While I was away.....

  I know that I have neglected my blog lately. Please forgive me.... Things never seem to slow down around here.  Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and let me catch you up quickly.  :)

  In the last few weeks my Husband has been contacted by a few Companies out of state regarding employment.   This could mean some VERY big changes for us, but the Lord has already taken care of the outcome.....So I have peace no matter what changes lie ahead.


  Ian  (my middle child) took the test (CogATS), for the gifted program at the middle school, we should know within the next couple of weeks how he did, and if he will be placed into the program starting 7th grade, next school year.

I know he would LOVE that I used this picture....because he is a great big GOOF BALL, and because he is wearing his fedora! I think it is permanently attached to his head!

  We are praying HARD for Ian.  He is NOT being challenged in school 
what-so-ever.  How do you get 4 A+'s and 2 A's on your report card?  (BY IT BEING WAY TO EASY!!!) I believe BAD things happen when kids are bored, so please join me in this prayer!

  Then last week.....SAD day for our family. 

We had to put down one of our beloved pets.  He was my oldest Son's mini schnauzer, Gretzsky.  He was somewhere between 16-17 yrs old.  We took him in 7 yrs ago, when my Mother's neighbor had to move to the city and he couldn't  bring Gretzsky with him. 

When we took him in, he had a very large fatty tumor on the underside of his belly.  It was benign, and he had a heart murmur, so we had been advised to just leave it be.

In the last two years the tumor grew to almost hang on the ground.  I would guess it weighed somewhere between 4-6lbs.  He had such bad cataracts that he kept running into things, and I was frightened that he would break his neck running into the patio door. (This happened on many occasion), he often mistook it for being OPEN.  In the last few months, we watched his mind deteriorate as well, and he was becoming incontinent. 

My Children learned quickly how important it is that we are merciful when dealing with God's creatures, and that we do not put our needs of having them before their need of having peace.  We took comfort knowing he had been loved and cherished by our family, and had a very long and happy life with us.  


  Douglas went with his Dad to the vet, and stayed in the room with Gretzsky while the Vets put him to sleep.  It was his first time experiencing death happening right in front of his eyes.  He was very upset when he came home, but handled himself  like a  brave young man.  I was very proud that he wanted to stay with his buddy, and be a comfort to him all the way through the end. 

His face breaks my heart.  I snapped this picture shortly before they left for the Vet's office.  Our last picture of Dougie and his buddy, Gretzsky.

  We will miss you, boy.  You will always hold a very special place in our hearts, and I miss your peaceful snoring at night,and having you lie next to my bed on your pillows.  :(

  Oh, and if you want a really good cry....be sure to check out this amazing video.  My boy's Aunt sent this to them, and we all had a good cry.


  We recently found a new church...(well, new to us) and everyone is very happy there.  We have been meeting in Chris and my bedroom every evening for bible study, and scripture memorization.  Let's just say....the kids are doing better than their parents (they have age on their side)......and leave it at that. :^/  When we sat down a couple of months ago, to write out our goals this was one of them, and we are doing pretty good job of staying focused!  Yay!  


  The kids have been wanting to be baptized for quite some time now, but without a home church, that hasn't been a possibility.  This has been a topic of discussion almost nightly.  Chris and I want to make sure they are "ready"  and doing it for the right reasons.  


   I think we are ready for the next step, contacting the Pastor.  Their next baptism service is in April!  Hopefully I will have pictures to share of them then!

 I don't know why I am sharing this picture?........She just looks so thoughtful while listening to her Daddy.  Please excuse my unmade bed, and hideously ugly bedroom furniture.

AAHHEMMM...moving along............


  YESTERDAY....was a great day!!!  You can read more about my Dad's good news here
AND it was my parents 37th wedding aniversary!!

 The kids and I went to the dollar store, we needed to  re-decorate the dinning room table, since I still had Valentine's Day Decorations out.  We got some St. Patty's day kitsch to make the table look festive, and surprise my Mother and Father with a nice dinner and desert.  We made a salad, angel hair pasta with a meaty marinara sauce, some lovely Turano Italian bread with pesto spread, and butterscotch pudding for desert!  YUM!!!

  We also stopped by the Salvation Army, because it's right next door....and I have a "sickness"???  Really!!!.....I just can't pass by, and NOT go in....I had some great finds, and some more today at the Goodwill, but,THAT is a blog for tomorrow possibly.  

SO!!

  Here is how the table turned out........

I found some green glass "pebbles"  and added them to this candle holder for St. Patty's Day.

More of those same "pebbles"  and the cross from the dollar store.  I figured it was appropriate because St. Patrick was a missionary, and then I can use it for Easter decorations.

   I figured I would show you what I did with some of the other St. Patty's Day decorations the kids and I purchased!

 ALSO!! I  forgot to mention that Lexi came home with an invitation to a Father, Daughter Dance, hosted by the Christian after school club my two youngest attend.  

  I can't wait to take pictures of the two of  them, and fill you in on all the details over the weekend!  She is so excited!  They have a DJ and dance instructor who teaches them line dances, and all kinds of fun stuff.  She will no doubt have a blast!!  

   WHEW!!  Okay, I think that's just about everything.  Are you exhausted yet?? I know I am!  Good things the kids don't have school tomorrow.  We get another three day weekend to rest and re-group as well as re-organize.

Blessings <3 Paula