Shaken Up

This school year began with a shaky start. Literally. Everyone was asking, “Where were you when the earth shook?” Our story is not quite as interesting as my friend who was on an amusement park ride and had no clue an earthquake occured until after they closed the park down. The East Coast earthquake on August 23, 2011, was the third yet strongest quake I have felt thus far.

Sweetness was upstairs talking to a friend on the phone. Cutie Pie and I were downstairs playing board games. When the rumbling began I thought, "Is that a low flying helicopter or thunder or is Sweetness dancing, or jumping upstairs?" But the rumble became louder then the shake, rattle and roll. Cutie Pie asked, “What’s happening mama?”

When I realized it was a significant earthquake I cried out to the Lord, “I love you Lord, and I know you’re in control.” My mind's eye replayed the footage I viewed of the Haiti earthquake and how the walls and roofs caved in on the helpless people and realized, “We need to get outside.” In the meantime Sweetness was ascending down the trembling stairs loudly asking her friend, “Are you ok?” Her friend was feeling the quake too and was trying to get her dog outside with the rest of her family.

I calmly led the children to the door, opened it to exit when our dog darted inside. Of course I had to make her go back out and once we were all outside the earthquake subsided. We walked around the house to see if there was any damage to the foundation and waited a few minutes before entering our house again. Whew...

The phone started ringing. Within seconds we knew it was a 5.9 earthquake centered in Mineral, Virginia. Treasure Hunter, who was driving, did not feel the earthquake. But he had the pleasure of feeling some pretty good aftershocks.

It wasn’t until a month later that I found some knick-knacks that had fallen off a mantle shelf downstairs. Other than that I am so very thankful that we are safe and our home is sound. And regardless of what the USG website says, I do believe that earthquakes are increasing in frequency and intensity. A sign Jesus told us to look for when the days of His return would approach. In that case, rock on earth!

The hail storm that occurred just two days later had us running to the basement! Ping Pong ball size hail pelted our house for several minutes! I wonder what kind of winter we'll have this year?

I'm almost up to speed on this blog and hope to have some exciting and interesting events to blog this weekend. So before I go let me say,

We love Nags Head for more reasons than one!

Summer 2011 Reflections

It’s that time of year again! I should be putting the finishing touches on our school room. Before we hit the books, I want to post the highlights of our summer and the wishes for the upcoming school year.

This year’s vacation was spent in my hometown of West Virginia. My mom celebrated her 80th birthday this year, so my seven siblings and I gathered to wish her a Happy Birthday. She was delighted to have all 8 children gathered together for her 80th birthday. We took lots of pictures!


One of my mom’s birthday wishes was to go bowling, so my sister surprised her with a trip to the bowling alley. She was very surprised!


My mom is a coal miner’s daughter, so we insisted she take a tour of the Exhibition Coal Mine with us. The trip was more informative and entertaining with her by our side. She remembered a lot of details from the days of growing up in a coal camp.


Actual homes of coal miners, a school, and a church were relocated to the exhibition grounds to form a coal camp for tourists to visit. In the larger superintendent’s house some of the bedrooms were transformed into an early 1900’s doctor’s office, barber shop, and post office. My mom remembers having her hair curled with this machine!


We also toured the church. Here’s Cutie Pie pictured beside his latest infatuation. He really wants one for Christmas.


Our family stayed in a cozy cabin that was conveniently located near a beautiful lake and park. We had several cookouts and I was able to talk to my brother and his family (whom I have not seen for 13 years). We had wonderful good conversations about the Lord and I am so thankful God afforded me an opportunity to sew some seeds. Now to stay in touch w/ some water, and fertilizer : )

I have to show you this picture of the beautiful rock ledges located just behind our cabin.


Before summer’s end we celebrate my birthday!


Here’s wishing for a wonderful school year!


Hey catch that boy before he gets away.

A Friend Once Told Me

Praying for God to act/help in your child's life means you have to stay out of the way when He does!!
When HE acts it very well could be painful for your child, indeed...BUT-
nothing makes us cry out to God like pain and suffering.
Parents must stop 'protecting' their children from the pain and suffering caused by their choices, or they will never 'cry out to God'.

Spring Happenings

Well let me see where did I leave off? Ah yes, Cutie Pie's birthday celebration. Well since then we had a 2 week battle with the FLU! It was AWFUL, but praise the Lord we recovered and the next two viruses the children caught were a walk in the park ; )

Spring always comes early in VA and it is very hard to stick to the books!! So I won't bore you with school work, because,

baby chicks have hatched!

That is just one of the seven that Mama Sarah hen hatched two weeks ago.

Then Treasure Hunter went to Tractor Supply for lawn mower oil and walked out with these:


there are fish to be caught! Sweetness' trophy fish caught entirely by herself!


doll houses to be built for the kids (by Treasure Hunter)


Eve thinks it is her house!


She does look quite cmfortable don't you think?


OK we really need to get back to square roots, compound sentences, lymphatic system, the Wright Brothers... just as soon as we finish painting





Thank you Lord for the privilege to HOMESCHOOL!

Happy Birthday Cutie Pie

Realizing that a winter storm could thwart his birthday plans, Cutie Pie sulkingly said, “I wish I had a summer brithday.”

“We can’t change your birth date but how about if we bring a little summer to your birthday? Would you like to go to the to the beach for your birthday?”

LET THE PARTY BEGIN!

So how does one celebrate their birthday at the beach in February? For starters you can eat pizza in your pajamas while watching a Toy Story marathon.

Enjoy the hotel’s indoor pool -- all to yourself.


Feed the seagulls from the safety of your ocean front balcony


Go bike riding on the boardwalk.


Shop for the largest seashell you can find.


And other unnecessary items...


And that was Cutie Pie's GRAND Birthday at the Beach.


(The toy gun beside Cutie Pie was his Goodwill purchase. Treasure hunting is something else to do at the beach in the winter).

Tinkering and Tweeking

It runs!

Recovery

Treasure Hunter's latest trash pit recovery!




Stay tuned...