Healing

The last few months have been better than the one's before. The moments of panic and fear are dwindling. I see hope in the distance. We live most days in a peaceful calm. The routine and steady rhythm give me peace. It keeps me sane. 

Then, days like yesterday happen.... 

Heartbreaking!

I went to lunch with an old friend. It started out fine. Reconnecting and catching up. Then she asked how I was. I told her the truth, life was often hard and little by little day by day our family is healing and making it though the hardest years of our lives. 

Then, crash, the mean comments, the judgement, the truth. She told me that she didn't believe what I had told her about what we were walking through. She told me there had to be more to the story. I couldn't be telling her the truth. Nothing could have REALLY happened the way I said it did. 

My heart began to race, my blood pressure rose, I went cold, all the blood  rushed to my head and I had an immediate migraine. I was fuming. I thought she was a friend. I thought.......

I wanted to run, I wanted to scream, I wanted to hit something. 

Then..........then I suddenly felt an immense amount of well pity. Pity for her. Pity for the fact that our world is scared, broken, completely and totally lost. She needs hope, she needs Jesus. 

I stayed , we talked, I explained the best I could. We hugged. We parted ways. Probably forever. 

I am going to continue to heal. I am going to keep moving forward. I am going to forgive her comments. (Yes I am still mad.) It will take time.  

It will take......

Jesus

A Note to Young Father's and Mother's

I just attended the 2017 FPEA conference. It was wonderful.  I was astonished at the young Dad's and Mom's there. It is a wonderful thing. I just want to take a moment to write to them......

Hello young Dad and Mom. 

You are soon to be a parent. Maybe you have other young one's. I saw you there, at the home school convention. Searching, wide eyed and curious. Overwhelmed and confused. I wold like to take a moment to say it's going to be OK. You are way ahead of the game. However, I beg you to take this time, this time when they are little to thoroughly enjoy them. Their education will come soon enough. They will show you who they are in the next few years. Please don't miss it. Take time to play, laugh, read to them, tickle them, run with them, swim with them, snuggle with them. It goes really fast.

 Too fast.

I hardly remember our now 24, and 20 year old sons youth. I have to go look at pictures. They were fun, energetic and fascinating little boys. I LOVE being a mom of these 2 young men. I too was worried about their future, I thought too much so, I missed out, I was obsessed with their education. Now they are remarkable young men. Honest and true. 

They "Return Home with Honor" every day. 

Now we are also a parent of an 11 year old young lady, a budding computer engineer. She is quiet, calm, peaceful and very smart. Too smart for me for sure. I am having to get to know her. She is nothing like the rest of us. She is tall and beautiful. She is growing way too fast. I'm trying to hang on, I'm trying to make sure I remember her childhood as it too has swept by too fast. She still likes to snuggle, she really loves her Dad and big brothers. 

They are her whole world. They are her "Hero's". 

I couldn't be prouder. 

Life sweeps by in the blink of an eye. It washes past you when you're not even looking. Dad's and Mom's of little's, enjoy them now. Please. There will be a moment, you will turn around, and they will be grown. 

Adult life will come soon enough. Have fun with them. Lots and lots and lots of fun! I know they for sure will remember that most of all!

This Safari is awesome. Just take time to relish in it.  

On Safari in April

April was a busy month. We took a couple of small trip and we celebrated our sweet Alice's Birthday at Disney. We had never stayed at any of the Disney Hotels and it was wonderful. Having the ability to park your car and not touch it again until you leave was such a treat. We used Disney transportation for everything. It's free! Yes you check in and off you go. Here are some pictures from our great trip. 

 New Magic Bands (we have quite a collection :)

 Adorable Birthday treat from Starbucks in the Magic Kingdom

Big Buddha Beer in China at Nine Dragons

 Epcot

 Snaa Restaurant in The Animal Kingdoms Villas

 Giraffe behind the Villas in the Serengeti

 A collection of bands and cards. Fun awaits!

 Snaa

 In the lobby of the All Stars Movie Resort

 Magic Kingdom in Main Street. The start of a day of magical moments.

 Lunch at La Cellier Steakhouse in Canada. There were 47 muscles. Yes I ate them all by myself!

 Easting again :),Don't judge us lol... Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen (This is our FAVORITE restaurant in all of Disney World!)

 The All Stars Movie Resorts

 Our room

The Birthday girl got a bed all to herself. 

 The Pool

 Daddy and Alice at The Animal Kingdom Villas

 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2017

 Daddy checking out the arrangements.

 Alice is "11"! Free Birthday Slushee.

 This bird flew over our heads and actually caught my hair.

It was a wonderful trip!

The First Day of Spring

Today is the fist day of Spring 2017. 

Life is moving fast! Over the last few weeks we had been very busy and then NOTHING! Literally nothing lol. Our life went from fast to slow motion in a week. 

We went to a Landscaping Expo in Jacksonville.

We met some great new friends.

A fantastic trip with Landmark Events to St. Augustine. 

http://www.landmarkevents.org

Then for weekend round 3 we ventured on a trip to Indian Rocks Beach to see the fabulous
Kari Jobe
in concert. 

The next day we spent a much needed day on the beach. We walked a lot. 4 mile total to be exact. Up and down the beach. We had a amazing meal at Clear Sky Beachside Cafe, got ice cream and walked back to the hotel. 

The weeks since have been full of homeschooling , laundry, lots and lots of cooking. Our daughter Alice said she's happy to be home.
I have loved every minute of it!