Writing

I just looked through some of these posts. I hadn't realized that I had written so much. I'm glad I did. Now I just need to do even more and include more pictures. I liked reading some of the posts, remembering when the kids were younger, and realizing that sometimes I can actually write in an engaging way. Need to do more. Need to share more. The kids are even older and will continue to move onward and upward in their lives. I have mixed feelings about that. I will be forever grateful that I've had a chance to be a part of their childhoods. We were part of a charter school where I was in their classes each week and then we started homeschooling. I don't really want any of that to end.

More to Come

I'm going to start putting more on this blog. I have other blogs - but, want to keep some of the things about the kids in one spot. I'm a little nervous to just put them places where more people that I don't know might see them. This one will be a little more controlled. I know - it's the internet and there are not guarantees. It's probably mostly psychological. I still feel better about it this way. It'll help me sleep better at night. Maybe it's just the 'mama bear' in me. I don't want to purposely just put my kids out there.
We'll see what happens. I keep thinking I really am going to do more with my blogs. So, this time...it's for real.

New Blog

I've been trying to make a blog work by putting several blogs together. I think I'll still keep this one for more personal family happenings. If there are going to be lots of pictures of the kids or more information than I might want to put on the other.
I need to write more. I also need to make it through all the pictures I've taken so I can post a few.

Sneak Peak

I was getting journals out for the kids. I was too tempted and had to skim through a bit of what they wrote/drew. I was touched by things that they remembered and how their perspective is different than mine. I'm glad they are who they are. My interests might be different than theirs - but, somehow we are blessed to all be part of the same family.
It was interesting to see what they feel are priorities and how that affects what they perceive and remember. I'm glad there were things about where we went and people we've been able to spend time with over the past few months.
I love my kids.
One other thing that intrigued me was how the personalities showed. Jonny was the only one that mentioned their dad's cancer. All of them mentioned extended family and places we've gone. Jacob mentioned something he's interested in that I don't understand. (It's D&D - I don't understand the game or the interest in it. I guess I better get on board for his sake.) Megan drew details of the place we stayed in while we were at Disneyland. I didn't realize she drew so much of it. Rachel's was cute with her handwriting - it's gotten better over the last couple of months. She also drew pictures. The girls mentioned friends more than the boys did. Jonny also mentioned his calling - that was touching to me. So, there you have it - a blog post about things I wasn't even supposed to read in the first place.

Back Home

We had a fabulous Christmas week in Mapleton. We now feel like we are truly back home. We have 'haze' in the air, a child that threw up today, errands to run, laundry to do, and water on the floor by the washer/dryer. Yea for being home. Back to reality. Here's to diving into 2014.