almost the big 5-0...

Well, it's almost here....my birthday and its a big one.  I'll be 50!  Can't believe it.  Certainly don't feel it.  It's not really what the picture in my mind for 50 is, that's for sure. 

I know that I worried about even finding a husband.....but GOD knew that HE had one planned just for me.  Just the right one.....waiting in the wings.  I wondered about having children.  We had been married for 10 yrs. already when JEB came along.  GOD knew that HE was going to send this wonderful, special child.  I know that I couldn't have even conceived what my life would be like having a child with special needs, all the things I would have to deal with in these 50 years.

BUT I wouldn't trade anything in my life.  I'm grateful for all the blessings that GOD has given us and provided for us.  I'm so thankful for my husband and my sweet, little boy.  I'm so blessed for GOD having chosen me to be JEB's mom.  HE knew I needed that little guy in my life.  HE knew what a wonderful blessing he would be.  HE knew that way back when.....as I sat praying for a husband and my future.

I certainly have had ups and downs in these 50 years and they have molded me into the person that I am today.  I only pray that I live up to the expectations that HE has for me in the next 50 years.  I love you, FATHER GOD.  Thank you for the blessings YOU have given me.

all decorated!

Well, last weekend we got the trees up and decorations out....so our place looks like Christmas.  We don't decorate outside (wish we did) but I love going around at night and seeing all the houses decorated.  Our local zoo does a light celebration from Thanksgiving thru New Years, so we will go see that and ride the train thru the park and enjoy the crisp air.  Christmas lights and fireworks are two of my favorite things!

I'm also busy planning my Christmas baking.....who will get what treats.  I'll probably be doing quite a bit of food-gift giving this year, since my Christmas budget is quite a bit less than in the past.....but that's ok.  I LOVE baking and so it will be fun.  I pop on that Christmas music and bake, bake, bake!

A few things have been happening here.  I found out a few weeks ago that our state is one of a handful of states that let you sign up for a waiver for Medicaid, if you have a disability - which is a wonderful thing for JEB.  This waiver will pay for the cost of vision/dental/medical issues.  We had it once before, when we lived in Idaho.  I really don't know why in the world I didn't check for it when we moved here 2 1/2 years ago, but not much I can do about the past.  So I ventured downtown this week and did the beginning paperwork.  Another service I was able to plug into was our local Easter Seals chapter, which will also help with several areas including respite care (if we want it) and other services such as helping with costs such as pull-ups, vision/dental services.  JEB is in need of some dental work that is a bit costly, since we have no dental insurance.  I'm so thrilled to be hooked up with these services and it will allow us to meet some new friends!

Last week when JEB was out of school for the holiday, we went to see a new dentist that specifically deals with special needs patients and works with our Easter Seals chapter.  JEB actually did better than our previous visits to the other dentist....I think this new one being a female helped with that.  He is such a flirt with the girls and she was no exception!!  She was able to look in his mouth and sort of assess his needs.  Mostly, it looks as though he will need to go to her suite at the hospital and be sedated to have the work done.  AND of course, this is not a simple, cheap solution......so the fact that the waiver/Medicaid will cover this is a good thing.  Please pray that all will work out quickly.

We've also discovered that JEB's tonsils are quite large - almost touching, according to the dentist - so that is also something that we will need to address.....probably before the dental stuff.....something to do with his airway being blocked in case of an emergency during the dental procedure.  So, this is another thing that the waiver would take care of.  As I've thought about all of these things over the past couple of weeks, I'm a bit ashamed of myself for not looking into this when we moved here in 2008.  BUT GOD's timing is perfect, as always so I'm just happy to have this blessing sort of fall into my lap now.

I have most of my shopping done.  I really don't have that much to do....we don't have a ton of family, so that makes it easy.  Mostly I send Harry/David baskets to our far away friends/relatives, and just have grampa/gramma to do, along with an aunt or two and a couple nieces/nephew.  JEB is fairly easy and Jn and I got our Christmas present yesterday.....a new computer!!  It's wonderful....goes so fast!  Jn is in heaven for sure.....loving how fast everything loads now.

Hope everyone has a great week.  I'm subbing on one day, for sure and my tutoring is keeping me quite busy.  Oh, and my birthday is in 18 days.....the big 5-0!!  I think I need to have a party!

I'm still here.....

Sorry for the long absence......I've been super busy with subbing.....which is a good thing!  I've subbed quite a few days this month plus I'm busy working with 7 kids after school with tutoring.  And then of course, Jn was sick for two/three days and JEB was out of school for a couple of those days, and when I sub that means that the work I was going to do around the house, gets put off to another day.  Plus, I go over and take the little lady across the street to the store and hairdresser and dentist and whatever else she needs.  So, I've been busy!!

JEB is still doing great.  I went to have lunch with him and his class today.  It was fun.  I took bakery cookies....turkeys....all decorated with yummy icing!  He was so proud!!  His little class is all boys, so it was fun to sit and talk with them.  And of course, they had a million questions!!

Guess it's time to dig out all the stuff and start decorating for Christmas......I'm so excited!!  I think we've decided to get each other one or two little things and then work on the bigger ticket items.....like a new computer; and a new mattress(and bigger).  So I get to go mattress shopping and compare prices and such, plus hunt for bedding.  Should be fun!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!!  I can smell the pumpkin pie now!!

ok, one more try...

I'm going to frame this one as a 5x7 and put it in Jn's office.....so precious!!

pumpkin patch pics

(photos by Photography by Traci Henry)

These pics were taken the other day by a photographer friend during JEB's class trip to the pumpkin patch.  I have more I will share with you but wanted to put these on to share with you.  I LOVE them!!

new design...

so, do you like the new look???  I do.  Something different.  Not much really going on.....went to the dentist today and had a tooth pulled.  Bummer.  My mouth is a train wreck, for sure, but I like my dentist.  Just a good ole' country boy.....likes to hunt and fish.

JEB goes to the pumpkin patch with his class next week, so I should have some new pics to post. 

JEB is out of school for fall break Thursday/Friday and Jn is out Monday/Tuesday, so I'll have some company!

Enjoy the fall weather.....I certainly am.

It's been a while....

Hey everyone,

Sorry that's it's been many, many days since I've posted anything. No excuses, BUT many things to share.

First, I just gotta say how amazing and awesome GOD is......seriously! I know that.....I've always known that.....lived thru many things in my life that only HE could have done, BUT I am totally awestruck at how HE has orchestrated things in my life these past few weeks/even the past few days.

August was a tough month for me, with school starting and I wasn't. It was hard to pack JEB up every day, drop him off at school and then drop off a fellow teacher at my old school (she lives down the block and rides with us). I went over a few times to help out my old partner teacher with grading and stuff just to have something to do. I did make out a schedule for the days to help me maybe stay on track and not just wander aimlessly thru the house trying to decide what to do next. I do try NOT to just sit and watch tv.....it's all quite boring anyway....or watch many of my favorite movies. I've spent time with the older lady across the street, taking her on errands and such, which I've enjoyed doing. She makes me think of my grandma and I know it gives her pleasure to have someone to visit with. I did start up with my tutoring students, which were two students I had last year and added a new one as well. These three students would add up to enough $$ to meet our monthly budget needs, and our thoughts were that then when any subbing started, that would be money we could save.

So, September arrived and I started subbing. In fact, I've had 7 sub days this month and I totally enjoyed it. I subbed for my former partner teacher, and then in MS for the other days. And of course, GOD had things planned to perfection as I've acquired several more tutoring students these past couple of weeks. I now have 8 students that I'm working with and one waiting in the wings for softball season to end to join the group. I have 3 elementary kids, with room for a couple more to join. I also have one student that doesn't even go to my old school, but is in the gifted program at one of the local Middle School's, (I'm simply helping Mom out with all of the xtra homework). These additions, combined with my other three students, are enough to add significantly to the coffers!! One of the moms I tutor for is always telling me how much she is praying for GOD to show HIMSELF to me and go above what I could ask or think, and I'm saying, '''WOW!!""" HE has certainly done that!! It's so wild to think about. In fact, yesterday I was in my friend's classroom, waiting for school to end so I could get the two boys I was starting to work with and another mom called me wanting her daughter to be tutored. It's quite mind-boggling to me!!

I'm finally settling into a routine at home and starting to enjoy it. I can't wait for the cooler, fall weather to arrive. I'm still wanting to sub, but I'm trying to learn how to just enjoy this time in my life when I can be at home. Trying to spend more time with the LORD and just rest in HIS arms. GOD is so good! HE does so much more than I could imagine! It's so neat to see how HE puts all of these things into perspective. I love HIM so much!!

I hope everyone who comes to visit us today will have a blessed day!!