Monkeying around this Summer!

HomeSchool?

Well I've been quiet..with four kids it is far from being quiet around here but yes much has happened and so fast! The children are just getting bigger and pulling me left and right...its amazing I am even able to stand. We got a new minivan yeahhhhh! Not that it too won't get destroyed by the little ones, its just that we needed a safer-American car haha so Freddy could fix it if it ever has issues-he couldn't fix the Nissan and that frustrated him greatly. We've been to water parks in Orlando (Blizzard & Typhoon has the annual pass) and that was fun, we did it while Fred was also working there. Freddy has been travelling more than usual for his company and it seems it may stay at that pace-hence, me stepping down from school a while;( Yep...I said it, I am taking a break until our lives are a little easier. My son Frederick's last school year was a tough one for all of us on top of my being in school for nursing, and then the 3 other ones somewhere in between the chaos. After much prayer and even some fasting, it seems as though God too is asking me to step back a bit and smell around me. I actually have passion for some mission trips over seas and thought that would be after the nursing, but perhaps it is not nursing skills that I will use abroad. It brings me also to this, homeschooling-something that has been brought up a time or two amongst friends and neighbors, but I 've often brushed off the idea because of internal fears. No not me, I have no patience-4 kids ha! When would I get a break? When would I get to work on my things? So alot of struggles of my and I...in the midst of mommy hood as well. After failing yet another exam, and feeling the tensions and a piece of eyebrow missing (cause of my stress) I decided no Jeannie don't do this to them;(

So I withdrew, I sent my letters out to the dean and told them I shall return...but I don't know when. That's where I am now-One day at a time. My babies are little and young and they need me. That is why as scared as I am I will attempt homeschooling the kids. I thought just Frederick first, but then I also remembered Mackenzie's needs for attention lately and Noah's just beginning Kindergarten, so why not do it right? I'm doing a virtual homeschooling that is for residents in our county only and it is still considered public school and they will achieve all the same credits and everything. I am only going to be their coach as they will have a virtual teacher who assigns and grades the work and still subject them to testing. I still want the structure and kick in the butt for all of us to hand in the assignments and complete so many hours a week, that way if we ever decide to send them to middle or high school we can. Pray for us, because I know this will be challenging as well as rewarding. My husband says he's very excited and that he's gonna support me and help me with this (anything to get me to clean the house;) We're really involved with our church now and feel God has truly truly blessed us by allowing us to do His work. We really want to make use of my husband's flight benefits and travel with the kids to bring hope and love to the ones that do not know Christ yet.

Hope has such a heart for prayer as well as the boys. They see kids hurting around the world and that we are blessed. Why not allow them to blossom where the spirit takes them.

Here are some of the great pics my brother Jack  had taken over the summer thus far.

What a Miracle!

Hope is completely potty trained! She wakes up in the middle of the night and everything Hallelujah!

Everything is truly great, I am a little stressed because of school, but my husband has been helping me so much with the kids as well as my brother! I cannot wait till the kids' school is done though, so that I no longer have to make bagged lunches! Its pretty rainy here in Florida, which keeps the children indoors and makes it hard for me to concentrate at times...but I'm sure the sunshine will be here soon enough.  Hope is very active and talks all the time! She's nosy too..and for some odd reason has decided to write on the walls!!! She listens to everything, and you will hear her reply to something your talking about that is not related to her-she's SHARP! She is very advanced academically, and her vocabulary is amazing. Her fashion style not so much..but she likes to be dressed pretty, with pretty shoes. She doesn't like to clean up..but when I am upset-she knows and picks up quite fast...with whining of course; that is the thing with girls, they don't push their limits...she's smart! Her hair is just getting longer, and she's truly gorgeous;) I just can't keep my eyes off of her some days...I'm gushing sigh...cannot thank the Lord enough for our decision to have Hope! The pack of four is truly a great number for us...its hard at times too, but what would they do without each other?
I need to start taking pictures again, I've been bad about that...but its Memorial weekend so I'll get on it;)

Jeremy Camp - Overcome (Slideshow With Lyrics)

One day at a time!

My birthday is coming up..yeahhhhh-not! I am getting older...and my purpose in life does become more clear as days go by. I went to a Jeremy Camp concert with my mom and siblings-it was so amazing! So why am I posting this? Well http://www.compassion.com/ was there, and they spoke about the needs of the world and our needs as Christians...it was all very moving (of course). Though, it wasn't just that it was moving because life is sad etc. It was very moving for a multitude of reasons. In the last few weeks, all I have been doing is talking about adoption with people. The director at Noah's school is interested in adopting from Russia because of Hope. They were so impressed by her beauty and intelligence that they felt they wanted a 'Hopee' of their own, since she cannot conceive. Of course I am encouraging! The story of our adoption and our daughter and our agency are imprinted forever in our lives. I started to think back once again to when we decided to adopt, and of all of the paperwork and the phone calls..the fears etc. I started to once again yearn and hurt for the children in Russia, and the children who are suffering in the countries at war.....sigh...with our country. You know those moods we sometimes get in...anyway, then for some reason I thought no...no..your just down because of school, and Hope's behavior..so I thought maybe, I'll take my mother's offer of joining a gym. I will feel better and be able to blow off steam better. Well, I now know why I have been feeling the way that I have been..because God has answered my heart. They asked who would be interested in more info about Compassion...of course I raised my hand-I know God was talking to me! When I have thought about the possibility of adopting more children, I have always wrestled with a boy or a girl...a boy and a girl...and sure enough the lady accidentally gave me 2 pamphlets...a boy and a girl;)) This is AMAZING to me! I looked at the children in my hands that God was tugging at my heart about, I immediately knew they were mine too. Its not Russia...or orphans from Russia....I will always hurt for Russia, and the door is not closed on Russia....especially now with what has gone down politically. I will return to Russia...but maybe not to adopt...maybe for ministry-Russia needs God...all of Russia. These children are from Bolivia; and for whatever reason, they have been put into my hands and in a way...my care. I am going to answer this ministry this time. I am not going to turn away just because I already have Hope...Hope is my chosen daughter...I really don't consider her a ministry. 'Deymar and Eymi' are my ministry children. I am proud of what God has done for me and the work he has planned out for me. I have also join my church team for a ministry for sexually abused youth...this one is very close to my heart and I plan to put everything I can into this one. I failed a nursing course and am now a semester behind...but I think I understand why now. God knows I wanted to nurse while being in nursing school and here I am nursing;)


I thank God for my husband, because he works hard for our money...and it is only possible, because of my husband's hard work and the blessings that God bestows upon us. We are very blessed because my husband is employed still, and is thriving because of God. It would be a sin...to not show God our appreciation for all He does for us.

I thank you Lord first and foremost for all you do-you shower your love on us, on a constant basis and it is so good.

Jesus bless this children that come in your name.


Amen
xox