Homemaking Monday

Weather...
Is a lot like summer this week.  Today we are going to be in the 80's.  Might not seem like summer to some, but here in NY at this time it does to us.

Right Now I Am...
Sitting here chatting with hubby.  Kids are gone for a few days visiting family so it's been really quite here. 

Thinking...
I do not like a quiet house. 

On My Reading Pile...
Bible- Reading the Book of Galatians
A few new cookbooks on my Kindle

On My TV...
The Waltons on GMC

What I Found Surfing The Net...
Since the weather is nice I have spent less time just surfing the internet.

On The Menu...
Monday~ Hotdogs and fries
Tuesday~Pork chops with salt potatoes
Wednesday~Chicken and rice

On My To Do List...
Clean the kitchen (Check)
Clean the dining room
Clean the downstairs bathroom
Laundry
Move our room around so we can put the A/C in
Plant the Garden

In The Craft Basket...
Not really crafting but I'm working on an actual schoolroom for next year!! So excited about that.

Looking Forward to This Week...
Kids coming home!

Looking Around The House...
Quiet, except for the dog snoring.

From The Camera...

Praying For...
My friend Sandra and family as they have very important decisions to make.
Our family
Church

Bible Verse...
Proverbs 16:9
"A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

Thank you Sandra for hosting this each week.  For more visit Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

We might make the plans BUT...

We might make the plans, but God always determines the outcome.  It is God that determines if something we have planned for will happen or not.  Such is the case with our foster care journey.  For the last 2 years we have been planning and preparing for what we thought was God's will.  For whatever reason God has closed this door.  Last week we got the letter stating that we were not a good fit for foster care in the county's eyes. 

There reasons were as follows: We homeschool and the special needs of our daughters would make it difficult for us to parent a foster child. 

Now these reasons we could have taken if they had not known this two years ago!!  They knew both of these things before we started this process.  We are hurt and understandably angry!  We ask the question why would God allow us to go through this if we were going to be turned down?  We may never know the reason. 

Our caseworker told us over and over again we were a perfect fit as foster parents because of our background.  I also do not want any part of an organization that will lie to me over and over.  Because being dishonest goes against everything we believe.  So perhaps God removed us because of something bigger than we will ever know.

We have been asked over and over again if we are going to fight it.  My answer to that is No!  I mean think about it, would you want to try and fight Social Services?  We most certainly do not want to give them any reason to barge in here anytime they like without being foster parents.  So at this point we are just praying that God will direct us.  It was also brought to our attention that perhaps someone within the foster care department has an issue with us because we are Christians. 

Happy Homemaker Monday

The Weather...
We had snow this morning and into the afternoon.  Later this week we will be in the mid-70's. 

Right Now I am...
Hurting, angry and upset.  We were denied becoming foster parents.  Why you ask?  Because we homeschool!!  Ok close your mouth.  We also found out today that they also denied us because our daughters have too many special needs.  WHAT?!  They knew about all of this BEFORE we started this 2 year journey.  Our lives have been turned upside down over the past couple of years.  Not only was this a personal inconvenience but it was a HUGE waste of taxpayer dollars.  Especially since they knew all of this before hand.

Thinking...
that God must have something bigger than foster care in store for our family.  I just pray its a good big thing.  haha

On my Reading pile...
Bible.  I'm diving back into deep study of God's word.  I've been reading right along, but I'm going to dig deep into scripture.

What I found on the net...
Not much surfing here.

On the Menu...
Monday~ Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday~

On my to do list...
Laundry
Sweep and mop the dinning room
Clean the schoolroom ~now that we are not "good enough" to do foster care we are turning the extra room into the schoolroom.

In the craft basket...
I'm going to learn how to knit!  I'm excited about that.

Looking forward to this week...
Wrapping up our homeschool group co-op for the year.

Looking around the house...
Just a little bit here and there to clean up after the weekend.

From the camera...

For Mother's Day we went to our favorite museum.  They had a fashion show during that time.  This is one of those beautiful dresses.

On my prayer list...
Our family and God's direction
My friend Sandra and family as they also wait for direction
Katrina and her upcoming graduation

Bible Verse, Devotional...
Proverbs 18:10
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

Thank you Sandra for hosting this each week. If you would like to join in please go on over to Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Papa's Pearls {Homeschool Crew Review}

So often a book comes into my hands that is something I cannot put down.  This latest review as a part of the Homeschool Crew is just that.  Papa's Pearls written by Diane Flynn Keith is such an amazing book. 

Many times I find myself wishing my grandfather was still with us.  I miss his stories, his witty jokes and most of all his "nuggets of wisdom" as he called them.  He reminds me a lot of the man in this book.  These are real life stories.  The author's father lived these things that are talked about in the book. 

This book is a short book with only 108 pages.  Do not let the size fool you.  We used this as an evening read-aloud with our kids.  They continued to ask me to keep reading when I had finished the chapter.  Instead we grabbed our bibles and read something relating to the "pearl" we had just discussed.  Throughout the book you will glean bits of wisdom to help you lead a better life.  You will read and discuss things like:

When you Fall down, Get back up, Brush yourself off, and Try again!
Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
Get it in writing.
Let it go-Like water off a ducks back.

and many many more!  Diane's father grew up during the Great Depression.  He learned all of his wisdom from the "school of hard knocks."  One of the greatest Pearls we are taking away from the book is "Be Grateful Everyday".  We have so much in our lives, there is no reason we should not be thanking God each day.  Even when things seem to be a mess in our lives.  There is always something good that comes from it.

You can purchase an autographed copy of the book from Homefires for $21.97.   Amazon also has this book for the Kindle as well as paperback.