From Another Perspective

I downloaded the pictures from Dacia Grace’s camera.  So fun to see life from her perspective. 

 

Another Blast From the Past

This evening I was downloading another photo card that I had forgotten about……here is a glimpse of the treasures that I found.

 

  The time has flown by!

My Sweet Husband

  I am so blessed!  Thank you Lord!

Joy!

So this morning I rose very early to try to get some quiet time before the hustle and bustle of the day.  Soon after I was downstairs, I heard a soft and knowing thud……Dacia Grace was up.  I went upstairs to investigate and found her wide awake and ready to join me.  Soon downstairs, this was the picture before me…

What joy filled my heart to see her reading the Word and seeking to start her day with Him!  There really is no other joy as a parent.

Some Faves

Found an old disc of pictures that I thought was lost: Disneyland– December 2009

Love seeing her walk with Daddy!

 

So tired after a long day but still able to watch the parade.

   

On Christmas Eve all the buildings in San Diego had red lights lit to guide Santa.

Thanks to Santa having GPS he found us in San Diego!

God is Good!

I am so thankful that I serve a God who is all the time good.  I may not always understand His ways but I know that  I can rest forever in His arms.    If I spend an eternity singing of His goodness, there will still be more goodness of His to sing about!

Here is a song that really struck a cord with my heart today.  May it also minister to yours.

Come to Jesus – by  Chris Rice

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by

Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so

Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so

Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then

Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then

Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and

Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

I especially like the last stanza because it reminds me that there is no sting in death.  That as Christians we can laugh through our tears because Jesus has won the victory over death!

Toothie Grin

Here is the latest grin since teeth have fallen out or been removed by the dentist.  Such a cutie patootie she is!

A Girl and Her Dog

I know that this is a “repeat” picture of sorts.  I just really like it!

 

Extended Lunch

Our Preschool Curriculum of Choice

When Dacia Grace was preschool age we chose to begin homeschooling.  Many people have asked me what we used for our curriculum.  They want a  name of a book or a company that we used.

What we actually did was to sit down one night and came up with a list of truths that we wanted to instill in her.  The book learning was not important to us at this age but building a sure foundation was paramount.

So......here is the list......

God created you.
God created the world.
God loves you.
Jesus loves you.
God made me special.
The Bible is God's word.
Love is kind.
Children obey your parents.
God sent Jesus.
Jesus is God.
God can do anything.
God hears our prayers.
Thank you  Jesus for everything.
God is Good I can talk to God.
God protects us.
We are God's  helpers.
We worship God.

I integrated these values into our lives through creative play, free play, reading books and more books, listening to music of all genres, exploration walks in all types of weather, and playing with others.

We checked Bibles out from our local library and read through them.  This was a huge blessing because we don't need to own a copy of every toddler or preschool Bible.  But we sure enjoyed the ones from the library.  One of our favorites was the Read to Me Bible for Kids.

Midnight Musings With a Friend

Friend mentions something to the effect:  Hope I can make it when I home school the kids.


Me:  You will do great. You love them and that is the foundation of teaching them everything. If you hold their heart you can teach them. Yeah they can learn from a teacher they don't love but they can learn nothing from a teacher that they don't love AND respect.


Friend:  True.


Me:    Yeah, there will be days that you will question your sanity.
          When you will look longingly at that yellow bus as it drives through the neighborhood picking up kids and you are picking up the teacher's manual.
          When nothing....absolutely nothing....gets done that is supposed to get done and when everything goes wrong.
         There will be days when you have to go to them and wake them up at night to see forgiveness for being or doing (fill in the blank) so that YOU can go to sleep.
         There will be the days when they will look at you and say I love you!  Thanks for loving me when I am disobedient!
         When they will ask deep theological questions that are far beyond their years.
         When they make connections from one scripture to the next. When they will apply a scripture to a news event, an event at the library, park etc.
         Those are the days that you hold close to you heart.
         Those are the days that keep you going on the other days.

Friend: Thank you for the reminder. Yes, it is worth it. It is insanely, exhaustingly, worth it.

Homeschooling is hard. It tests you in ways that you will never imagine being tested.  It molds you. It softens you.

BUT

Homeschooling is fun.  It is the bonding glue between me and my sweet girl.  It is a privilege, joy and responsibility that I do not take lightly!  I would not trade one day of my life!  Thank you Arthur that because you walk closely with the Lord and work to provide for this family I am able to home school our daughter!  I love you!