2014

Another year has begun. We have been on Christmas break from school for the last almost 2 weeks. I am looking forward to beginning fresh and new again next week. I pray God continues to bless our time. A lot of things have happened to make me think...what is most important?? Have I taught my kids all they need to know to begin adult life?? Our oldest will be 18 in April!! Our oldest is a daughter so I think it is different then a son...She will remain under our roof and care until God provides a spouse for her...but she also needs to be ready for life. It seems even though I fret God is paving the way. With my sister having a "friend" it has made us talk and face lots. It has also made me think how I need to be sure daughter #2 and #3 are ready also. SO as we begin fresh next week I will be trying to focus on things I feel I have lacked in but want our children to be prepared for.
  I will be having the kids learn more about cooking and baking, and I will also have our son learn how to clean the bathrooms. (I already started having him fold clothes with his sisters). I will also start training our youngest to do more weekly cleaning..(she has been vacuuming more and helping fold clothes). It has been so easy to let my oldest 3 girls just do all the weekly cleaning but I know that all of our children need to know. (Our son does vacuum and clean his own room) Our oldest has had a part time job for about a year and half now and has a bank account. So she has been dealing with some of the things that come with earning ,saving and spending money. I am hoping daughter #2 will be able to have little jobs here and there and get a bank account also. She has done checking etc. through schooling but real life teaches it so much better. She will be 16 next month!!! She will be getting her permit next month and will begin to learn to drive. I thank God that her daddy is so willing to teach that. That is something that stresses me so bad!( I am going to try to let the strings loosen a little on my almost 16 yr old and almost 18 yr old.) So hard! I am the nature to want my kids around me at all times. They are my life! I also know though that I can't keep them forever and I want them ready when God calls them to be completely loosened from their mommy and daddy! I can tell that daughter #3 is really trying to grow up...to gain her independence! She has started to be more involved with cleaning and organizing..I do see though that cooking is something she must not feel comfortable with as she kinda just stays out of it unless I ask her to help with supper etc. She has always enjoyed baking though. (but I will be teaching her how to make breads etc.) We have had some deep conversations with our kids lately it seems. About how as we grow older life has lots of ups and downs..how others have opinions of their own and how we need to let them. If something isn't a sin we need to let others have their opinions and we need to let it be. Its good to stand for things we believe in but also need to be careful that if something isn't a sin to just let it go. So anyways as you can tell LOTS of deep things on my mind!! Sorry if this is just a random post. I guess I felt I needed to write it all down and get it off my chest.... along with writing it down it helps me know better what I want from life! :) I have been feeling like such a failure as a mother lately so I think this will help to be able to go back and read what my goals are!

May God's peace be with you all!!

A Tiny Glimpse at homelife,Thanksgiving and company :)

A common site around here...LaKaysha's drawing :)

Kids playing dress up ( Liberty, Damara & Evelyn)

I did some baking for company (guests were arriving for Thanksgiving and In-Laws came for a visit)

Grandma S with Caleb

Grandpa S with Jamen

Auntie Marissa with niece Emmeline

Best of friends (LaKaysha and Daminika with cousins, Emily and Kimberly)

Cousins and Aunties (Felicity, LaKaysha and Daminika with Emily, Kimberly, Marita and Marissa w/Emmeline)

Evelyn loving on cousin Emmeline

getting ready for Thanksgiving Dinner

We are blessed!!

Time to eat!!

kids eating in our garage :)

guests (family) relaxing

Brother-In-Law Joey with his lil lady Abigail

LaKaysha enjoys cousin Emmeline

Liberty enjoys cousin Rand

my nephew Marcus Jon

Niece Hadassah (in background) and nephew Olympas

nephew Rand Leander

Niece's Hadassah and Cyrene :)

For Thanksgiving we had my family and Leon's family over. All in all it was around 60 of us! It was a house full but all went good! Also the weekend before my In-Laws arrived from NH. We really enjoyed having them out here! My sister Missy and her family also came to stay the day before Thanksgiving and stayed through Sunday. We really enjoyed having them. I always enjoy having guests stay and company over . It can get busy at times but it is a joy to serve others! I am ever grateful that God has given the home we have so we can serve others. I was surprised at how the house didn't seem that full. I think having the kids eat in the garage really helped and the nice weather also. The kids spent a lot of the day outside. Normally we have lots of rain but the Lord blessed us with sunny dry days! Now as all of our guests have gone on home we wait for the Christmas gatherings! A time of fellowship and fun! May God bless you all this Christmas season and may we always remember the reason we celebrate.... The birth of our Lord and Savior!!!