I find myself wanting to share something with the kids, or anyone for that matter, and the only other breathing things with heartbeats to talk to are Minnie and Jonah. I have proof that cats and dogs do not talk back if you try to carry on a conversation with them. They just don't get it, I guess! Lol!

I have missed my job more than I thought I would. I'm missing the comfort and companionship of my friends. It's lonely. I had no idea that I would be lonely.

So, I'm trying to find ways to fill up my days productively, in addition to keeping up with daily housework. I had a nice 2 1/2 mile walk with my favorite music this morning after I dropped off the kids, and I want to do that everyday. I also have a hobby room to organize, but I have to get cabinets and countertops for it first. There are tons of Pinterest projects I hope to do when I get the room functional. Trying to most efficiently embrace this gift of keeping my home and taking care of my family.

I still believe staying home is His will for me, because everything about this move has been covered with His fingerprints. I want to use this time in a way that glorifies Him. I want to use this time to serve wherever He wants to use me. One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11-12. I'm claiming it in Jesus' name, and can't wait to see what He reveals to me about his plans for my family and me!

So thankful for His fingerprints. Keep looking for His fingerprints in your life!

Kellie

Home

I love the song "Home" by Phillip Phillips. It is comforting to me, since we are trying to make a new home 5 1/2 hrs away from everything my children have ever known.

A few friends have been asking for pics of the new house in which we are making our home. Here are a few pics that I've taken over the last couple months. I'm blogging from my phone so I can't label each pic. The family room is the room with the gray furniture, and the room with the red couch is the hearth room. Maybe I'll get around to posting some more pics soon. The office, bonus room, and hobby room are not organized enough yet to take pics and post them. Also, the kids did not make their beds this morning, so I won't post those yet, either. I guess I will do an "upstairs" post later. :-)

Cake Truffles

Eddie asked me yesterday if I could make something for a small baby shower for two of his co-workers, or if I thought he should just get a grocery store cake. He told me he's getting a sandwich tray from Jason's Deli and just wanted something a little sweet, too.

I love to make goodies, and he knows that. I've often thought I would like to have a small business making "gourmet" treats for birthday parties, showers, just because, etc. I know (because I was one until three months ago) that moms who work out of the home don't have a lot of time for making special goodies. I enjoy doing it, and for now, am a stay at home mom.

I decided to make cake truffles. I would like to have cute little cake pop maker that cooks the batter into the shape of little spheres, and you don't have to mix frosting in or take the time to form into balls. Nevertheless, as of right now, I do not have one, so it's the original method for me.

If you have never made them, all you do is bake a cake from the mix directions. Crumble it up. Add a little frosting (can or homemade). Form mixture into little balls. Dip into candy melts(found the neat colors at Joann) or chocolate. Then, you can decorate anyway you want. Here is a picture of the finished product.

Keep checking for fingerprints!
Kellie

First Day, New School

Joshua 1:9. That's our life verse right now. I dropped off my kiddos at their new schools this morning. You can see in the pics that Connor was not thrilled about having his picture made, but Claire was all smiles!


I took Claire first because we had not met her teacher or seen her room. Can you believe they did not have any kind of orientation or meet the teacher night or anything for elementary school??? We had no clue where to go.

Well, a very kind officer used his pretty blue lights to let me know I was going too fast and the wrong way! I just told him the truth. I just moved here, had no idea which way to go, and that the school did not give any directions for morning (or afternoon for that matter) traffic flow. This is all so crazy! HMS and KES were nothing like this madness!! Anyway, he really was very kind, and agreed that they don't do a good job of informing new people where to go. He gave me directions and I finally made it to a parking place. Connor and I walked in with her and when we got in to ask for directions to Claire's room, we were told that we had to wait in the gym. Ugh.

I still had to take Connor to a different school and had heard that the traffic there is horrible. I was so nervous about him being late! When I was sure Claire was doing ok, I ended up leaving her in the gym (trying to stifle the "ugly cry" so Connor wouldn't see), and taking Connor to his school. Traffic was bad, but it really didn't take as long as I thought it might. His school had an orientation Monday night, so he wasn't walking in totally blind. He knew to go to the gym first, so he didn't "need" me to go in with him (Joshua 1:9). He's getting so grown up (tears and smiles). Then, I drove back to Claire's school to check on her and meet her teacher. She was in her classroom and didn't seem afraid or nervous (Joshua 1:9). I met her teacher who is very nice and has a pretty smile.

I'm home now. I'm going out to clean out my car before I pick up the kids and we go have lunch with Eddie. Wow, what a morning! So glad they just have 1/2 day today! Hope I can pick them up without the chaos!

Keep checking for fingerprints,
Kellie

Our God is on the throne and in control!

I hope to get back to blogging soon. I miss it. I miss writing and reading. I have been keeping up with twitter feed and I read this blog post after someone tweeted the link. I love it! It is so comforting, true, and straight from the Lord during this time. It's a blog post from a mom who was at the theater in Aurora with her teenage daughters during the shooting. I hope the link works.

http://aminiatureclaypot.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/so-you-still-think-god-is-a-merciful-god/

This is what's happening...

So, this is what's going on right now. In a few days, we will move to the new house, new city, new adventure.

I will return to blogging soon, I hope. I have a lot to share.

I have faith that the Lord is sending is where he wants us. This move is covered in his fingerprints!


Jeremiah 29:11-12

Student of the Week!

Claire finally made it! Students at our school are awarded "tiger cub cards" for good behavior and/or citizenship. When a student receives a card, he or she puts it in the box for the appropriate grade level. Each week, one card is drawn from each grade box, and that student is named "Student of the Week" for his/her grade. Claire's class just happened to be in the library when her name was called over the intercom. She looked a little stunned at first. She was so excited! She got a coloring book, a certificate, and a box of peanut m&ms. She got the card for sharing her snack. I'm so proud of her giving spirit.

Family Fun Night!

We have been working so hard to get our house ready to sell and to prepare for our move, so it's been a whole since we just did something fun as a family. I'm so grateful for our fun night of bowling, 5 Guys burgers, and Chill!
I loved this time laughing and being silly with my sweet little family. Fingerprints!

Kitchen!

Finally finished...with painting anyway. I had a hard time deciding on the color, but I really like how it turned out! Haven't worried about decorating yet. I don't want to put a lot in it, since it won't even be my kitchen much longer. I do need to do something simple to make it pretty for potential buyers, though. Thanks to my sweet hubby for filling holes, taping, and painting!

Moms Are Tough

Wow. It's finally Friday. This week has been challenging. Next week will be, too. I'm grateful to have a job, and grateful that I can be off of work during the summer and holidays when my children are out of school. I love being a school librarian, but contrary to popular belief, it is a BUSY job...at my school anyway. I find myself out of patience at the end of the day, and sadly, my children are often deprived of the "fun mommy" time they so deserve. After working all day on a very busy schedule, we have three days a week when we have extra activities to attend after we leave school. I find myself with no quiet time to unwind and let go of the days stresses. Sound familiar?

I love my children, would die for my children, but after being with 500 other children everyday, all day, I don't think my own children get the best me. I have to constantly remind myself that God didn't just give me two kids that share my and hubby's DNA. He gave me two of His children to babysit for their earthly life.

When I think about how picky I am about who keeps my children, I realize how amazing it is that God has to have someone to keep all of His children. Whoa, and He chose ME to raise two of them. He knows me, and he knew just the right children for me. I often let them know that if God had let me pick any boy and girl in the world to be my son and daughter, I would definitely pick them.

So, in the midst of the chaos of being a WOHM and being exhausted after work most days, I have to remember that, if God gave them to me, He knows I'm capable and I can do this "train up a child the way he should go" thing with His word to guide me. He makes moms tough through His never-failing love, mercy, forgiveness, and immeasurable strength.
Yep, moms are tough. Just keep looking for His fingerprints.

Kitchen is almost done!

Backsplash is complete...well, almost. Anyway, here are some pics! I have decided on the color green I want so I'll get that this week. I'll post more pics when it's all done!

Our Winter Festival Princess

Claire is running for "Winter Festival Queen" at our school. We sell goodies at school and we have scheduled a painting class planned outside of school to raise money, too. We are not doing what it takes to win the "Queen" title. We are just doing our best to raise some moolah for the school. Anyway, this morning was our day to sell stuff in the gym before class. I snapped this pic and wanted to share. She was so proud to get to sell stuff and take up money. :-). We sold strawberry cake pops, Rice Krispy/chocolate dipped sugar cones,
and chocolate dipped pretzels. :-)