Happy Anniversary

Yes, this is a proof pic of some portraits we had done last year.  But it's the most recent we've got. 
And, just for the record, I Love This Man. 14 years ago.....and more today and every day.

Just Another Day at Homeschool

Another reason we love homeschooling....just hanging out together.   We are loving our new (to us) house.  It has been two months and we just love living out in the country.  Up these stairs is our little game room.  All living quarters are on one leve.  Upstairs is optional (my body is soo glad!)..and only for game time...or DATE NIGHT!  That's where we send the kiddos when we call a date night....and we have one coming up this weekend.  Woo Hooo!  We get excited about uninterrupted conversations around here :)

Baby Steps - A Lesson From the Flylady

It's the Flylady's mantra.  I believe it might be on nearly every page of her website.  It's probably on every single email that comes flooding into the inbox.  Baby steps.  Baby steps.  Baby steps.  When I first discovered her website and method, I was not only on the wagon, I drove it.  It made me feel sooo in control.  (I'm sure that's a problem)  I didn't regularly get behind on anything, as can happen these days.  Most areas of our home stayed in  company-ready-in-15-minutes condition. It made soo much sense.  If you're on top of things, they don't get bad enough to get you all worked up and then you find yourself on a cleaning frenzy (and therefore, neglect other areas as well).  These days, I have a somewhat blended method of homekeeping that allows for more, shall we say, balance.  But that binder is  not what this post is about.  The Flylady is on to something when she gets on those fits.  It works so much better my heart than it does in my home. 

Yes,  you read that right.  I am enjoying the day having had that thought streaming across the eyes of my heart again and again.  If we get things done as the junk begins to seep in, we won't be as likely to find ourselves in an all-out conniption. A little pride here, a  little selfishness there, bitterness is always looking for a corner to sink into.  But, if we keep it cleaned up in baby steps and leave no area untouched, we keep our hearts constantly hospitable to the Holy Spirit. When there's even a splinter of unforgiveness, greed or vanity hanging around in there, the Holy Spirit is quenched in my heart.

 My husband and I heard a teaching on the principle of short accounts a while back.  We began using it to keep check on anything that might be said or unsaid between us.  Just the daily (actually many times each day) looking into each other's eyes, even if we're busy, and asking, "Are we OK?".  Now that is probably annoying to some, but we know what the other one means by the phrase.  We are conveying that we want to always be willing to hear an issue that may come up in the other's heart that might need some "housekeeping."   Usually if nothing's amiss, a smile comes to our faces.  But if the other one looks down or away, or tries to busy themselves, there needs to be some quality heart-to-heart ministry time.  Those times are wonderful!  Think of the smell of lavender in a freshly cleaned home with the breeze blowing in.....the accomplishment--of a clean heart.