Up early with my thoughts...

yes, it is another Saturday morning that I have no where pressing to go, nothing pressing to do and yet--I can't sleep! This really sucks! I so better get a nap later! LOL

Jeff is at work. He's been getting a lot of overtime lately, praise the Lord and we have managed to pay off two loans, get tires on the Jeep and keep our noses above water for a change. It feels good. For as long as it lasts, we're going to be as frugal as we can be and work our debt snowball, cleaning up our credit report and hopefully save a little money, with ONE exception.

Hopefully within the next few weeks, we are getting our precious son a car! He deserves it and while you are probably thinking that's wrong of us to buy him a car, let me tell you--he worked all summer long last year and saved every dime and bought his own truck and spent quite a bit of money getting it up and running only to have it stolen! Anyone want to talk about unfair? What's more, the stupid city of Birmingham mishandled the theft report and it never made it to records and the stupid Jefferson County Sheriff's office called to say that the truck had been found but when we called back to inquire about how to pick it up--they couldn't find it!

I believe in God but I also believe in Karma--someone is going to get their's one of these days! At least I hope so.

Nonetheless, it really hurt to watch everything my baby worked for go right down the drain and not because of anything he did. It hurt even more that we were not in a position to help him "fix" it at the time. So helping him, especially when he helps us by even contributing to the household finances once in a while, is a top priority for us. It won't be a brand spanking new car by any means. It may even be that Dylan gets the jeep and Jeff gets the new clunker if it's something cheap on gas!

I got to keep baby Cooper last night for a little while so his mommy could make a Walmart run. I just sat and held him the whole time! I'm in love with that baby!


We had CORE orientation last Monday night and we left excited and completely overwhelmed! I am disappointed that Wendy Riley isn't teaching again this year but she may teach for the co-op instead. I hope she does and I hope she decides to do so before I pay for the math through CORE. If she does, that will free up Kayti to take two additional classes that were originally scheduled at the same time as the math she needs but we'll see. Right now, she's signed up for three--Algebra I, Biology and English 9. I wanted her to take World History, Greek & Latin Roots and Spanish I but they conflicted with other classes.

Brooke is signed up for 5 and I'm a little worried about that. I dont' want to make the same mistake we made with Kayti in 7th grade--jumping in over our heads. But she definitely needs English 7, Math and Science. I only signed her up for the history class because if I don't, she'll just be sitting there until Kayti gets out. And then she WANTS to take Spanish. How do you tell a kid they CAN'T learn something they want to learn?

It just feels so weird because at this time last year, I had my entire schedule planned out for the year. I knew exactly what they were going to do, exactly what I was going to do and I had it all handled--only to have it blow up in my face in a few months! So now, I don't have a thing planned. You hear that, Lord? I learned my lesson that when I make plans, You laugh! So it's going to be interesting to see how everything shakes out.

We also found out Kayti is not eligible to go to the Spring dance--she didn't take the social dance class this year. But she is not disappointed--that means we get to spend that entire weekend at the Camp Fire 100th Birthday Campout! We are really excited!

I have begun the process of working on my resume and getting it ready to send out. I know that God has something great waiting for me and I'm excited to see what that is.

Not doing much of anything today except cleaning house, doing laundry and decorating for Easter and trying to figure out what we're going to do for Easter. We always go somewhere but no one has any ideas this time! Maybe I'll spend a little time figuring that out as well!

Have a blessed day!

updates and pictures...

We had dance pictures made last Saturday. It was a long but fun day.










Jeff and I had a major fight. It started out about money but brought out several issues we have so we separated for awhile. I went to my mom's for a few days and then he stayed with his mom for a few days. Finally things cooled off enough for us to talk and agree to work on some things. So he is back home now and everything is going well. We are getting along and he is even coming to church this Sunday. I am so excited. Please pray that God will speak to his heart.

That brings me to another update...I think I may have found a new church. Me and the kids visited Church of the Highlands last week with my ex-boss and prayer partner Donna. I loved it! I'm not sure what the kids thought--they weren't saying much but that was in the middle of our "separation" so I'm sure that was probably more on their mind than worship. And it's only been one time. We are likely to visit several times before we make a decision and I want them to try the youth service on Wednesday night first, too.

It's a big church and up until now I have resisted joining "mega" churches. I've visited several and I just don't get the right "feeling" that I think I should get when I'm in church. I don't know exactly what that feeling is or how to describe it but it has just always felt a little "over the top" to quote Jeff!

I didn't get that this time. Instead, I thought of how it might be to witness the Glorious Appearing or to actually be in Heaven worshiping Jesus--so many people, all broken and beautiful praising and loving the Lord.

And given my recent experiences, I like the feeling of anonymity. In some smaller churches, it's all about your position in the church and it seems sometimes like everyone is striving to be "important" only to really discover you're not good enough--none of us are. I don't feel like that here. (not so far, anyway)

Now it is important to feel connected and to fellowship and I'm excited about getting involved in a small group. There are many to choose from but that is something Jeff & I will do together, if God leads us to eventually join. For now, I'm focused on my personal journey and thankful to have the fellowship of some VERY good friends and an awesome, dedicated prayer partner who are willing to drop everything in the middle of the night and pray for me when I'm suffering a crisis. I love you all SO MUCH!!!

Work is still going okay. Of course, my class is AWESOME and we are having such a good time while learning so much. All but two are reading and that just thrills me like I can't even explain! I am dreading May 28. I have decided NOT to stay on this Summer. I would elaborate but let's just say God said no and leave it at that. So this week, I begin the intense search for a new job. I do not know whether God will call me to a Director's position somewhere (I wouldn't mind giving it another try) or if it will be another teaching position (which is my first love anyway). I don't know where it will be, how many days or anything. I'm totally open to whatever He has and that excites me in a way that I can't put into words!

Some other things I'm excited about:

I'm also excited about Camp Fire's 100th Birthiday Campout! Some of the most fun times my girls and I have ever had have been with Camp Fire and we really miss being a part of the fun. We can't wait till this "reunion".

I'm excited that my sweet baby girl, Kayti is going to her first dance in a month. But I do dread shopping for a dress that 1) complies with the homeschool group's dresscode 2) looks good on her 3) SHE feels looks good on her. Number 3 is definitely the hardest one. We are experiencing some self-image issues, as with most teenage girls. I am praying for my daughter daily to realize that she is exactly who God created her to be and to see herself for that beautiful person!

I'm excited about the girls' dance recital coming up in a few months. I am NOT planning to be a stage mom this year! For the first time in 10 years, I am sitting in the audience and enjoying their performances. I am letting them get their own selves dressed and ready, including hair & makeup. However I will be on speed dial if they need me to make a mad dash from my chair to the dressing room!

I am excited that the same weekend I am sneaking away to a Christian women's conference with my sister, Misti who I have not seen in almost 10 years (except on Facebook)!!! We have a LOT of catching up to do but God somehow, even though we weren't raised together, knitted our hearts together and we are pretty close for two people in our situation.

I am excited about CORE orientation next week. I'm anxious to see what the schedule is going to be like for the girls next year. I'm excited for Brooke to take Math with Wendy Riley, the same awesome woman who turned Kayti's math skills completely around! Who would have ever thought that a little girl who struggled for years with fractions is now an Algebra whiz!

I'm excited about all the opportunities Dylan has in front of him. Some of the classes he has taken this year are already counting towards college! And next year there will be even more. I'm very thankful that we moved to a district with an awesome public school that affords him such benefits and opportunities. He got to go on a field trip to the UAB School of Engineering and he is very interested in some fields of Engineering that he had not even thought of before such as bio-medical engineering. I don't even know what that is! It sucks when your kid winds up WAY smarter than you are!

I'm excited about Jeff and I making some headway cleaning up our debt! I can't wait until we can say we're debt free (or practically, since my student loans are never going to go away!)! I love you, Dave Ramsey and I follow much of your advice but some things I just am not able to do, having gotten such a late start following your plan!

But perhaps the thing I'm excited about most....


COOPER ADYN HENDERSON IS HERE!!!!



Little man made his appearance Tuesday, March 16 at 7:09 a.m. He was a planned C-section 8 days late after the doctors finally discovered that he was too big to be born to a woman with a pin in her hip from an old middle-school basketball injury.

So he has a perfect little round head and a beautiful color! He has a tiny bit of hair, 10 fingers, 10 toes...and weighed in at 8 pounds 12 ounces. He was 20 1/2 inches long.

This is definitely the most loved little baby in the world! Mia is doing well and Chris is a proud and good daddy, taking care of both mama and baby beautifully!!

















Matthew 17:20 "nothing will be impossible for you."

Sometimes...

either God yanks the carpet out from under us or He stands there and lets the devil do it. I'm not sure which or if it even matters. It still has the same effect--me, flat on my butt wondering what the heck happened?

I'm not ready to share details yet. Just pray. Pray pray pray. I know God is in control, no matter what and if He pulled the carpet or just let the devil do it, He must have a good reason. Something He is trying to teach me or something He wants me to do. Just wish he'd speak instead of play games with me. I have as much of a sense of humor as the next funny but sometimes it's not so funny when you're the one falling and not someone else.

A new bunch of kids to pray for...

of course, I'm speaking of all the kids who were just kicked out of Moody First Baptist Daycare which is also closing. Their last day is May 24! They gave even less notice than Leeds did. And okay, I know these kids are not orphans but during the daytime while their parents are working, they still need loving people to teach and care for them!

I've said it a few times already but I'm gonna say it again--I just do not get these churches. They are so much more concerned with the wrong things than they are the things they SHOULD be worried about. Do they really think kicking these kids out on the street is going to help their "reputation" in the ocmmunity? Jesus welcomed the children and yet the very people who are supposed to be His followers just so casually disregard this ministry like it's nothing and it's THE MOST IMPORTANT MINISTRY THEY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE!!! I can't help but wonder what the unchurched people think of this. How are they supposed to look at us and WANT to know Jesus and strive to be like Him (which is what we're supposed to be doing) when they are acting completely opposite?

So does this mean that God wants me to rethink waiting to open my own place? It's just so overwhelming. I want to, I really really want to. But it's going to cost so much money that we just don't have. And I've had a little taste of being a director before, one of my very best friends was a director for years and my mom has her own place so I know--it's a major stressball! Would I not be much happier and my family better off if I just remained a teacher. Or is it even about what *I* want?

I'm willing to take it on but I need to be absolutely SURE that's what God wants me to do. I've never been very good in the discernment department. So please, please pray. I need clarity. And money. Lots and lots of money. But mostly clarity! And for God to go with me every step of the way through the process if this is what we're to do. Lord, please send me a sign. And while you're at it, can it be written in the sky in letters "Michelle, yes this is what I want you to do" so there'll be no mistake?

Thank you, Lord!

Completely surrendered...

This post is LONG overdue...I've been preoccupied posting about orphans! But a little update from us:

not much going on! The Jeep is still sickly and last weekend Jeff had to spend all weekend working on the old man, Merc. But Merc is back up and running, praise the Lord! I've long since stopped worrying about these cars. I've completely turned it over to God.

The daycare is still closing. Some parents got up a petition to try and keep it open (which I thought was dumb--it's a church! They are going to do what they want to do and they don't care what anyone else wants or thinks. Plus why would you want to leave your kids somewhere where they aren't wanted? Us teackers want them and love them, sure. But you know what I mean.) but no success. So I will be jobless at the end of May. But I'm not worried. I've completely turned it over to God.

My nephew Drew's baby was born last week--a girl, Hayden Marie and my niece's baby was born the week before--a boy. I've yet to meet either baby but soon, I hope. I'm closer to Traci's (Jeff's sister) kids than I am his brother's kids. It just blows my mind that both are PARENTS now!

Still no baby for Mia yet. Today is the due date but it isn't likely to happen today. We are all SO READY for this baby. He is going to be the most loved little baby on the earth (and then that makes me think of all the little babies who aren't...or don't know that they are...or something! You know what I mean) But her having a baby blows my mind, too. This will be like my first grandchild! I was 14 when Mia was born so she has always felt like my "first baby". I know there's a difference. But still...when I look at her big and pregnant, I still see that little girl! But I can't wait to meet that little girl's little boy! And I pray that this baby will bring her and Chris to know the Lord. But I'm not worried. I've completely turned it over to God.

Jeff has been working a LOT of overtime and we are slowly but surely making some headway on our debt. We have also found a house that we like. I don't know if it's the house God has for us but I'm not worried. I've completely turned it over to God.

This is indeed an amazing feeling. I've never been in a place like this before, spiritually. I am the kind of person who tends to pray about stuff but still worry about it. I give it to God but then I take it back. It feels so weird (and so GOOD) to completely surrender and let Him handle it. I know He will. He always has, even when I DID get in His way! But I like this...it feels good!

Have a blessed week!