WE DID IT!

Our very first FULL week of school with a FULL week of our activities. Ah, this isn't totally accurate as we will be adding homeschool basketball to the routine in the next few weeks. LOL

We added speech, United co-op, piano lessons, CAP and House of Faith back into our schedule. We had lots of fun in the evenings. We got a full week of math, sciene, TOG, and such in.....we're off and running.

I have the flu. Yes, the real flu. I doubt pregnancy would cause aches. ::snort:: After produce co-op I ate something and then realized that I really didn't feel well at all and all the symptoms are adding up to possibly a bout of flu. If you were in my home this a.m. - I'm sorry. Seriously, I wasn't feeling quite up to par and didn't handle the produce today - other than green beans. I wondered why it took me the whole sorting time to get green beans cut.....make sure you wash those and that should take care of all my germs.

I tend to plow through illness.....but since Mike was home this afternoon and I was exhausted, I went to bed. I'm still in bed. Mike has them out and about town somewhere..... I was given the very special task of watching Stacia's current favorite baby. LOL

I woke up to this.....Mike always has funner ideas than I. We've been swimming all summer and this is the first time he's been here to participate and he thinks of THIS. Humph! LOL This actually a great way for the kids to get the feel of the new kayak. I doubt the canoes will make their way to the pool any time soon. ::snort::
















©2008 D.R.G.

Have We Forgotten?

I certainly have no desire to be morbid. Our youngest children have no memory of 9-11, though they have been full of questions today. I was going to say - there are simply not words - and leave it at that.......we are a resiliant country.

Like many of you I can remember clearly this morning seven years ago. I was 5 months pregnant. I went to the gym. The TV's were showing the WTC. One tower was on fire. As we watched another plane came into the screen.....that scene has been replayed over and over on telecasts. I remember a gentlemen turning to me and saying, "You'd better go home. Thank God my wife isn't pregnant now." That wasn't real encouraging.

We were told Mike would be going to the Desert. Then he didn't. Then we were told he would....you get the picture. Finally, another chaplain stepped up and volunteered. He said that Mike should be home when his baby was born. I was relieved. Mike, like most military men I know, wanted to be over there, doing his duty and yet he was home when Zander was born. Ch. A held Zander when he got back and told me, a bit choked up, that THIS is what made it worth volunteering.

Why do I share that? It seemed we learned many lessons on that one day in history. We can squabble - but beneath it all we are still one country. Sacrfice will sometimes be necessary to protect the country we love. God is still on the throne. There is an enemy of freedom and it doesn't serve us well to pretend that there isn't. I pray we've not forgotten the lessons we learned during that time.

I've been praying for those who lost loved ones on 9-11 and in the war since. I'm inspired by many of the stories we've heard. It's been a bit of an emotional day.

A quote: "The committment of our fathers has become the calling of our generation." President Bush......

©2008 D.R.G.

WINNERS!!!!

Sorry for the delay.

The MOMYS cook book will go to Michelle .

The Power of a Praying Wife will go to: Teena in Toronto, Renee and MandyMom......

I'll try to find time to email you all but if you see this - feel free to send me your address. It will speed things up. LOL

Look for another book giveaway as soon as I find the time to post. LOL

©2008 D.R.G.

A Funny

I am honored at how many of you choose to link to Choosing Joy from your blogs. Thank you! I mean that. LOL The blog isn't about numbers but it is fun to connect with others and it is interesting to see where you all come from.

I added that "feedjit" tool in my side bar when my map was archived. It was time to try something new. LOL One fun thing that the feedjit box does is that it sometimes tell me how folks "arrived" at Choosing Joy. I was surprised at how many find me through searches - and what they are searching for.

I began to note lots of visitors were coming from smartteaching.org. I looked around and didn't recognize the author (often I'll "know" the folks who've linked).....today, I looked around a bit more. If you are an SHS author or someone I know - speak up.

WOW.....I found an article (which looks to be good) titled 100 Essential Web Tools For Homeschoolers. Exploring this list will be a great way to spend a few hours "researching".

Get this - Essential Web Tool #97 - "Choosing Joy. This powerhouse of a homeschooling mama is in charge of her family of nine children ranging from 3 to 23. "

Mystery solved. All these readers have been dropping by to find the powerhouse homeschooler.....and what has been at the top of the blog today? An article on picking noses. ::snort:: I console myself by the thought that surely, since the article has been up since August, there have been some days when something nearly bright was at the top. ::snort::

©2008 D.R.G.

Ewwww.....Prepare to be Grossed Out.....

Why do people pick their noses? I don't get it. I may have a phobia about this because of my upbringing overseas. They'd sort of push on one nostril and blow it all out....EWWWWWWWW.....

I don't remember the older two girls picking their noses....but I clearly remember one of our older sons in church when he was about two. He was mining for treasure, pulled his finger out with a goober on the end, looked at it, shrugged his shoulders and ATE it! In church. That was many years ago.

I've watched son after son do this.....why? I gag.

The other night Mike must have even been grossed out, "Child, go get a kleenex."

"Why?" as he ATE it......

I've tried to train them well. This is DISGUSTING....shoot....I saw an adult in a car beside me at the stoplight pick his nose.....I gagged.

WHY? Is there something deficit in a young child's diet that would cause this? How do you train a child that this is simply gross? I've been watching this strange, gross occurance for years and years...and I'm perplexed!

Surely, my wise readers will have some sort of solutions to offer? Now, I really am exhausted, Jamin is home, and I should go to bed....I probably should have gone before I wrote this post.

©2008 D.R.G.

God is GOOD!!!! all the TIME!

I'm so RELIEVED. We had our first PWOC Bible Study tonight....which means I'm really getting my big rocks fit into the schedule......I never know if I'll really be able to pull off a new schedule until we do it.

We had 18 tonight.....discussion went well. I love the new faces and the old faces...... I love the topic of discussing our Kinsman/Redeemer....our God who avenges, pays our ransoms, sets us free, gives us a future...

This is a huge praise. I know I shared this on the PWOC blog but I don't think I shared it here. We've had retirees, older moms and students in our group. There has been no need for a children's ministry. I've consistently said that when there was a need God would supply the answer. We've had two young moms express an interest in attending Tuesday nights, but they needed to bring children. I talked with Mike and Ch. T and they found a student who LOVES children and is blessed to be able to lead our children's ministry. One of the new moms came tonight with her precious children...and Ashley was excited. I'd told her that I wasn't sure we'd have children because we'd not advertised....but we DID.....

I have much to write....school, taming our schedule, a couple of book reviews....but Jamin called and is ready for me to pick him up from work.

Maybe tomorrow.

©2008 D.R.G.

"May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have cme to seek refuge." Ruth 2:12


I'm preparing for study tonight. Betsy sent me this photo and it "fits" so well.

This little kitty is such a picture of contentment, rest.....the big dog is surely capable of providing refuge.


May I learn to lay back, relax, listen to His heartbeat....and let him carry the burden.

©2008 D.R.G.