Date nights

All relationships need time and attention to truly flourish. Not only have Jason & I committed to a weekly date night, but he is trying to be consistent in taking the kids out one at a time. Daniel gets time with his daddy 3 nights out of the month when they go to guitar lessons together. Afterward they go grab a coke or a late dinner and discuss the latest book they've been going through in the Bible. Currently, they are reading John. Last night Andrew got a turn to go out alone with daddy. He chose to have dinner at the Roadhouse. J let him order a huge glass of "cowboy punch". After dinner they stopped for banana splits at Shakes. For those of you who've not met my husband, he is VERY sociable. Chatty would be an understatement. When he worked at the police department, his nickname was "Gabby". Andrew, on the other hand, takes after me. He is a boy of few words. Poor Jason texted me throughout their meal about how being with Andrew reminded him of our early dating years. He would ask me how I was & I would answer with a simple, "fine". Did you have a good day? "Yeah". And so the night went with Andrew :) I encouraged Jason & let him know that Andrew truly was having a great time- just as I did so many years ago. Andrew is also our child with the most OCD tendencies. They all have a few, but he takes the cake. J sent me a picture of our son's place setting at the restaurant. Everything was neatly arranged in front of him. Today I took a picture of his work space to show J that A really is consistent. We colored sombreros that were labeled in Spanish colors. When Andrew finished, he laid the corresponding crayon on top of each sombrero, all lying in the same direction. Bless our kids' hearts. They have a 200% chance of developing OCD. Jason is a compulsive lock-checker & I have even number issues, especially when eating is involved. I suppose we all have our quirks, right?
While these two were out last night, the other 3 & I did a little neighborhood outreach. We have 2 sweet widow ladies who live very close to us. I baked up some banana bread and had the kids draw pictures and write notes to them and we delivered the loaves in tissue filled gift bags so they could enjoy it for breakfast this morning. I hope that my kids will always be aware of the people in need around them, and seek out ways to help meet their needs. I have not been an attentive enough neighbor to these sweet ladies and that was brought to my attention last week when one of them broke down in tears in my driveway. I felt like a heel for not checking on her more. I know she's lonely :*(
Tonight was my turn to have some quality time with the man of my house. We usually have a couple of sitters stay with the kids on our date night, but this week my sister & brother-in-law
offered to take them to dinner and a theater production at a local university. I know they needed a change of pace & a break from this house, so it was a good outing for them. They also had ice cream at about 9:00 just before they got home for bedtime :) Needless to say, they had a late bedtime tonight. That's okay though since we choose not to have school on Fridays. It just means momma gets to sleep in tomorrow! (God willing...please Jesus?) Jason & I enjoyed dinner at Red Lobster and were able to converse- uninterrupted- about all the new & exciting things going on in our lives right now. I ALWAYS enjoy my time with him & I'm so grateful to have it. Tonight I am thankful for my sweet family <3

A few happenings

Well, Monday evening it hit. After nearly 5 weeks in my new role of "school teacher" I began to feel the pressure. Maybe every home schooling mom doesn't struggle in this area, but I knew when we decided to do this it would be a battle for me due to my selfish nature. After the kids went to bed Monday evening, I just burst into tears for no apparent reason. Poor Jason was trying to understand what was wrong so he could offer support. He asked if I was unhappy with home schooling. No, not at all. In fact, I'm really loving it. I really wasn't unhappy at all, just feeling a little overwhelmed and sucked dry. Don't get me wrong here. I love my kids. All I ever wanted to be growing up was a good wife and mother. When I was blessed to come home from my "career" after the birth of our 2nd child, it was a dream come true. (even if it was more like we didn't have a choice since we couldn't afford childcare for 2 kids) We had to make sacrifices and it was, and has been, totally worth it. I never dreamed I would be able to have them home with me during the day after they started school. It's been awesome...however...Do you know how many questions 4 children can ask or how many arguements can take place within an hour? Do you know that mine are awake for 13 hours a day? That equates to a lot of questions (which I am happy to answer, of course :) and bickering. By the time they were in bed each night, it was as if my ears were ringing. It was obvious that I needed a little escape to gather my thoughts...or just confirm that I did, indeed, still have some of my very own thoughts. My sweet hubby came home from work the following day & pushed me out the door for some alone time. I thought about calling a friend to join me, but honestly, I just needed some peace & quiet. It was only a 3 1/2 hour break, but the kids were in bed when I got home and it was just enough time for me to relax a bit and recharge. I have a great man. This morning I felt like a new woman, ready to face our day.
Flu season is among us. I've not taken the kids for the flu vaccine in the past because the last time I got one I had a little local reaction and just didn't want them to be uncomfortable when doctors couldn't guarantee that all the strains were covered in the shot. Last November the flu bug hit our house with a vengeance. I was the only one spared. 5 cases of flu turned into 2 cases of pneumonia, strep throat, ear infections and asthma issues that lingered on into February....that being said, I loaded the kids up after school today for the flu nasal mist. We arrived at our appointment and upon check in the receptionist asks me if any of the kids have asthma...well, yes, one does- which disqualified him for the painless nasal spray :( Oh, he was NOT happy. I felt sorry for him, so he got to choose where we ate lunch. CiCi's of course :/ First, I drove to Walgreen's to get the nasal mist for myself only to find they didn't have it in stock. My options were to stay there and get a shot or drive a few miles up the road and pay $15 more for the mist somewhere else. I had to think hard about it, but gave in and got the shot. I can give birth to 4 children, but I'll pass on shots (and dental visits...that's a post for another day).
I'm feeling long-winded, so I guess I better stop now and save some for tomorrow since I've vowed to be more consistant with my posts. Tomorrow's topic- I'm thinking "date nights".

Beginning week five!

It certainly doesn't feel like I've been a teacher for nearly 5 weeks. Home schooling has gone better than I could've imagined, although I have had a few surprises along the way. While I was preparing for this journey, I just knew I was going to struggle with my strong-willed first born. It was honestly one of my biggest fears that every instruction I gave him would be met with a bad attitude. I am SO pleased to announce that he proved me wrong! He has done a fabulous job. My second born, however, hasn't made as easy of a transition. He will tell us that he likes home school better than public school, but you certainly wouldn't be convinced by all the pouting he dishes out in the few hours we are doing school work. I'm pretty sure it just boils down to him missing his friends at school. We have joined a local group and attend play dates every Friday. He seems to be making new friends and settling in nicely with the others. I feel like the attitude will subside with time. He's thrilled that we will be picking up one of his old buddies from school tomorrow so they can spend a few hours together. I'm excited for him. My oldest daughter is doing great so far. We usually finish her work up in about an hour & 1/2. That doesn't include our read-aloud time. The toddler is always glad to have her big sister all to herself while I continue on with the boys for a couple more hours. Speaking of the little one, she is loving her 2 days a week of Mother's Day Out. She always asks when she can go to home school :) From time to time, I will let her practice her cutting skills at the bar while the others work at the table or let her play with pattern blocks and coloring pages. Every once in a while Dora will step in and offer some lessons in Spanish. She's been a real life saver ;) All 3 school-aged kids are doing great in their studies. I feel like they are getting a good balance of familiar review and challenges. I plan to do a little tweaking to our English/grammar curriculum, but other than that, I have been pleased. It's hard to believe that according to the public school schedule, we are almost a 6th of the way through our year. I'm curious to see when we will finish up. Time will tell. Speaking of time...my alarm will go off in about 7 hours, so I think I will head off to bed now. Sweet dreams!

Williams Academy

Since many friends have begun asking which teachers my children will be learning from this year at Spring Hill, I've decided to announce it here, on my blog. Ready? (drum roll) Mrs. Courtney Williams!!! That's right. Me. We've decided to teach our children at home this year. I know what you're thinking. "Have you lost your mind?" Quite possibly. "Girl, you are crazy." You are probably right. "Aren't you worried about their social skills?" Hello? Have you met their father? No worries. "What are your qualifications to teach?" Quite frankly? None. I struggled to get through high school and quit college after 6 weeks with a 1.5 GPA. "Why would you want to home school?" Well, I had a strong desire to home school when our oldest was in preschool. My husband didn't share my desire at that time, so I let it go. Our oldest 3 children have done well at their father's alma matter for 5, 2 and 1 year(s). We didn't have a bad public school experience that "forced" us to pull them out. Some may assume our decision is based on "religious" reasons due to the fact that my husband has served in some form of vocational ministry for most of our marriage. Though that may have influenced our decision, it wasn't the cause for it. We aren't trying to "shelter them from the evil forces of the world and beat them over the head with the Bible daily". Don't get me wrong. We will strive to follow the instructions given to us as parents in Deuteronomy 6 by diligently teaching our children through our every word & action to love the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls and might...just as we've always tried to do when they were in public school. My husband was thinking a few weeks ago of how quickly our children are growing before our eyes. He did some math and figured out approximately how many hours he has left with our oldest son before he flies the coop. It struck a chord with him and he approached me about home schooling. Since it had already been a desire of mine, he didn't have to twist my arm. We've spent the last couple of weeks talking to family, friends we have who home school, as well as people we know who have, themselves, been home schooled trying to glean as much wisdom on the subject as we could. While I am a little anxious about my new role as "teacher", I am comforted by the amount of support and resources available to me as well as my children. I want everyone to know that we are not anti-public school. We are just pro-home school for this season in our family's life. This was a personal choice for OUR family. The children are ecstatic. Let the new journey begin!!!!

Over 2 years???

Wow- Has it really been that long since I've posted on here? Unbelievable. Well, now's as good a time as any to pick it back up, I suppose. Life is extremely busy and has changed quite a bit since my last post. Certainly too much to dump on here all at once, so for tonight I will keep it simple and fill you in a little at a time. In less than 8 hours we will be on the road to enjoy some much needed rest & relaxation as a family before things gear up for the new school year. Our life could be well described as a roller coaster and God is certainly throwing us for some loopty loops; over, under & sideways, and now that my fear of this particular new adventure has subsided, I'm really beginning to enjoy the ride. I held my breath & squinted my eyes for the first couple of loops, but now it's time to throw my hands up in wreckless abandon and enjoy the ride. After all, I know who is in control and I'm more than confident that His plans for me are good. I can't wait to tell you all about it...in about a week :) Sweet dreams blog world.

Jason & I had dinner with a dear couple the other night. The wife & I began a discussion about the difficulties of juggling Bible study with motherhood. Failing to consistently study my Bible has been an ongoing struggle for me for years. She has already survived the season that I am in, so I listened attentively to her advice. In the past, others have made excuses for me, "God understands this is a busy season in your life". I don't buy it. I don't believe that God blessed me with 4 beautiful children just for me, in return, to put Him on the back burner. It is so important that I make Him my #1 priority so that I can adequately reflect Him to my husband, children & others that I come in contact with. She shared a website with me that will send me daily devotions via e-mail. I usually find these things to be super cheesy, but this one in particular seems, so far, to be straight scripture with thoughts for application minus the sappy stories. I pray that I will be faithful as I strive for consistency in my daily Christian walk. In addition to my readings, I am trying to be more aware of my daily blessings & the wonder of God's creation. I'm also attempting to take a breather before yelling at my children, bless their hearts. This morning I went outside with them instead of staying in to fold clothes or veg on the couch watching t.v. as I normally would. It's a beautiful day, a little warm, but bearable. I walked the 2 girls around in the wagon. I think it was the first time for both of them- how sad is that? They sat so still & really enjoyed stopping to pick little flowers for me to stick behind my ear. We even found a lone dandelion for Victoria to wish on (she wished to be a ballerina). It was a precious time and I enjoyed just taking it all in. My oldest son is at basketball camp for the morning, but I also have my nephew for the day. He & my youngest son enjoyed building things out of sand, rocks, leaves & sticks. I love to see how the kids naturally fall into their God given gender roles. Not that my girls can't build with the best of them, but they prefer their purses and heels. I love it!
Thank you Jesus for reminding me that I'm not perfect, but that my goal is to live a life worthy of you. Thank you for equipping me with everything I need to do so. Help me walk in the truth of what I already know instead of begging you for what I've already been given; self control, power & discipline. Help me be a light to my family and everyone I come in contact with. Amen!

opportunity lost?

A week ago I had a hair appointment, but was still not able to drive due to my surgery, so my sweet husband chauffeured me on his way to work. He had an appointment that started earlier than mine, so I planned to grab a quick breakfast at the coffee shop next door to my salon while I waited. I had seen Java Lounge many times, but had never actually gone in. It was very artsy and reminded me a lot of my past- a little dark & rebellious. A young man lingered up the the counter to take my order after I had been standing there for several minutes. He reminded me a little of Jack Sparrow- even though I've never seen any of the PotC movies. There was even a pirate plaque hanging behind him on the wall. He was friendly, but I couldn't help but notice his different appearance. He had a rimmed hat on, black eyeliner, a shirt with the top 3 buttons undone, and black nail polish. I don't think I was being judgemental of him, just very curious. He took his time preparing my order & didn't seem concerned about the line that was forming behind me. I was in no rush. In fact, I was enjoying the low-key atmosphere. It was relaxing, well, except for some of the goary artwork. When he finished with my breakfast, I took it and had a seat by a window. I updated my Facebook status to declare I was enjoying a peaceful breakfast at Java Lounge then sat back observing the people who came and went as I ate. I am a spectator. I could sit at the mall for hours & just watch people. I find them fascinating. I just love to try to figure out what makes people tick- why they act the way they do. This "pirate" that had served me really captured my attention- don't get the wrong idea- it wasn't any sort of attraction. When I was in jr. high & high school, I was drawn to be friends with his type; the underdog who usually rebelled because they didn't have a crowd to fit into. I always wanted to fix, or help them. I finished my meal- threw away my trash, thanked him & walked to my hair appointment.
This evening I sat at this computer and checked out our local newspaper's website. A headline read "local man featured in recent article killed in accident. 'click here to see article'". I couldn't believe my eyes. There was his picture, along with 2 of his friends. The article was about self proclaiming "bohemians" who go against the flow of modern society. One of his friends stated that some people go through life asking questions and some don't. He said that he does ask himself questions about what this life is all about. I have the answer to that question!!! If my server would've asked me, would I have been bold enough to tell him? Should I have waited for him to ask? I feel like I missed a wonderful opportunity to share the gift of eternal life with a young man who may not have had a clue. My heart is seriously grieved over this guy and his friends. The opportunity is gone- he's dead. Wow.