Trying To Look Like Jesus

Putting on the first ornament We finally got our Christmas tree.  The kids had so much fun taking out each ornament and reminiscing how each special ornament became part of our tree.  I always laugh to see how many "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments Brooke received for her first Christmas.  In years past I've always had the "elegant" Christmas tree (that's what Lily call it).  But this year, the pretty and hand made ornaments made it on the tree and it looks wonderful.  Today was definitely a  good day, Hallelujah!!  Really hoping the dog stays away!

Tonight for day 13 of Advent we are making gingerbread houses. Correction, the kids are making gingerbread houses.  Just as I was putting on the finishing touches on my house, it feel apart:(  But the kids are looking great. Busy at work Brooke doing the front of her house Lily is concentrating so hard! Noah, already done and eating my broken house Here's the end results! Christmas village

We've been busy enjoying the holidays around here. And now that I'm finished the shopping and school is slowing down its fun time!  This month we started a new tradition of an advent calender and Jesse tree.  I found the ideas on the blogs that I follow. The Jesse tree pictured below is a great devotion we've been using to trace the lineage of Christ.  Each night we read the scripture on the list and hang one of the ornaments the kids and I colored on the branches. Then for the Advent calender each day we do a different activity.  We've done a paper chain to countdown Christmas, pipe cleaner candy cane ornaments, and hand print snowmen ornaments.  And tonight we went out to see the neighborhood Christmas lights.  Our favorite is the house that goes to music on Elderberry Rd. I can't wait to decorate gingerbread houses and bake cookies!! I love how this year we're really getting into the spirit of the season.  Every year I feel so rushed and it goe...

Today I looked out the back window to see Lily cleaning up dog poop, AND I DIDN'T EVEN ASK!!  Her friend came over to play yesterday and it was like navigating a mine field out there.  Her friends asks, "So when do you guys pick up the poo?"  Lily says, "I don't know, whenever!" Well, clearly seeing that she wasn't happy with that answer Lily took it upon herself to go out and remedy the problem.  I'm so proud of her taking responsibility for the back yard and being sensitive to her friends needs.  My girls' growing up:)

Sometimes holiday breaks can be a pain.  Getting back on schedule can be difficult.  Take yesterday for instance.  It was dark and raining outside.  It was hard to get started on anything!  More so when you have a hubby not feeling well. Monday was great!  We accomplished  so much.  Today is much better too. I struggle on the days when nothing gets done. I feel defeated.  But we must push on.  Love my kids, they really do well inspite of me.

The kids and I are looking forward to a much needed break.  It's been a busy 1st marking period and after doing all the grades and looking at all they've learned,  I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.  Noah and Lily have straight A's and Brooke ended with 4 As and 3 Bs....not bad! I'm so proud that they've been getting along better too!  Last year this time I was seriously thinking, "What did I get myself into!?", but a years worth of sowing into helping them grow in their relationship with each other and LOTS of prayer, we get through most school days quietly. This was a busy month.  We learned about the election process, how to become president and Thanksgiving.       We've been working on our thankful trees and I think they came out pretty good!  It was interesting to see what each child is thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!

 What a crazy week.  It really stretched us as a family.  Electricity is the most wonderful invention ever!  Although there were challenges last week there were also blessings and answered prayers, but we had to look hard for them.  After waking up Tuesday after the storm we were hungry, cold, and cranky.  The hubs went out to find food but everyone around us was without power.  What to do now!  Wifey to the rescue!!  Yes I got to fulfill my calling as his help meet.  When I went out I found, ta-da!!...Chik Fil A... open!!!! I've never seen people so happy to eat, we love this place so it truly was blessing number 2.  Blessing number one was that a tree didn't fall on my house and no one was hurt. Wednesday we went to my mom's in Jersey. They did not lose power and we were able to eat, get cleaned up and see family we hadn't seen in a while. Blessing number three!!  There were many other little blessings in between (lik...

I can't believe it's been seventeen years since she came into my life.  It's gone by so quickly.  After her we were content with never having another one.  She was the happy, bubbly, loud one! She still is. Easiest baby out of all of them.  Content to play with whatever she could find.  I couldn't imagine life without her, EVER!  She is my strength when I can't go on sometimes.  She makes me laugh after an awful day and is my biggest cheerleader.  She's my first baby.  Happy birthday!! I love you so much.

It's been a hard pill to swallow, but when God says no we have to remember He sees things we cannot.  Although it does not make sense to me now or maybe never, I know that I can trust that God has my best interest at heart.  Job 2:10 says,".... What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." We are quick to accepts God's yes but why do we not accept His no just as quickly.  We are so quick to dismiss it as, well , I don't know exactly, but when he says no we throw a tantrum.  I know I did! Then I allow God's word and grace to wash over me and calm me down and bring me back to earth and remind myself that this is not my home. I am but a pilgrim passing through and touching lives with the Love of Christ as I go, hopefully bringing others with me to heaven, my real home. It would have been nice to have some extra money to save, fix the house, get the kids braces, etc.....but H...

God seems to find the oddest time of the day to speak to me.  Like the other day in the car, I was driving from church for the 100th time this week and all of a sudden, He speaks to me.  I know it's Him because this warm feeling overcomes me.  I know, I'm weird, but it's true.   Anyway, I have been a little hard on Lily during school.  It just seems like she should get it, you know!  Sometimes I can't tell if she's just playing me or what. But then God reminded me of the times I just don't get it.  In the car, I was thinking about my husband trying to patiently explain something to me that seems so obvious to him and I'm giving him that dumb look. You know the one, like he has three heads or something.  After he gives a one hour explanation, I finally get it, but by then he's frustrated and I feel badly. "Lily feels the same way, badly", I hear Him say.  It's not that she's testing me (all the time:) or is trying to get under my ...

Lilianna Age 5 Those adorable little fingers. That cute, mischievous smile.  Her laugh!  She came into this world unexpectedly but she would be my biggest joy (and pain).  The birth was the best ever and NO meds.  But the birth would not be an indicator of her personality. Oh, how needy and clingy she would be to her momma.  Always just wanted mamma. Nursery school was the hardest. Leaving her behind crying for momma.  I soon learned it was all an act for me, she was fine after a few minutes and had her favorite.....baby dolls!  We went to work/school together.  We've spent so much time together since then and now more time than ever.  I hate to think of when it comes time for her to leave the nest.  Will she be ready? Today For now I have her home with me, every day.  We work together, school together, play together, pray together.  This child that came unexpectedly into my home and heart is TEN today! ...

So here it is 11:52 in the morning and we are finished school.  Now that's more like it!  It's been a challenging several weeks here at the Judge house but things are finally flowing well and mama's not pulling out her hair anymore.  Thank goodness because if it kept up I would literally be bald by December.....not a good look for me.  Noah loves science especially the experiments.  He had two short ones today.  He likes to see how the world around him responds.  It's such a joy to see him love learning something.  Brooke still hates algebra 2 but we started a new lesson that seems simpler to understand.  Lily's been enjoying art and so am I. It's a fun break during the week or a good ending to the week......whenever I can get it in.  I love homeschooling again!!!!

Me, that's who!  I dug up my high school transcript to see how I did in Algebra and Algebra 2.  Let's just say I barely graduated because of Algebra 2.  Once again it rears its ugly head for me to (not) conquer.  Oh yeah!! I'm older and wiser now.   I can do this !  No I can't.  The only difference is that I have the teacher book with the answers.  Boy, I wish I had that back then :)   Brooke is doing much better than I was though.  I think it helps having the DVD instructor and a mom who is sympathetic towards her frustrations.  And maybe that mom helps her ALOT with the answers, maybe ;D.

Wow, these last two weeks have flown by!  Our days are full of learning, field trips, doctor/dentist/vet visits, and Noah's room is being painted and redecorated.  I'm exhausted and overwhelmed to the point that last Friday I couldn't take it anymore and had a full on break down that my poor husband had to talk me down from.   "You're doing too much, take a break", he says.   What!!  And fall behind on  EVERYTHING!!!  Yeah, it was pretty bad.  A grown woman, daughter of the King, having a melt down.  Why?   I was once again.....doing it in my own strength.  Phillippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ  which strengtheneth me".  I was once again reminded of that wonderful truth on Sunday at church through the preaching of God's holy word.  Thank the Lord for a bible preaching church and a pastor who is filled with the Spirit.  I needed that message of course, b...

Although Thursday's court hearing went very well, I have to wait about 30 days to find out the judge's decision, even though he pretty much makes it that day.  If they know, why wait to tell you?!  Another opportunity to practice patience, yay :(  It was one of the scariest things I had to do ever  and I was totally sick to my stomach.  I didn't know what to expect and I had to speak in front of the judge.  I thought my lawyer was going to do all the talking, but instead he had to ask me questions in front of the judge!  But the Lord gave me clarity of thought and I answered the questions about what happened to my foot and why I can't do the work I used to do.  Afterwards my lawyer was really  happy with how well it went which is good news for me I guess.  And so we wait.......

Well, tomorrow's the day I find out if I get Social Security Disability.  This picture says it all for me.  I've waited three long years to find out the end of this thing.  Was it all for nothing?  Was all that suffering in vain?  The months in and out of the hospital.  The weeks without my family.  The days when Lily would come visit me in the hospital and cry because she couldn't stay with mommy. There were days I was so sick from the meds  that I could barely get out of bed.  But I would, to go to those dumb hyperbaric oxygen treatments in the hopes that my wounds would heal and I wouldn't lose my toes.  In the end, I lost them anyway and I couldn't help but think "that's what I dragged myself out of bed for....for nothing!"  I was bitter and confused about why God would allow this to happen.  I lost my toes and my job that I absolutely loved  and it nearly drove my poor husband insane.  Actually he already...

Yesterday was a very productive day.  We had field trips and science experiments and even a much needed trip to the ice cream stand!  Okay, it wasn't much needed, but much appreciated.  Below are pictures of what we did.  Enjoy! Daddy came with us to the Nature Center This is from the butterfly garden there.   Dad and Lily looking for a frog. There he is! Noah doing his first science experiment Lily doing her first art project We had to add another bookcase Very busy day, but it was so much fun.  It's days like this that makes me happy to homeschool. PTL!! yE

Now that a new week has begun and the kids are back from camp, it's time to rev up school!  Noah will start his Mystery of History and Apologia Science this week.  It'll be interesting to see how he does with the middle school curriculum.  Lily and I will go on a second field trip back to the Nature Center.  She just asked today if it was on the schedule and once I confirm something with Lily, she holds me to it.  I'm so glad she's liking the Nature Study as much as I am and I just got a great deal this weekend on a download to help us with the class.  Brooke wants to get a job.  Oh, oh is right!  She's at that age where she needs (wants) more than we can keep up with.  You know,  new clothes, shoes, a hair straightener.  It's always something! We weren't crazy about her getting a job outside the home at first, but with me not being able to work like I used to and college in two years, well we'd better start saving, huh!...

This week Noah and Lily are away at camp and I always think I'll enjoy the quiet, but I never do.  At first it's nice to just wake up and take care of what I need to do, but by the middle of the week, I miss them.  Lord knows they don't miss me though.  They can't....they're so busy having fun up there there's not a chance they're missing home. This week it's just Brooke and I for school.  She is  definitely  enjoying the peace and quiet.  No one to get in her way or bother her, but I think the quietness of the house is getting to her..... albeit secretly! I started to ponder a question yesterday that I often come to when my salvation birthday comes around.  The only thing is that it was back in May,  but I was reading an email and the question was this... ."How did   God get your attention towards salvation?"   For me it was the near ruin of my marriage and family.  For Lily it was the death of a bunny Michael r...

This is my school room.  Yeah, its the living/dining room.  Sometimes its the bedrooms too!  All week I've been reading other posts of really cool school rooms and fancy curriculum and its hard not to covet that stuff.  Some of these school rooms are huge and packed full of awesome school stuff!  But then I'm reminded to be content with "whatsover ye have" and thank God that we have a home to spread out in!  School's been great so far, though last week was a little rough which was my fault because I strayed away from the plan .  It takes more time out of my precious  schedule (ugh, shame on me) but the kids do so much better with one on one time. Less noise, less distraction, less confusion.  Noah started his first day today and so far, so good.  Thank the Lord for His wisdom!   Well we missed out on the Knoebels trip but we are making the best of this beautiful day.  Only 3 weeks left to take advantage of our Sesame p...

Today I got some pretty bad news.  But I should have expected that, right?  After all, we just had a revival meeting at church and God did an amazing work that will continue, regardless of Satan's attacks on the church.  Don't you hate how he goes for the weakest ones in the pack.  I mean really, why would he go after the one or ones who are strong?  Keep your guard up because Satan is not happy with what happened over the last several days!  He is already at work trying to destroy what God is doing.   "But greater is He that is in me".....!!!!!  Don't let Satan win! Fight back, give him NO ground on which to stand on....take it back if he has!!  Let God continue to do that great and mighty work He has begun.  Praise be to God!!!!

When Michael and I first decided to homeschool we (I) was scared that we (I) would fail the kids.  Would they do well?  Will they get into a good college?  How is this going to work when Noah and Lily start homeschooling with us?  It was just Brooke the first year and..... it went better than expected!  The Lord truly blessed and it brought Brooke and I closer than ever.   Last year was a different story.  Although I had a desire to have a Holy Spirit led homeschool, more often than not I was just winging it. Some days I would dread getting up because of the horrible day we had the day before.  Why did I yell instead of gently teach?  So many times we skipped stuff because I was too overwhelmed.   Don't get me wrong, sometimes we had good days, really, really, good days.  And we got to do some neat things, but it wasn't what it should have been.   I didn't want that to happen this year and really sought the Lord for wisdom ...