Christmas ~ the most wonderful, magical time of the year ~ is over once again. How quickly the holiday months fly by! I always suffer from such a melancholy state of being after Christmas and leading up to New Years. Not wanting to get back to real life, and not wanting to put away the decorations or Christmas music just yet, I'll simply continue to bask in the joyful glow of Christmas and all that it brings.

.......'till next week anyway. Then its back to real life and school and work and chores and early mornings and studying un-enjoyable subjects like math and microeconomics and no more long hours pouring over books and crafts...and putting away the Christmas explosion that happened in our house... *sigh*

Merry Christmas!

As with gladness, men of old
Did the guiding star behold
As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward, beaming bright
So, most glorious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom Heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright,
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
Thou its Sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing
Alleluias to our King!

while i am totally loving all the songs on Dave Barnes new Christmas album, this one is my favorite. Ok, its in the top three since i can never have just one favorite...other two coming...enjoy!

another favorite...

last but not least....

Checklist for a lovely pre-christmas night:

• Dave Barnes Christmas album blaring with favorites on repeat: check!
• Cookies made and being eaten by the handful: check!
• 27 different craft projects going on...at once: check!
• Hot Cocoa steaming hot: check!
• A/C cranked down: .....grrrr.....c.h.e.c.k.
• Wonderful siblings walking around singing 6 different songs: check!
• Feeling soo blessed: CHECK!

there are five days left till christmas and for some ridiculous reason, it was 72* today! i could have worn shorts! it should be cold and white! ugh...someday i want a white christmas. of course, knowing texas like i do, it very well could produce a blizzard on christmas and a hurricane on new years....

life is much too short to not stop and smile at the little things.
slow down.
wait up.
walk.
laugh.
create.
praise.
cry.
play.
sing.
read.
pray.

enjoy every breathe He gives you. life is much too short to not.

random musings..

prayer and study of His Word. i don't know why i forget to feed my spirit with the nourishment that comes in those forms, but i do. i don't know how i can forget the peace and clarity that fills my soul even when life is so confusing and messy, but i do. thank you God for constant reminders. in little moments that i see You, in the words of a Christmas song, in a sunny day, in the messy smile of a child, in the beautiful poetry of Psalms, in the tears that come with change and growth. Lord, thank you for running after my heart.

my heart longs to be lost in You forever.

Glorious Day

We sang this song in Church today and I just love the powerful story it tells. I am so blessed to have such a Savior and so undeserving to be loved by such a man as He. I praise Him for his goodness and cannot wait for His return. I pray that I will be found faithfully waiting, with great anticipation on that Glorious Day!

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He’s ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine

A Woman's Question
Before I trust my fate to thee,
Or place my hand in thine;
Before I let thy future give
Color and form to mine;
Before I peril all for thee,
Question thy soul to-night for me.

I break all slighter bonds, nor feel
A shadow of regret;
Is there one link within the past
That holds thy spirit yet?
Or is thy faith as clear and free
As that which I can pledge to thee?

Does there within thy dimmest dreams
A possible future shine,
Wherein thy life could henceforth breathe,
Untouched, unshared by mine?
If so, at any pain or cost,
Oh, tell me before all is lost.

Look deeper still. If thou canst feel
Within thy inmost soul
That thou hast kept a portion back,
While I have staked the whole,
Let no false pity spare the blow,
But in true mercy tell me so.

Is there within thy heart a need
That mine cannot fulfill?
One chord that any other hand
Could better wake or still?
Speak now—lest at some future day
My whole life wither and decay.

Lives there within thy nature bid
The demon-spirit Change,
Shedding a passing glory still
On all things new and strange?—
It may not be thy fault alone—
But shield my heart against thine own.

Couldst thou withdraw thy hand one day
And answer to my claim
That Fate, and that today’s mistake—
Not thou—had been to blame?
Some soothe their conscience thus; but thou
Wilt surely warn and save me now.

~by "Miss Procter"

a beautiful poem by a sweet friend.

 Hannah had such a beautiful way of saying some of the very same thoughts that go through my mind and i just had to share. 


Poem of a Hopeful Romantic
Before my pen aside I lay
I’ll put it to this page to say
I hope and pray for you each day
That God may guide your steps my way

Oh how I long for you to know
That I already love you so
I cannot wait till it may show
That day, Dear, when you’ll feel its flow

I’ll keep it, Darling, just for you
This love so strong and ever true
I hope the days till then are few
When we’ll be one, no longer two

But if the waiting days be years
I ask you pray for me, my dear
That in the waiting I’ll not fear
But trust in God above will cheer

Farewell for now, my future knight
Though yearning soon to see your sight
May you and I to God cling tight
As dreams of “someday” bring delight 
-Hannah M. 

Do you know you have asked for the costliest thing
Ever made by the Hand above?
A woman's heart, and a woman's life---
And a woman's wonderful love.

Do you know you have asked for this priceless thing
As a child might ask for a toy?
Demanding what others have died to win,
With a reckless dash of boy.

You have written my lesson of duty out,
Manlike, you have questioned me.
Now stand at the bars of my woman's soul
Until I shall question thee.

You require your mutton shall always be hot,
Your socks and your shirt be whole;
I require your heart be true as God's stars
And as pure as His heaven your soul.

You require a cook for your mutton and beef,
I require a far greater thing;
A seamstress you're wanting for socks and shirts---
I look for a man and a king.

A king for the beautiful realm called Home,
And a man that his Maker, God,
Shall look upon as He did on the first
And say: "It is very good."

I am fair and young, but the rose may fade
From this soft young cheek one day;
Will you love me then 'mid the falling leaves,
As you did 'mong the blossoms of May?

Is your heart an ocean so strong and true,
I may launch my all on its tide?
A loving woman finds heaven or hell
On the day she is made a bride.

I require all things that are grand and true,
All things that a man should be;
If you give this all, I would stake my life
To be all you demand of me.

If you cannot be this, a laundress and cook
You can hire and little to pay;
But a woman's heart and a woman's life
Are not to be won that way.
-Lana Lathrop

i wanted to blog tonight, and then decided i didn't feel like it. then i started typing this and well, this is blogging. how crazy is that? hehehe. life has been a little hectic the last few days, and week. prayers would be greatly appreciated.

you know that feeling of remembering first thing in the morning the list of ideas you have thought about while you were sleeping? and then by the time you get up and brush your teeth you forget everything? yeah, well that's what happened to my blog post ideas..

this is my 100th post. can you believe it? i can't...i just wish i would have put more here...there are so many stories yet to tell.

well, goodnight world...sleep well.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

bright and early tomorrow morning, we are heading for Galveston Island for Dickens on the Strand! i adore going, the sights and people, and singing, and oh! It just feels like Christmas. 

From the Dickens website: Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Be it decreed that all lords, ladies and children shall come and celebrate the 37th Annual Dickens on The Strand, a holiday festival, where bobbies, Beefeaters and the Queen herself will be on hand to recreate the Victorian London of Charles Dickens. Characters from Dickens novels walk the street. Food and entertainment fill the area with sights and smells that take you back to another era.

be on the lookout for some wonderful pictures! my whole family is dressing up and going. (with the exception of dad. poor pop)

lip job

i have a huge fever blister on my top lip....

"its makes you look like you got a really bad lip job" -Sky

thanks sis...

what can i say? once an army brat, always an army brat.

"Somewhere out there, there is a man just waiting to get fat" - My dad on the topic of my cooking and being single...Thanks poppa..:-D

Just saw three shooting stars while feeding animals tonight....happy ending to a happy day.

calling all my photographer friends! if you are interested and willing to help with a christmas gift shoot me an email and i will give you details. nothing to big, just an idea i have.. thanks!

thankful

i am blessed. my family is wonderful. my God provides. we are thankful.

a random selection of pictures from this year..

 Kate and I at Harmony Hill this past Summer

 Caroline and I waiting for our clothes to be done..

 Em and I..

 Beautiful siblings...if only Caleb was looking!

 This is what CP! students do for fun when at the Farm

 And in Austin...

 uhh...yeah..

inside innerspace caverns...hence the crazy eyed look..

over the holidays i plan on redoing my blog a little bit. if you like what you see, comment, and i may just keep it that way =)

oh my stars! i have to tell yall about the weepies asap! hmm maybe tomorrow...

after losing my long post about my crazy day yesterday i decided to just sum it up.

1. worked
2. ran late to test
3. found parking spot after much prayer
4. was charge half of what the new proctor fee is cause i am loved
5. broken servers and a crazy long line at the testing center but because i had an appointment (take note people. that's what calling ahead can do) i got to go to the front of the line
   
6. 30 minute wait for a computer.
   
7. loud keyboards typing away and gum smackers were making me nuts
8. tested with 45 minutes to spare!
   
9. passed with a 63
   
10. now have 70 credits
11. car broke down 3 times yesterday, bringing me to tears the last time
12. darn car
13. went out for chinese cause my poppa is awesome
14. got lost for 30 minutes on our way to CC family night.
    
15. flopped on my bed with a long sigh
16. slept like a baby
17. woke up this morning and started cleaning and cooking
    
18. just stopped a little while ago
19. love you all
20. heading out

i want this shirt!

found at old navy...in xxs..who in the world wears an xxs? that size should not even exist.

November is National Diabetes Awareness month. A time when people who live with Diabetes day in and day out want to get the word out about this disease and to also raise money for a cure.

Yet all I have heard about is this month is Type 2 diabetes and it makes me kinda mad. Yes, I know that there is a Type 2 epidemic in America, but that is mostly due to self inflicted problems. Really America, you can almost always reverse Type 2 if you are willing to put the needed work and changes into it!

People with Type 1 don't have the luxury of popping a pill a few times a day and watching what you eat.

No, we have to live with a little bit more then that. Multiple insulin injections a day and finger sticks galore, and if you are lucky enough to be on an insulin pump, great, but that means infusion site changes every 3 days and welts that make your belly look like its polka dotted, just to name a few things.

So instead of showing the stories of middle aged, overweight people with Type 2 Diabetes on the Evening News, why not show the stories that will make people want to donate money to find a cure? Show the 8 month old who's parents have to give shots and finger sticks to multiple times a day while they all just want to cry, or the toddler who just won't eat but who's blood sugar is low, and the 8 year old who can't have a piece of birthday cake because his sugar is too high, or the parents who go to bed in fear every night that their teenage son may not wake up in the morning because his sugar went too low. Seriously, these are the stories that need a cure. The stories that cannot be changed any other way.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessèd Son

pressing onward and upward

i have come to that point. the point in the life of all college students where they really just want to stop. stop everything. no more late night studying. no more instantcert. no more essays. no more math problems. no more books. no more highlighters. no more computer. no more tests. no more. i have reached a plateau. i do not want to pick up another test book. at all. not the best way to start off the school year, i know. but i will press on. there is nothing else to do. i have worked hard to get this far and there is no going back. pressing onward and upward.

and 2 1/2 months go bye.......

yes, i know. i am a terrible blogger. i promised pictures and stories of our trip and i come back once again, empty handed. you see, the problem is that all of our good pictures are on my momma's computer and she does not let any of us "kids" on it. ever. so i must wait till she burns me a cd..maybe it will happen this year...but until then you will just have to keep waiting. it will be worth it though.

summer is coming to an end, my friends. so very quickly too. i am happy that fall is on its way and with it comes sweaters and crisp days, pumpkin spice lattes and a good book. oh i can just feel the happiness that winter months bring and i am glad.

some highlights that i am looking forward to this fall: october brings lots of new faces to bartlett as we host a collegeplus! camping week. my sisters friend is coming down from ky to stay with us and my momma's friend is coming from ohio. our dear friend is getting married and the wedding promises to be gorgeous *makes reminder to find a dress!* and my dear sisters 13th birthday.
and november brings my sisters 19th birthday, the weepies concert and of course thanksgiving. oh i cannot wait.

summer was a busy one this year. and hot! we broke all kinds of heat records, unfortunately. it was one of those summers where it is too hot to even swim....
some summer highlights: our trip to harmony hill singing school. going up north to see so many sights and wonderful family and friends. an over abundant crop of plums, peaches, grapes and pears, we have so many jars of jams, butters, candied items, and wine we shall be set for many a months. new kittens, a few sad deaths on the farm and many blissful nights under the stars. i know that there were many other small moments, good and bad, that made up our life this summer but those are the main things.

God has been teaching me some things about myself that i am very thankful for. how is it that we humans get so caught up in day to day things that we forget the big picture sometimes? He has also been showing me that good intentions are still just intentions. its been interesting.

so tell me about your summer highlights and what you are most looking forward to this fall. go ahead.

Vacation!

My family and I just got back from a two week road trip! We went up to Ohio to visit family and attend our family reunion that we have not been to since I was a toddler. Along the way we stopped to see friends in Memphis, Nashville, Elizabethtown, Ripley Mississippi, PA, Madison, Niagara Falls, and several other places. I can't wait to tell y'all all about it!

Forgotten things...

I was visiting with a friend the other night about being single, and about not being single and where the balance is of looking forward to the time in our lives when we have someone but not letting it take over our conversations and thoughts. Anyway, later on that night, as I was mulling over the conversation, the Lord brought to mind some habits that I have gotten out of the habit of doing.

Such as:

• Instead of daydreaming about having a man, spend that time more wisely and pray for my man. Wherever he is...
  
• Every time I start thinking about how ready I am to move into the next phase of life, write down 2 things that I am thankful for today and one goal that I need to work on, then really work on that goal. My current goal is budgeting better and the 2 things I am thankful for in my life today are: being able to stay up till 2 talking to my brother and not having to live alone when it storms.
  
• Instead of complaining that all of my "local" friends are married and I am the only single one, call, text, write or email one of my married friends and encourage them in their marriage. Cause it ain't always a bed of roses... =)

Those are a few of the habits I need to get back into again. I know that I will be blessed and I pray that I can also bless those around me by not focusing on me so much.

School stuff......

Ok, so here is my catch up post! I really need to stop getting so behind....

First things first: School... I started having coaching calls again. After going on my own for so long it is sure nice to have Amy to talk to again! I sure did miss her!

I have one more CLEP to take and I will be a Junior! I am soo excited! If all goes according to plan I am hoping to actually go to NJ and graduate with my "Class". It would be sooo fun if it works out!

As of now I have completed:

03-10-2009 Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
03-25-2009 History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877
04-16-2009 History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present
05-12-2009 American Government (Failed. Have to retake in November)
06-02-2009 Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648
07-14-2009 Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present
08-04-2009 Social Science and History
Intro to Sociology
Intro to Psychology
Educational Psychology
Human Growth and Development
Natural Science ( Failed by one stupid point!)
Biology
English Comp with Essay (I stressed so bad about this one and yet I received my highest test score yet!)
English Lit.
American Lit is in progress. And so is Algebra.....I remember why I hated math so much...
Making for a grand total of: uhh lots of credits! =) *don't really want to count'em up..*


We are having a CollegePlus! Camp-out in Texas!!! Oh! I am so excited to get to meet all these dear friends that I have made and come to love! It is going to be sooo much fun! It is going to be in October and we will probably be having it at our 120 acre farm!

I realized the other day that I am going to miss my single years. Crazy huh!? But it is not that I will miss being "single". No, it is that I will miss this time when it is just me and the Lord.

A few weeks ago I was reading 1 Corinthians and got to chapter 7, verse 34.

It reads: "There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband."

I started thinking about my job as a single woman and how much I need to be using this time of my life to fully and completely serve God. Not that I won't serve Him as a married woman, but when you are married your focus changes a bit. It made me sad to think of time that I have unintentionally (and I admit, intentionally) wasted. Time spend daydreaming when I should have been praying. Time spend reading wedding magazines when I should have been reading my Bible.

But I was also excited that its not to late to try again. I don't know the timing of the Lords will. I could be single for another 4 years or 4 months but either way I want to spend it caring for the things of the Lord differently then I have been. I just wish I knew for sure what that means for my life, but I know that he will (and is) continue to show me. At least I know where to start...

Praise the Lord! It is still raining! Slow and steady, drop by drop, cool and quenching. I am thankful for rain today.

Hi my dear long lost blog,

I have soo very much to tell you. But I am a little brain-dead tonight...so much school, you know. But after this test tomorrow, Oh the stories I have for you.

* God and Singleness and my life
* School, school and more school
* CP! Gathering plans
* Harmony Hill
* Graduation
* Stressing about insurance...again....still....
* and several other things that my poor little brain can't remember...

It will be great to finally tell you all about it.

Missing you,
Shay

My new favorite song...and group.

Family

I have spent the last week going through family photos so that I could put together a slide show for Sky's graduation ( Graduation was last weekend but I am just now getting this posted) and found some really great pictures of days gone by...


Mom, Dad, Sky and I..look at the matching dresses we all have on! Talk about the 90s!

I am not really sure what kind of face I am making here....sneezing maybe?Grease Birthday party! Why did I ever stop wearing such red lipstick? Ya know, I worry about us sometimes....
Oh the awkward years...not so pretty.....

One word sums this one up.....ragamuffins...or maybe hillbillies...
My graduation day family picture. Oh how I love all those people!
Family vacation, we were in Louisiana I think. Mmmh GUMBO sounds really good!
My beautiful sister!

I love these senior pics of Sky! They are just fabulous!
One of my favorite baby sisters =)Thoroughly Modern Millie!
Can you tell we are related? Yeah just a bit...


Sisters!
Sky and I at the ball...We love how I am holding a camera...in the 1800s..






Those are just a taste of all the wonderful pictures I have found. I am so thankful for memories and so glad that the Lord gave me such wonderful people to share them with.

Sad day =(

I have found out through trial and error that I am allergic to my baby. *Giggle* How many people ever get to say that and it be true? After 2 weeks of itching, sneezing and snot I decided to pass her on to someone else. I debated with myself the whole way to deliver her but after a sneezing fit that produced a bloody nose I decided it was defiantly time. =) I think we will both be better off.
I sure did not want to risk making myself allergic to all my other babies with my immune system compromised..... But boy was she fun! I would totally do it again in a heartbeat and hope to someday raise one all the way to release. How fulfilling would that be?

The really neat thing was she acted like a kitten and a puppy!

She loves/loved to play and wrestle. That is one of the hard parts of raising a singleton, no built in playmates.

Oh and on another note, we have been working like mad in preparation for Sky's graduation and party this weekend! Where does the time go? It has been really fun looking through old pictures. Once I get them all on my computer I will have to post some! I am sure you will chuckle.
I had my 12th baby goat born today...can you guess what it was? Yeah, a buck. He now brings the buck count up to 10!!!!!!!!!!! Please just shoot me!!!!! =)

Oh baby

Can you guess what kind of baby this is? She is 3 and a half weeks old and is cute as a button! Any ideas?

Happenings

My dear Blog,

No I have not forgotten you. Sorry if you thought I did, but I have been busy living my abundantly full and slightly hectic life. I thought I would post a few highlights and low points from the past few weeks to catch you up.

• The boys and their baseball team made it safely to FL and have been doing very well at the Homeschool World Series. They play on Saturday for 5 place out of 28 (I think) teams. WAY TO GO CHARGERS!
  
• The little buck, who we named Tucker, died after a very long week of almost consent care. Poor little thing.....
• Came to the conclusion that my cat is pregnant. And for the record, yes I did just claim her after months of saying "NO she is not my cat!".....my poor parents..... =)
• I found out just how much I hate, loath, despise and abominate cows. Namely, the one called Betty that I have had to milk everyday...
• I finally took my English Composition with Essay exam. While I won't find out my scores for several weeks I am very confident that I passed.
• I got to hang out with my dear friend Kathryn this week! We went on a picnic and were swarmed by ugly ducks. Such adventures!
  
• Oh! I have been working out everyday.....and my arms are in a constant jello-ish state.
• The wildflowers are fantastic this year and I have no less then 4 bouquets in my room daily!
• Went to see Alice in Wonderland a few weeks ago.....dreadful movie....don't waste your time or money.
• All my bees died over the winter (thanks to, snow. cows. and gravity)..and I am just now cleaning up the hive....
• We now have 23 goats and 10 of them are BUCKS! dash it all.
• Cicada, my horse that I have raised from a foal, is finally ride-able enough for younger siblings to be on! E.J. did have a lesson in spooked horses and trees but neither are worse for wear.
• I am considering being the "Momma dog rescue" person for our local shelter as the current one is moving and I just can't bear the thought of them putting a dog to sleep just cause she is pregnant. My poor parents.....=)
• My cat bit my nose and I probably should have just put an earring in the hole and been done with the whole thing ;-P
• I finally cleaned my room.
• Mags has grown and changed so much the past month, it is so amazing to watch her grow. And crazy to think mom was my age when I was Mags age! Oh, husband where art thou?!
  
• I only have a few more CLEPs left and then its on to DANTES!
• I am considering getting my Masters...we shall see when I am done with my BA...
• Our pool is no longer pea soup green
• My dad lost his job a couple weeks ago. Please pray that he finds something sooner rather then later.
  
• I recently did a photo shoot for my sister's best friends, Senior pictures. They turned out so good. I had really forgotten how much I loved being behind a camera
• I got hired to do a family session. Praise the Lord for more income!
  
• I am getting tired of things dying. For 2 weeks in a row I have had a goat die. That never happens. Like ever. All my animals live way past the average age and are totally healthy. Just ask my dad, he will tell you everything lives past its welcome at our farm.. But this week one of my best purebreed show goats died. Long story but we ended up rushing her to the vet in the back of my Volvo cause dad has the truck, she died at the vets. He did a autopsy and found a huge tumor that had enveloped many of her organs. He did find 2 kids but they were to small to ever have made it anyway.
  
• I think I am finally tired.
• I am now going to bed
• Goodnight, world.

For the first time in my 12 years of raising goats I have a special needs kid, two in fact. But one is doing much better then my little guy.

But this was the first! First. In. 12. Years. Totally not happy about that fact...

I now am getting way to attached to a sweet, helpless, tiny, one eyed baby. Yep, he was born with only one eye. He is the smallest of triplets (all boys btw) that were born yesterday. Their Momma had late pregnancy toxemia and was on 'round the clock care so it is not surprising that there are issues. Poor little guy was so weak he could barely nurse and was quite dehydrated. Its crazy how fast a little one can go down...

He has the cutest ears (half lamancha half boar will do that) and is so tiny and with only one eye and a big under bite, he melts my heart. Oh and Aggie's too. She has totally adopted him and thinks he is just the cutest pup...er..goat she has ever seen =) and that equals lots and lots of slobber baths..

But still.. I really did not want to have to be up every hour tube feeding a baby although anyone should know that the more needy, helpless, rejected, and unwanted they are the more I love caring for them =) So now I have a one day old, one eyed, dehydrated, tiny, crossbreed buckling living in my room. My parents just love when I bring the "livestock" in the house! =P I just hope he gets better fast so that I don't have to be up every hour with him..I like my sleep you know ;-)

Oh and he does not have a name yet. So if you have any ideas pass'em on! I hope to get some pics up later so you can see just how adorable he is.

CIA sisters...aka goofing off in the kitchen while making dinner

Back story: I have a keen eye for anything (ANYTHING) out of place in my room, bathroom, car, ect. I know exactly how the bobby pins on the counter looked when I left the bathroom, what pens were moved on my desk, and what sister stole my flat iron without even looking. And Sky has a sharp mind and tongue =) Anyway, I know if someone has been in my stuff or in my room so I knew as soon as I got home that Sky had showered in my shower. Here is a bit of our conversation about it.

Sky: "Oh hey, I forgot to tell you I showered in your shower today."
Shay: "Yeah I know. I could tell someone was in there. The toys were moved..." **
Sky: "The CIA should hire you".
Shay:"Yeah I am just that good. They should hire us!
Sky: "Yeah, we could be like, the CEO of the CIA."
Shay:"Cause together we would be unstoppable!"
Sky:"Totally, cause you're OCD. And ADD and I am like, totally, FBI ( Fun, beautiful and intelligent) =)
Shay:"We could rule the world".....
Sky:"with this thumb". (movie quote: Ratatouille)
Both: HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA

**No I do not play with toys in the shower! Mags does.

Photos

Photo collage from the past 2 years. Enjoy =)

Awesome speech

weekend+rain+graduation party=weeding. lots and lots of weeding..

Good Friday Thoughts....on Saturday

I wanted to get this up last night but I fell asleep before I could even get the internet up.

My sister and I went through the interactive Stations of the Cross last night at our church and I must say, my mind was flooded with thoughts about the first Easter. For those of you that don't know what the Stations of the Cross are, I shall try to explain.

The Stations of the Cross, also known as The Way of the Cross, or Via Dolorosa, trace the journey taken by Jesus on the last day of His earthly life. In 14 stations you travel with Jesus from the moment he was condemned to death until his body was laid in the tomb. It is an experience. One that has helped to make Easter, The Cross, and the fact that my Savior is ALIVE more dear to my heart. Along this journey you get to encounter the thoughts and prayers and burdens of others, and you also get to leave some of your own. This is a journey of heavy thoughts, maybe some tears, and much prayer and meditation as you get just a tiny glimpse of what Christ went through. The way you interact with the stations is new every year, though the meaning of each one stays the same, and I think this years made the biggest impact on my heart.

Ok, so as I said there are 14 stations along the way. Each one has something to do, watch, listen to, write, read, (usually some scripture pertaining to that station and some questions for you to think about) and consider. I am going to try to give you an idea of what each station is and what was involved but some are a bit hazy.

Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death.
At this station we were asked to pick up a back pack, after we read several long verses of scripture, *filled* with rocks and carry it with us till we get to the Cross. The heavy load represented the burden Christ now had to carry with His death order. The sins of the world. My sins.

Station 2: Jesus receives His Cross.
At this station we were asked to examine a rather large cross. How heavy was it? How hard would it have been to carry it after being beaten to a pulp. Those kinds of things. Then take a marker and write (your name)'s sins on the cross. Like: Shay's sin. How much heaver would it have been now? Having every sin ever committed and that would ever be on your shoulders.

Station 3: Jesus falls under the weight of the cross for the first time.
This station was one that you just sat down and read some scripture and prayed at. It had a cross that had fallen over and drops of "blood" around it.

Station 4: Jesus meets His mother.
This station is rather hazy. But it was something about what Mary could have been feeling. Seeing her son in such pain. And what Jesus thought when he saw his mother. Something like that. You were supposed to write down one feeling for each.

Station 5: Simon of Cyrene helps carry the Cross.
At this station we watched the video posted below. After we watched it we were asked to write a circumstance where we could have/ should have carried someones cross for them and didn't. BAM! Guilty of that one. Then we were asked to pray and ask the Lord to give us an opportunity to help someone carry their cross.
This station was the one that hit me the hardest. Why? I am not really sure, but I sat there and wept for several minutes. Maybe it was the thoughts of how, if asked to carry the cross for Jesus then and there, I would have run away. Oh how I would have shied away from such a task. Forgive me, Lord!
*sorry for the Spanish subtitles. it was all i could find*



Station 6: The face of Jesus is wiped.
At this station there was a "bloody" rag, and pictures of people who needed to be loved and cared for. Homeless. Hungry. Poor. Sick. Hurt. Abused. Abandoned. We were asked to pick a picture group and pray for them.

Station 7: Jesus falls a second time.
This station is rather hazy too. If I remember correctly it was a picture of Jesus falling but the picture was in pieces.

Station 8: The Women of Jerusalem.
This station had several pages of text to read about Jesus telling the women of Jerusalem not to weep for Him but for their own sons and daughters. We were then asked to write the name of a person we knew that was not saved and write a prayer for that person.

Station 9: Jesus falls a third time.
This station we watched a video clip from The Passion.

Station 10: Jesus is stripped of His garments.
At this station we were asked to think of all the things clothes are to us. Labels, status symbols, ect. But in all honesty they are nothing more then coverings to hide our nakedness. We were asked to stand in front of a full length mirror and imagine being stripped of everything. How humbling. *One year we were asked to leave a piece of clothing. That was a hard thing for me to do. I realized how much harder it would have been to be asked to leave EVERYTHING*

Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the Cross.
We read a poem written by someone from our church and hold a hammer and nails. The poem was awesome and I wish I had a copy to put here!

Station 12: Jesus dies upon the Cross.
This station showed another clip from The Passion. I have yet to watch that movie in full. It was hard to think about that dark moment in time. We were then asked to write a few lines in a journal about our thoughts.
While we were watching the clip (ok, this off topic but funny for all you CP!ers. Every time I have typed out the word C-L-I-P is has ended up clep. Each time. Every time. hehe) there was a preacher speaking about how Christ is the Lord of your life. How he died for EVERYONE that has ever breathed. How great His love for us is. Anyway, that is not even close to what this message was about. It made me want to cry and raise my hands to the King. It was really good and I hope to find out who it was and add it to this post, so be on the look out for said changes.

Station 13: Jesus is taken down from the Cross.
This station was lit only by candles and I could not read it. Sorry.

Station 14: Jesus is laid in the tomb.
This station we went into a incense filled tomb. It was dark with only a few candles lit and flowers and herbs scattered about the very small room. We were asked to sit beside a linen wrapped "body" and think about all the things we just went through. All the things Jesus had gone through and how we can rejoice because this was not the end. That Christ is alive and will return. It was very realistic and powerful to think about.

Then we ate the Lord's Supper and spent some time in prayer. It was once again a very powerful and very thoughtful time. I gained much food for thought for this weekend. Going down Via Dolorosa and experiencing just teeny tiny bit a softened my heart to the Lord's will for my life. If He did that for me, I have a few things He has asked me to do for Him that I have been putting off. So those are the Stations of the Cross. I am so thankful that we go to a church that puts this on every year. It has defiantly strengthened my walk and I am glad.

Happy Easter friends! Christ the LORD has risen! He Lives! Praise HIM forever!

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” Dr. Seuss

So I had a nice long post going and lost it. After my day today I really don't want to start it over...


Ever have one of those days that you just want to be over as soon as possible? Today was one of those days. Golly, even this week was one of those weeks....

This past weekend was a girls weekend while the boys were at the State Homeschool Baseball Tournament, which was nice except we had to milk the cow.

I hate cows. All cows. I hate milk too. Especially when a sister (who shall remain nameless) squirts it all over my feet. Oh and I hate cow slobber.

I like goats. Nice calm goats. Baby goats. Not cows.

Anyway, the horses broke the fence down. Well let me put it this way. The horses stepped over the very lame thing we call a fence and Cicada had a fun time letting the billy goats out.

The goat who was not supposed to be pregnant had a baby.

Sky and I got quite sick. I had ketones and felt terrible for longer then I cared too. Any kind of sickness really messes with my diabetes....bleh!

E.J got hit in the mouth with a softball and chipped, cracked, and broke several teeth. Not a good thing, especially when you are 12. She was able to have them all repaired though. Just pray that the bonds hold.

The sewage line backed up all over my bathroom and onto a small part of my carpet. The plumbers took 2 days to get out here and fix the problem so we were without water for 2, almost 3 days. Not fun. At all.

And last but not least, running Mali (E.J.'s rabbit) to the vet a few times. Poor dear, She had to be put to sleep today. E.J was really sad.

So yeah, long week. Can't wait till its over. Sorry to be so melancholy....

More hair. Or technically, less hair....

That should do it.....

Hair.

*yes these are all lame self pics while I was in the van...its as good as it is getting for now....* * I really love my hair btw!*

Short Hair!

Against my better judgment (and yours :) ) I chopped off all my hair! I love it! (for now :) ) and will be posting pics this weekend. FYI, it was about 10 inches off!

Short Hair!

decisions..............

Short or long?


........just answer the question..........:-P

My new favorite store =) <--

My birthday cake! Boy, was it good!

SNOW DAY!!!

We woke up to large, beautiful snow flakes falling down on everything this morning! Oh we were all soooo excited! * except the goats. they were saying evil things to me this morning* I don't know who was more excited, the 22 year old or the 2 year old =)

Here are some pictures from our Snow Day. Enjoy.