January News Update!

Well, what am I doing? I might as well embrace this new kind of journal writing that my eldest daughter Chelsey has introduced me to! Recently, I have decided to do a little "Spring Cleaning" and I came across 3 different journals that I began many years ago. One entry for each year! That's all! Maybe this venue will encourage me to stick to it since I am such a visual person and photographs are a big part of "blogging!!"

On this blog I would like to include the people and activities that are near and dear to my heart.

As a homeschooling mom, you might imagine that my 4 daughters are an all consuming fire in my home! Or that I may be running around with "my" hair on fire for the better part of most days!

But with anything, moderation!!! I am thankful that our oldest daughter Chelsey is already launching into a lovely young lady and on her way to searching out the mysteries of life!! (during these economic times, finding a job "was" a mystery!!) Chelsey is about to turn 19 and is an aspiring artist/photographer/crafty person/blogger!! She just came home in December from her first semester in Italy where she attended Saints Bible Institute. Currently, she is taking courses at FTCC and hoping to transfer to the Art Program at Appalachian State University this Fall. Go Chelsey!!

Olivia, our 161/2 yr. old is busy at Classical Conversations, our home school program during the week as well as Venturing, which is a part of the Boy Scouts of America, except that this program is coed for youth 14-21. She is the President of her crew and the president of the Occoneechee Council in the Tuocs district in North Carolina. She is hoping to find herself at Camp Philmont this Summer for the Range Hands Program!! Go Olivia!!!

Sydney Dale is turning 12 this April and is also busy in Classical Conversations during the week and enjoys her time at Campbell University on the Hurricanes Swim Team!! ( she is also accompanied by her younger sister Shelby as well.) Both girls attend a Spanish Club bi-monthly with Senora Irma who keeps them on their toes concerning everything "Spanish!"

Sydney aspires to be a "fashion designer" who spends much time designing clothing that is appropriate for young ladies!! She says that she would love to be a fashion designer and if that doesn't work out she will do hair!!! (She was going to be an Orca Trainer, but decided against it when she thought about the prospect of being crushed under the weight of an Orca whale!!)

Shelby Lynn, well lets just say, "this gal has it going on," meaning she is the whole families reminder of where things are, resident alarm clock, diligent student, maker of lists, wise counselor and oh...... she is all but 10!!!!

Shelby also swims 2 to 3 days a week for an hour and a half each day!!! I say this because I just started swimming this past week for 45 min. each day. OK....the first day, I thought my heart was going to come out of my mouth! I stopped and checked my pulse just to belay my fears of having a mini-heart attach in the pool!! I have a profound respect for my younger two daughters and how that whip through the pool with ease and grace for a whole hour and a half!!

OK, back to Shelby!! She is an aspiring Massage Therapist who requested Reflexology books for Christmas!! So that is what she got along with a DVD tutorial on Foot Reflexology. (She is quite good!!) What 10 year old do you know who comes running through the house to announce that she just found a massage chair on Craigslist for "only" $300!!! You go Shelba!! God has great plans for you!!

Now one of the most wonderful strands of my life is my amazing husband who should get a best dad and husband trophy everyday just for putting up with the five crazies he has to live with!!!

I am sooooooooooo thankful that God saw it fit for the two of us to spend this life together raising our daughters, by His Grace Alone, and the blessings we have experienced as husband and wife. He is currently installing a wood laminate floor in our kitchen area, not to mention he just put it down in our living room about 3 weeks ago!! NOT TO MENTION...... he also put it in our bonus room about 2 months ago, NOT TO MENTION.... okay, just kidding!! That's all for wood laminate....or is it..??? What I am trying to say is that this man is AMAZING when it comes to home improvement!!! What a guy!!!:) Okay, here is another "not to mention," he handles all of our web management for our home school bookstore, The Pilgrim's Journey, which is NOT his full time job as well as supports me in my role as Challenge A director for Classical Conversations.