Some shots from October.........

Sleeping princess!

I love the way Jackie still gets down in the floor and plays with the little girls!  She's such a good big sister!

Homeschool fun!

Girls, Girls, Girls

I love these girls with all of my heart.  I love watching the relationship they have as sisters!

Recent Homeschool Projects

I love homeschooling!  I love being able to watch my kids grow and learn, not to mention making memories with them.  Here's a few photos from last week's projects.  Our theme for last week was lighthouses and our color was red!

And of course, baby Jamaree is right in the middle of learning too!

I Write Because.......

So, who am I?  Why do I write?  What's this blog all about?.......

I started this blog back in 2008 when I knew I was heading back to Uganda on a more permanent basis.  There had been a lot of changes in my life, but I knew this time going back was going to be different.  I wanted to document my time in Uganda, the ministry, what was going on in my life.  Several friends were also blogging so it was also a great way for us to keep in touch with each other.
Over time, this blog seems to have wandered.  Sometimes there has been a story, a thought, something to catch people up on in life, etc.  It's not ever really had a theme.  Well, maybe it has.  It's been about my journey.  But, it still seems that it's kind of meandered around.  Lots of different things going on so it's not always been about ministry or even my thoughts on it all.  Other times (most times), this blog has been really quiet.

So, who am I?

I'm just an ordinary woman from Arkansas (what seems like the middle of nowhere) who got transplanted to the other side of the world (Uganda).  I'm a wife (to one husband- David), mother to four little girls (Jackie, Jurnee, Joelee, and Jamaree), and homeschool teacher to same four little girls.  I'm also a full time missionary running a sponsorship program and praying for the day we'll see our school opened.

I love the Lord.  I love children and being a mom.  I love pouring into the lives of children and watching them become what God created them to be!

Why do I write?

I have always enjoyed writing, whether for school, a journal in my spare time, or even for work!  I still enjoy writing.  It's always been a way for me to process what is going on in my head.  But, somehow it gets pushed to the side a lot.  Hopefully, that will get better.

What's this blog all about?

I'm wanting this blog to take on some sort of direction, be a bit more specific.  I've decided to make this blog a blog of my life- sort of a memory book.  I want to have a space where I can "take a walk down memory lane."  So, this blog, is taking a  new path.  For all of you friends and family (especially on the other side of the world), you can keep up with our day to day life here.  Watch the kids grow!  Remember with us the journey that we're on!

Hurry Up....... Time Flies So It's Better To Slow Down

OK, so I've missed a few days!  But, I don't want to give up totally, so I'm back with another post......
We all know time flies.  It seems like just yesterday I was holding my firstborn and wondering what I was going to do with a newborn.  Now she's almost four years old!  But, even though I know time flies, I still find myself always in a rush, always rushing my kids, always telling them to hurry up!  They're just babies and exploring their world.  Why rush them through it?  Grace would say slow down and take time with them.  Patience!
It's really not necessary for them to do everything quickly.  It's ok if they take long to tie their shoes or stop on a walk to pick flowers!  That's what they're supposed to be doing.  I should be enjoying the little things of life with them.

Don't Break Their Spirit

So, again 30 minutes before midnight and I'm just getting a chance to sit down and post something.  I have a great view though.  Three of my four little ones asleep on my bed.  I love watching my kids sleep.  They look so peaceful and carefree.
As I sit and watch them sleep, I think of all that God has planned for them.  All that is before them.  I think of what they will become, what kind of person they will be, how their little personalities are forming.  I so hope they will walk fully in the plans God has for them.  I pray that I never become a stumbling block to them, especially by breaking their spirit.
I think many times as parents when disciplining our children we don't realize the impact of our words!  How much some things we say (or even the way we say something) really hurts our children or pulls their confidence down.  I think about how many times when I've lost patience or not wanted to be bothered at the moment that I've spoken impatiently or harshly or said something that really shouldn't have been said, only to see a look of defeat in my child's eyes.  It's a look I really don't want to see.  I want to be a parent that lifts my child up, not tears them down.  Again, I pray for grace to abound so that I can speak to my children patiently words that uplift.

A Tender Heart

Ok, so blogging every day for 31 straight days is proving to be a challenge.  I'm not sure what I was thinking????  A newborn and I'm going to have time to write each day.  I'm finding that most of the time I have only the few minutes before it clocks midnight into the next day......  Anyway, on to today's topic!
How do you discipline a child with a tender heart.  I find it to be easier (for myself) but wonder what the future will hold.
I find it easier because she seems to be sensitive to the fact that she's done something wrong and quick to say she's sorry.  But, that also means that she is somewhat of a people pleaser.  That scares me for her in the future.
Discipline with her is quite easy at the moment.  Usually, I don't have to do much more than say stop.  She responds well and seems to understand when we talk about right and wrong and making good choices.
I worry about her wanting to please people so badly that they lead her astray.  I want her to be confident and not feel like she has to please me or others to be loved and accepted.
The down side to her being so tender hearted is that she can have a meltdown at times and I never want to discipline her in a way that will break her spirit.