I am changing Blog names

I am using a new blog name and will no longer be posting to this blog....if you would like to check out the new blog please visit http://totaljesusgirl-lifeontherock.blogspot.com/ Thank you..May you be blessed!

Hearts at Home Contest Winner

The week went so fast and I have enjoyed speaking and remembering all the great things about Hearts at Home Ministry... If you have not checked out there website yet please do...it has lots of information about there upcoming conferences, more on other moms doing the blog tour, encouraging book and resources for your journey as a mom. http://www.hearts-at-home.org/


On Day One I asked you to comment on "How do you keep your marriage a priority while raising children and a household." for a chance to win a copy of Jill Savages book "Is there sex after having kids."


Thank you for all the responses. They all encouraged me in some way and gave me great insight.I could only choice one and so I choose....Jenn; Here is what she had to say!



"We have a journal we write back and forth in. Last Christmas my husband gave me a blank journal with a beautiful note about how when we were gone someday he wanted our kids to know how crazy in love he was with their mother. So we write about our dates, or when one of us does something special for each other. Sometimes we stick in love notes we write to each other etc. I love finding our journal-because I know that means he has written something for me."



I thought it was just so romantic and beautiful! Congratulations Jenn... Please check out Jenn's Blog http://jenniferhumiston.blogspot.com/

May Your Hearts always be at Home!!!

Hearts At Home - Day 5

Have you noticed that most events you attend have an anthem? You know like if you go to the baseball park You hear Take me out to the ball game for its 1 2 3 ...something like that ( Sorry if I way messed it up) and if you go to a Harvest Crusade, you will always hear Crystal Lewis sing "People Get Ready" ...oh i had a bunch in my head and now I am drawing a blank!!! Hopefully you get the idea....

So this morning I was thinking about what I would write today about Hearts at Home ministry and it hit me! A mother's anthem and the song that I instantly thought of was a song I heard this past year at the Moms Day out conference Hearts at Home put on in California....so today I want to tell you about an amazing singing group who comes and sings at the conferences. Crimson Bridge is just so amazing..besides having powerful voices and sweet faces, they make you cry and laugh...I love the way they one year sang 9 to 5 but changed the words to be a moms day....it cracks you up! Maybe it is so funny because you can so relate to the words they are singing....

So today...I want to ask you to check out there website and listen to their song...Go out and buy there new CD...it has a song called Somebody's Hero on it and I declare it as our MOMS ANTHEM!

When I am feeling a bit down or like my role at home and in my kids life isn't that big of a deal I crank up this song and it makes me cry and sing and I feel like Thank You Jesus! I so matter to someone and not in the way that most people are known for and it makes me feel so much better!!!!! I have written the words out for you so you could read over them and ponder them in your heart!

BE BLESSED TODAY!!! YOU ARE SOMEBODY"S HERO!!!!!!
Somebody's Hero

She's never pulled anybody from a burning building
She's never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans, screaming out her name
She's never hit a shot to win the game
She's never left her footprints on the moon
She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride, around the world,
No, she's just your everyday average girl (but)
She's somebody's hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero
She didn't get a check every week like a nine-to fiver
But she's been a waiter, and a cook and a taxi driver
For twenty years, there at home, until the day her girl was grown
Giving all her love to her was her life's ambition
But now her baby's movin' on, and she'll soon be missin' her
But not today, those are tears of joy runnin' down her face
She's somebody's hero
A hero to her daughter in her wedding dress
She gave her wings to leave the nest
It hurts to let her baby go down the aisle she walks right by
Looks back into her mother's eyes
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero
Thirty years have flown right past
Her daughters' starin' at all the photographs
Of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that
Oh, but she already is
She's somebody's hero
A hero to her mother in a rockin' chair
She runs a brush through her silver hair
The envy of the nursing home
She drops by every afternoon
Feeds her mama with a spoon
And that smile lets her know
Her mother's smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero


Please visit their website!

http://www.crimsonbridgemusic.com/

Don't forget to see Day 1 of my hearts at home week to leave your comments for a chance to receive an autographed Jill Savage book!!!

Hearts at Home - Day 4

Keeping my heart at home...I am truly blessed to be able to stay home and be a "Happy Housewife" and be here to put my kids on and off the school bus. I enjoy making them breakfast and packing there school lunches and preparing good healthy dinners with them and be able to sit back and watch them laugh and grow and hear the funny things their minds think on and see.

Some days though are tough to remember the Joy of my motherhood journey! To be a light in my home for Jesus! You know when the kitchen sink is broken and only runs hot water, you run out of the right cleaning supplies and the 4th vacuum you have bought this year doesn't suck up anymore, you are missing that one important ingredient for your signature dinner creation, the kids get off the bus all grumpy and irritable, the phone rings off the hook and your husband is working late.

You know the moments that are hard to stay calm and not throw your hands in the air and say
"Could you love me a little less God!" or " God I have no more to give!" When I have those moments anymore I can hear Jill Savage's comment from one of your speakings..she said it was in that moment she heard God say "You are right, you have nothing to give, but you haven't asked me to fill you up with what you need."

Isn't that so true? I have noticed that the days I am less loving to my husband and less patient with my children and dissatisfied with my home, it's those days that I haven't devoted time in prayer and in seeking Him in His word.

When we fill our minds daily with a new dose of worship and prayer and inspiration from His word...we are unstoppable, we are focused, we are prepared, we are capable to handle the ups and downs of what ever may be thrown at us that day.

What a great example we are when are kids can see us in His word, when they see us stop and say you know what...I need to just sit and pray, it changes the flow and feel of the home when things get a bit crazy and zoo like when we stop and turn on Worship music.

Here is a great quote from Jill Savage's book Professionalizing Motherhood..."When we decide to live in a relationship with God, we find it is just what we've been looking for! It's the piece that provides the fulfillment we have desired.We are whole when the hole is filled with God."

Encouraged through His word;

"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and LEARN from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

May you blessed today as you worship and seek Him in all things!

*** Don't forget to check out my contest on Heart at Home Day 1 for a chance to win a signed copy of Jill Savage's book "Is there really sex after having kids"

Hearts at Home - Day 3

Today I think it would be a great time for you to get to know the founder of Hearts at Home a little better...I think then you get a real genuine idea of why Hearts at Home is such a great resource to help you along your journey to Godly Homemaking, and what it looks like to truly have your heart at home! I am attaching a interview of Jill Savage, hope you enjoy it! I just love her, I have been to several of her conferences and workshops and read several of her books!

Jill Savage Interview Questions

Growing up, did you ever see yourself as a mother – better yet, a professional mother? Please explain.

I had one goal in mind growing up…I wanted to be a music teacher. That’s how I envisioned my professional aspirations. I did see myself as a mother, but I felt that a teaching career would work well with motherhood (summers home, same schedule as school age children, etc)

Your organization’s purpose is to help mothers love their lives. Why is motherhood often looked down upon in today’s society?

I think we associate money with value. When a mother contributes to the family in a non-monetary way, we have wrongly assumed that the contribution isn’t as valuable as a monetary contribution.


Should a bright, intelligent, educated and professional young woman shy away from being a wife and mother if, in her heart, she desires to be?

We have the most educated generation of mothers we’ve ever had. We have more mothers with college degrees than any other preceding generation. That makes the decision to solely be a wife and mother an even harder decision to make. I believe however, that full-time motherhood is a valid career choice. A woman who desires to be at home for a season of time is not throwing her education away. As the founders of the former Mothers at Home group used to say, “She is simply applying her good mind and exceptional skills to the nurturing of her family.” And that is valuable!

What does it mean to professionalize motherhood?

Most moms answer the “what do you do” question with “Oh, I’m just a mom.” That answer alone speaks volumes about the lack of value she feels about what she does everyday. However, when a woman thinks of motherhood as a valid profession, she carries herself differently. A professional sets goals, seeks out continuing education, and sees her contribution to society in a positive way. When this woman answers the “what do you do” question, she responds with “I’m a wife and a mom and I love my job. I’m a woman committed to the profession of motherhood.”

How do you run an international ministry and still be the mother you’re instructing others to be?

15 years ago when Hearts at Home had our first mothering conference, we were expecting about 500 moms to attend. When 1100 mothers from 10 states showed up we realized that what we meant for a one-time event, God meant for the birth of a ministry. One of my early prayers was, “Lord, if this is going to be bigger than my vision, you have to send me many moms to make the work light.” God has answered that prayer over and over again. We have over 150 moms and about a dozen dads that serve the Hearts at Home ministry year-round. They each take one little piece of the puzzle and do their job well. I may be the most visible voice and face of the ministry, but home is still my priority.

What is the meaning of the name “Hearts at Home?”
There are so many good things that a mom can do---not just in the workplace, but also in the volunteer arenas. Before we know it, our heart is tugged in so many different directions. We encourage women to keep their heart at home---making their family their first priority---because we only have one chance to raise our kids.

Briefly describe your ministry and its purpose.

Hearts at Home is a Christ-centered organization designed to encourage, educate, and equip women in the profession of motherhood. We offer encouragement through our conference events, website (www.hearts-at-home.org), published resources, bi-monthly magazine, and our newly launched radio program. Our National conference alone, held in Central Illinois every spring, hosts over 5,000 moms each year. The women who attend represent over 30 different states.

Why must mothers make sure that their hearts are at home?

Most of us don’t realize just how fast our kids grow up. In the blink of an eye your kid moves from a Happy Meal to Value Meal #9! When you keep your heart at home, you make the most of this unique season of motherhood.

Does this mean you discourage mothers from working outside the home? How do you respond to those who do?

Hearts at Home makes no judgment call on those who work outside the home. We do, however, know that women who consider motherhood their profession need a cheerleader and that’s what we’re able to be for them. They also need quality resources that help them be the best wife and mother they can be. Honestly, though, most of the resources available through Hearts at Home would encourage any mom and we have a lot of working moms that attend our conference events and tap into our resources.

What are the key characteristics of a good mother?

A good mother recognizes the value of what she brings to her family. She keeps the perspective of this fleeting season at the forefront of her mind. And she understands that a mother’s number one job is what I like to call the “ministry of availability.” She’s available to nurture and guide her children through the twists and turns of life.

What’s the foundation for being a successful mother?

I believe it’s understanding our value in Jesus Christ. If a mom is trying to find her value in how her children look or behave, she’ll always come up short. Children change all the time. And that’s like building your life on sinking sand. However, if a mom understands that her value is determined by the God who created her and loves her more than she can imagine, she has a firm foundation. God never changes. He’s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And that’s like building your life on a solid rock.

Why is a healthy marriage so important? In other words, why must you be a wife first and a mother second?

My husband and I are self-described as being married 25 years, 15 of them happily. That’s because we made a mistake in the early years that many couples make. We wrapped our lives around our children…and just about ruined our marriage. What we eventually learned as we sought out counseling to bring healing to our hurting relationship, was that the best gift we could give our children was a strong marriage. This gives our kids the stability they long for and assures us that our marriage has more in common than our children who will someday grow up and leave home. We’ve come to learn that taking intentional time to nurture and grow our marriage away from the children is the most loving act of parenting we can actually do.

I read that the consequences of pornography and sexual promiscuity had a strong hold on your marriage for quite sometime. How did you release that stronghold and how did doing so impact your role as a mom and wife?

My husband and I both carried a lot of baggage into our marriage. Mark had been exposed to pornography at a young age. The pictures and the lies of pornography were impressed upon his mind. When Mark became a Christian, he left the world of pornography. It wasn’t an addiction; it had just been a regular part of his life. He didn’t even struggle letting go of it. But seven years into our marriage we found ourselves sitting in a marriage counselor’s office trying to find out how our relationship was falling apart. That’s when we realized that even though Mark hadn’t seen pornography in over seven years, the lies of pornography were still in his mind.

The next year was spent in a “renewing of the mind” process, replacing the enemy’s lies about sex with God’s truth about the sex. Mark read every Christian book he could about the sexual relationship in marriage, he delved into Song of Solomon, we attended marriage seminars, and we had several prayer sessions where we specifically prayed that God would break the strongholds of the past. In time, God’s truth became the default in his mind rather than the lies of pornography.

Both Mark and I were sexually active before marriage. We carried that baggage into our marriage, as well. For me, I had to deal with my lack of sexual desire. However, before we were married, I had plenty of sexual desire. I began to ask, “God, what is at the heart of this disparity in my life?” God soon showed me that my sexual desire before marriage was a false desire built out of rebellion. I knew that sex before marriage was wrong…it was the forbidden fruit…so I desired the forbidden fruit. Once I was married, there was no more forbidden fruit and there was no desire. I had to repent of my past and ask God to help me understand what true sexual desire looked like in marriage. Just like my husband, I got serious about learning about God’s plan for marriage and sex, and slowly but surely, began to replace the lies with truth. Years later, I wrote the book Is There Really Sex After Kids? to help men and women replace the lies with truth and understand how to keep their marriage a priority in the midst of raising a family.

Mark and I have a passion to encourage other couples out of the lessons we have learned ourselves. We present “ABC’s of A Healthy Marriage” seminars in churches and communities to help cast vision for all that marriage can be. (More information can be found at www.jillsavage.blogspot.com.)

How do you become the “intentional” mom that your family needs? What exactly does it mean to be intentional about motherhood?

Being intentional is about deliberately using the moments we are given with our children. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive. An intentional mom has a vision for her family and home environment and she pursues that with purpose and goals.

Tell me about your book – “My Heart’s at Home: Becoming the Intentional Mom Your Family Needs.”

My Heart’s at Home looks at all the roles that home plays in our life such as Home as a Safe House, Home as a Rest Area, Home as a Trauma Unit, and Home as a Church. We explore Home as a Pep Rally and Home as a Playground, too. My premise is that you would never build a house without a blueprint because it helps all parties to work toward the same goal. The same principle applies to a family. We shouldn’t build a family without a blueprint that casts a vision for what those relationships can look like and how the home environment can be. My Hearts at Home provides a visionary blueprint to moms for understanding the value of home for every member of the family. It’s also incredibly practical on how to make home all that it can be!

How have you seen God mold you into the mother you are now?

God is always teaching me lessons through my children. He’s molding my character everyday. I’ve made many mistakes over the years, but grace and forgiveness allow me to learn from those mistakes and move forward. I don’t think we ever fully arrive. It’s a continuum of learning about ourselves, our children, and our God.

What’s one of the best gifts you’ve received from one of your children over the years?

It would have to be a picture of my teenage daughter with her arms spread wide and this message printed on the picture: “I am so grateful for all the years you have invested in my life. Thank you…for taking care of me when I was sick…for crying with me when I needed to cry…for loving me even when it was incredibly hard…for being patient with me when you probably wanted to yell at me…for spending time with me when I needed it most…for listening to me when I felt like no one could hear me…and for not giving up when times were hard.”

She gave that to me after an incredibly hard season of her teenage life. It made all the challenges of mothering in that season worth it!

What universal, unchanging piece of advice would you give to all mothers?

In the words of my dear friend Charlene Baumbich, “Don’t miss your kids…they’ll be gone before you know it!”

We can’t go back and raise our kids again. We’re presented the opportunity just once. Use this season to the fullest and keep your heart at home.

****I hop eyou enjoyed getting to Know Jill a little bit more! Don't forget to comment on Hearts at Home Day 1 in order for a chance to win one of Jill Savage's Books! Full details on day 1!!!

Hearts at Home - Day 2

Last night as I layed in bed praying and asking God what would I write today about Hearts at Home...He reminded me of the message Jill Savage gave at the Mom's Day out two years ago...it was on marriage...something about passion in your marriage...I think to be more specific. I was not going to stay in that workshop, but the Lord put it on my heart at that last second to stay. It was a great workshop, insightful, funny and convicting...Today I still find myself re-evaluating my heart and asking a question from that seminar...."Are you a Wife/Mother or a Wife/Lover?" at first it was like...Sheesh! Of course I am a wife and a mother...but it sunk into me what she was talking about ( my husband probably should write her a personal thank you letter) You see, it downed me that our husbands already have a mother, one who nurtured them and trained them up and took care of their daily needs; cooking them meals, washing there close, etc.... My husband didn't marry me to replace his mom, He needed someone who could love him unconditionally and shower him with affections and meet his emotional and physical needs....too often I found myself thinking Of course He knows I love him...didn't he eat 3 meals yesterday he didn't have to cook? or He went to work in a fresh uniform right? The house was clean when he walked in and the kids were taken care of....what more does he expect from me...you see all those things weren't things I needed to do to meet my husbands expectations they were requirements God gave me when i excepted my role as Home maker, Wife, Mother. Those things I need to do as onto the Lord...my husband needed to know I loved him because I was available to him wholeheartedly...not just when the kids were in bed, or not when i could fit him into everything else... He needed to be above everything else( yes even my children) He needed to know I would love all of him and I would be his confidant and the one he could rely on and trust in all things...he needed a women who saw herself as a gift God created especially for him and one who was pleased to be his soul mate.... I still struggle today with meeting the needs to my husband as his Wife/Lover but it is an important part of my marriage now...I am reminded to play with my husband, to have fun, to be creative in the ways i show my affection for him... Life is tough and it is full of stress and mountains to climb, however, God did not intend for our marriages to be one of those mountains....

" I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. ' Song of Solomon 6:3


Don't forget to leave your comment for a chance to win! See Day 1 for full details!

Make sure you visit http://www.hearts-at-home.org/ to view their upcoming conference! If you can't mak eone, be sure to order the CD's of the conferences! They are powerful!

Hearts at Home

Hearts at Home.....
This use to be a really weird thought for me..as a child my dreams were to grow up find prince charming and be the old lady in the shoe with a million kids...well I did meet Prince Charming, although the fairy tales leave out one thing, Prince Charming wasn't always "Charming" after he swept me off my feet. Then adding kids to the whole mix didn't make things much easier! I don't have a million kids but at times my five little monkeys may seem like it.
I can remember being asked to teach a workshop at one of the women's conferences and I was real excited, but then I realized that I was being asked to teach on the Joys of mothering preschoolers and balancing it all out with home and marriage...I realized that month as I prepared for my message that I didn't have much joy in being married or even having children..I began to ask God why...for this is what I had always wanted to do with my life from a very early childhood age...that next year..God began to speak to my heart about my value as a mother and that I really needed to be a stay at home mom who devoted her time to loving her husband and raising Godly children and caring for her home...You see I thought I had to be a women who had it all..the house with the picket fence, the perfect little children, the husband who looked the part, a career and education that was outside my home. I came across a website as I began searching for something more to this life of stay at home mom...and I cam across www.hearts-at-home.org and it changed my thoughts, feelings and most of all my hearts response to the call of being home as a profession. It was so inspiring to me to find a ministry that was devoted to training moms in the home to transfer their minds to see how God viewed them...it was very powerful....I am now not the perfect at home professionally...but I do value the gift God has given me in my Prince Charming and my five beautiful children. I have learned that I am more of worth here available to my husband and children then I could ever be in the work place.
My hearts prayer for you today is that you too would be that women who delights in her role of being wife and mother. If you have never checked out the hearts at home ministry, please do so..they have many God inspired resources and encouraging things to help you in your journey as a professional Home Maker! Plan and make it a priority to attend one of their conferences. they are so powerful, filled with so many gifted and hilarious speakers...women who are like you, wives, mothers, godly women!
All week I will be posting a comment on my blog about the hearts at home ministry. Also I will be running a contest for one week only...starting today ending Monday Sept. 22nd. Enter for a chance to win a free book from Hearts At Home Ministry!!!

Contest:

1. I want to hear from you..."How do you keep your marriage a priority in the midst of being a homemaker and caring for children?" The mom with the most creative idea wins!


Enter for a chance to win;

Is There Really Sex After Kids? - by Jill Savage

In Loving Memory of our Virginia Granny...

We were so blessed that when we moved to Virginia God took care of everything for us...He provided for us in ways we never imagined...He blessed us with neighbors that are great. Ms. Page and her daughter Wynn live right next door to us...I remember the first week we moved her Ms. Page drove up our driveway to introduce herself to us...she had wanted to come and meet us but wasn't able to walk that far, so that day as she left for the grocery store she thought she would pull in...we thank God each day that she did. She is the most loving and amazing women. She radiates of God's love. This was the first of many drives up our driveway and many walks to her house as we began to adopt her as our 'Virginia Granny" and we began this tradition of baking and sharing the goodies with each other...if we baked we took some to Ms. Page and Wynn..if she baked she would send Wynn over with the goodies...then she began to invite the kids over for Ice Cream cones...they just loved that...she made huge ice cream cones and as they were almost finished she would say " Oh..looks like you need more"... God truly created a special friendship. The day she walked over here with her walker to check on us, as that morning the ambulance had been here for Gabriel...I knew God had made her apart of our family!

We were extremely sadden...this week as she went home to be with the Lord. After much prayer...here is what God showed me...

1. Ms. Page suffered a stroke and then began to not be able to use any of her life functions..so at her request she was not put on any life saving devices. She came home and the doctors said it could be 2 hours to 2 weeks she would live for...God loved her so much and honored her lifelong commitment to Him that he let her hang on only long enough for the family to gather and say their good byes..He did not let it drag on for her or her family. He loved her and desired to quickly come for her....Our God is truly AMAZING!

2. Ms. Page was a great example of a Godly women and that I should strive to be more like her..that when I should pass and go home to heaven that all that would be left to say about me was that I loved the Lord my God with all my heart and soul..those are the things that are left behind about Ms. Page....it reminds me of my very favorite song right now.....

John Waller - The Blessing
Chorus:Let it be said of us While we walked among the living Let it be said of us By the ones we leave behind Let it be said of us That we lived to be a blessing for life Let it be said of us That we gave to reach the dying Let it be said of us By the fruit we leave behind Let it be said of us That our legacy is blessing for life This day You set life, you set death right before us, This day Every blessing and curse is a choice now And we will choose to be a blessing for life Let it be said of us That our hearts belonged to Jesus Let it be said of us That we spoke the words of life Let it be said of us That our heritage is blessing for life For your Kingdom, for our Children For the sake of every nation

Those are the things said of Ms.Page....below is a link to her obituary..normally I wouldn't do this..but I just was so touched by the things that were said of her!

Ms. Page..we will forever remember your love given to our family! You will be greatly missed! I look forward to when we meet again! Enjoy being in the Presence of the Lord!

Mattie Page Spratt

Memorial for Mattie Page Spratt
Born in Virginia on Feb. 5, 1924Departed on Sep. 5, 2008 and resided in Williamsburg, VA.

Visitation:
Tuesday, Sep. 9, 2008
Service:
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 2008
Cemetery:
James River Baptist Church Cemetery
Please click on the links above for locations, times, maps, and directions.

Mattie Page Spratt, 84 died peacefully at her home Friday, September 5, after a brief illness. At the time of her death, she was surrounded by her loving and devoted children. Born February 5, 1924, in Williamsburg, Virginia, to the late Charles C. and Elmira New, Page was a lifetime member of James River Baptist Church. She graduated from Matthew Whaley in 1941 and completed business school in Richmond, Virginia. Page retired in 1994 with more than twenty years of service in the accounting department of Williamsburg Community Hospital. Page considered her family one of life's greatest blessings. A loving mother, sister, grandmother and aunt, she devoted countless hours to these relationships, serving as a model of patience and kindness while raising her children and later generously sharing her creative talents with her grandchildren. She will be remembered for her fierce love of God, her family and her church. She possessed a selfless spirit and a genuine desire to help those in need. She spent many days tending her flowers and her vegetable garden as well as cooking and sharing the fruits of those labors with family and friends. Page is survived by her daughter, Wynne Barthurst of Williamsburg; her daughter, Debbie Sheets and husband, Randy of Vilas, North Carolina; her son, Charlie Spratt and wife, Susan, of Williamsburg; four grandchildren, Kelly and Nathan Sheets of Vilas, North Carolina, and Catherine and Jenny Spratt of Williamsburg; her brother, Herbert New of Alexandria, Virginia; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Charles Garland New.the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Road, Williamsburg, VA. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, September 10 at 2 p.m. at James River Baptist Church, 4931 Centerville Road, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23185.

1st Day...Take 2

Due to some bad information and not verifying our address...Destinee and Junior were registered into the wrong school. So Monday morning they started their first day at Toano Middle School. As you can see they are real happy that the new school has a school uniform policy. Please continue to pray for them. They have to learn a new school site and make new friends and all that. Our God does have a plan for them this I know... :)

Birthday Fun :)

We had a great time celebrating Juniors 11th and Spencer's 10th birthday this past Sunday! I am still trying to figure out who had more fun...the adults or the kids?? Hmmmm.... We made up just silly games with things we found around the house..for example we made two teams and then each team had a ball and they had to carry it in their knees up the driveway and back and then pass it to the next teammate...Pastor Tom so kicked my butt :( hahahahahaha Then we put a birthday plate and cup on spoons and had to walk them without losing them up the driveway and down and pass it off...Thank you Jesus for allowing it to be windy ;) Then we played pass the water balloons until we just decided to start chucking them at each other... Thanks Patrick for the water balloon over my head from behind..When weer getting together so I could thin out your hair??? :) We had cake and bar b cued hot dogs...the boys really missed the family from California but God did wonderful hings to show them they were loved even in Virginia!!! Though their friends from church who live in Gloucester which is an hour away couldn't make it they brought them gifts to church and blessed them....

Junior & Spencer's Birthday Bash

1st day of school 2008

1st Day of School

Today marks a new chapter of our lives...Destinee and Junior start Junior High...Spencer and Nathaniel ride the school bus for the first time and Gabriel starts the 3rd grade at Kiln Creek Autism Center. He has a new bus driver and aide and teacher and classmates this year. His Teacher Ms. Carol is so sweet and yet she gets her job done...I am really looking forward to seeing him grow and mature this year! There are 6 kids in his classroom his year and 1 teacher and 4 aides! YES! pretty much one on one help all day!
Destinee and Junior started school today at James Blair Junior High. Destinee is taking pre-algebra, drama and home economics...Junior is taking band and art class this year...he his thinking of trying out for the trombone, as there aarer no spots open for drums. They had a great day...they are trying to get use to the switching of classes and all that...hopefully they get their lockers today as they have so much stuff in their backpacks to carry around right now!
Spencer and Nathaniel started the 5th and 2nd grade at D.J. Montague elementary school. They are so excited they get to ride the bus to and from school this year...the school is just 4 minutes away from he house..I think I can handle that! There school is huge upstairs and down stairs and trailers in the back..but it makes for a lot of classrooms and fewer students in each one!
This marks a new chapter in my life as for the 9 past years...I have been at home with all or at least one of my children and spending my day driving them back forth to different school and different times....now I have from 8:10 am to 2:45 pm each day to do whatever the Lord will direct me to do in those hours! I am sure I will rediscover the person I am...although I will greatly miss my kids being home..i so enjoy being with them...I suppose it is time to let them spread their wings!

It's All about Spencer Day!

All Spencer wanted for his birthday was fudge like Oma makes..so I don't know if it was "Oma worthy" but as a mother who loves her son and wants to only make him happy...I tried!
I wish I wish I wish....
Spencer got to go to the stores and pick out his own gift this year...after Kmart, Walmart and then Toys r Us...he opted for these really cool Bionicles....being the thrifty guy he is ( I have no idea where he gets that from...lol) This set was over 30 bucks...but Nana sent him ten bucks and he got in the mail a 3 dollar off coupon for any item in Toys R Us...so he felt he made a wise decision!
Aunt Tammi sent him a gift in the mail...he got part of it the other day and opened it cause he couldn't wait( that sounds like he inherited that from Aunt Tammi)but when the second box came from her he opted to wait until his birthday.... she sent him two really cool shirts and some awesome shoes!
Destinee and Junior worked on a song and performance to serenade Spencer with... Spencer thought it was way cool..being that he loves music and the song was all about him...

Spencer will have a birthday party at the Kidsburg park on Sunday that he will share with his brother Junior who will be turning 11...

Happy Birthday Spence!

Happy 10th Birthday Spencer :)

Today is Spencer's 10th Birthday...so John and I decided to go through storage binds of photos to look back at the last 10 years of Spencer life...it was so cute...and so many great photos...so here are some really cute ones...hope you enjoy!!! Spencer Christian Barrera 6 months old
1 year old
3 years old
5 years old and 1st Day of Kindergarten... (look at the way he is guarding that lunch box..hahahaha)
This is Spencer a few weeks ago at the Creek a few minutes from the house...He is turning into quite the surfer dude! Man where does the time go..it seems like just yesterday he was wearing that red jacket zipped up with the hat pulled on and his cat in the hat backpack and eating only hot dogs and cereal!!! He sure is growing into a neat young man! God gave him such a genuine kind heart! He is breaking way out of his shell though..he just cracks me up with the things he comes up with anymore...

Happy Birthday E Spencer E... We love you very much and you bring lots of Joy to our lives...we are better for having you here each day!