So Much to Share.......

I have gotten SO busy, that I have forgotten to keep a written record of my life, and share with those who follow me.

Here goes.  Since I last posted a month ago, we have:

• Had another revival, this one about the home.  The one single statement that sticks with me overall is, "Ladies, being a wife is like riding on the back seat of a motorcycle.  You have no control over it, you're in complete subjection to whatever the driver desires.  If you are only subject to them, you may reach over and try to control the bike yourself, but you know how well that goes.  However, if you submit by getting really close to the driver, and praying hard, you can actually enjoy the experience."  Gave me a brand new perspective on my life.
• Gone to Florida for my cousin's wedding.  It was a grand old time!  My boys got to meet my aunt and uncles and grandmother.  We were able to spend more time with them, and the boys REALLY had a blast.  They were spoiled to death!!!  
• They had the opportunity to sit on Uncle Dave's Harley,

•  Dress up like a biker gang

• And swim to their heart's content.

• While they were swimming one day, Aaron got out of the pool and took off his water wings while he played on the patio.  Forgetting he didn't have them on, he walked right down into the pool, and the water was over his head.  My Uncle Britt was watching them at the time, and said he was getting ready to get him out (having given him just enough time to be scared senseless so he wouldn't forget again), and as he went to get Aaron, Nate reached out, grabbed Aaron, and drug him over to the steps, placing his hand on the bar so Aaron could pull himself out of the water.   When Uncle Britt told Nate that he had saved his brother's life and he was a hero, Nate simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "He grabbed me first."   Well, if that wasn't funny enough, later on when my Mom was watching the boys, she called them out of said pool to get a drink.  Nate comes over, takes a HUGE drink and says, "Whew, Lifesaving is hard work!!!!"
• Lets see, I also have experienced a LOT of canning lately!!  I'll put up a different post on that.  It is it's own story.
• I'm trying to think if I forgot anything, but I think that catches us pretty much up to date.  Now to post about the Canning project.

Family Update

So, Here's a MAJOR answer to prayer!!

Doug got a call yesterday for a job, and he went today to fill out paperwork, and he goes tomorrow for orientation, and his first day!!  God is SO good!!  He provided more than we thought, better than he thought..... BECAUSE........... Here goes, Doug got a second job too..... Actually, I'll probably go to that one.

See, Doug's main job is from 3-12 in the evening, making it where he's home with our boys during the day.  Since they're homeschooled, it doesn't matter that he's gone in the evening.  We get to spend more of the awake hours with him!!

Because the second job is interpreting for Nancy (a deaf friend) at college, and it is only 10 hours a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'll do that job to ensure that my husband doesn't miss an entire day with the boys twice a week.  I'll do school with them in the evening while Doug is gone to finish up whatever is left after whatever I can do in the mornings before I go to interpret.

God has been VERY good to us, and provided each of our needs up until he gave us jobs again!!  He has not let us go hungry, or without.  How do you thank a God that good????

Family Update

It's been a while since I logged in here to type, so here goes...

We've been working on moving my Mother-in-law into a smaller, more suitable apartment for her now that Dad's gone.  We've gone through all the things in her home, and are selling things at the Flea Mall on Saturday.  She's only been out of her house for a day, and I already miss having her nearby.  I'm thinking of moving into her apartment building.... Not really, since I have a house and all, but I really, REALLY miss her.

Next, Because Mom is selling Dad's tools on Saturday, I've been working on making the boys toddler beds into bunk beds.  I know, crazy, but they turned out pretty nice, if I say so myself!!

I also am working on putting up shelves in the boys room, so I can put up the important stuffed animals, and trophies they earned in tee-ball.  I moved Andrew into the same room with the two little guys so that I could make Andrew's old room into a play/ school room.  As of now, all that is in the "Bed Room" are beds, dressers, and shoes.  The toys are all in the "Play Room".  I like it this way.  Leaves only one room to try to clean up at lunch and bed time.

Homeschool?  Well, I ordered all my books as of yesterday.  I really liked the way that the BJU Math was last year for Aaron and Nate, so I ordered K-5 for Aaron this year, 1st for Nate, and 2nd for Andrew.  I didn't order the tests, or the curriculum, because I noticed last year that they had a "Chapter Checkup" every section that I could use for a test, and I could get the speed drills that I want from online or make them myself.  It was less money that I had to spend, and more that my boys could do with me.   For Phonics/ Language, I went with A Beka.  I think it is the best Phonics curriculums out there!!  And since reading and addition/ subtraction/ multiplication/ division are the base for all else that you learn in school, I want the best!!  I did have to buy the test book for 2nd grade Phonics, but I already had the one for 1st grade, and it can really be taken very easily on paper.   For Reading, I have the A Beka readers that were given to me, and I can't wait for the boys to get into them.  Nate should be reading really well by the end of the school year, and I'm looking forward to seeing him go! 

For Science/ History/ and Health, we are going to be looking up subjects on the internet.  Should prove to be fun.  Gonna try to do some experiments as we go along.

Business, I'm slowly but surely working on my courage.  I really LOVE this business.  I've never in my life been so pushed, stretched and pulled into the shape that would please my Heavenly Father.  I've become a better me, and can't wait to see what else God has for me (although I am a little scared as well).

Lets see, I also have been rearranging the house as I go along, and folding a mound of laundry that is the size of the couch. It's quite depressing, actually.  But, I'm fixing to watch a sweet romantic movie while I fold late into the night.

Oh, and I dyed my hair for the very first time in my life.  It is a light auburn, and it looks pretty nice.  I'm still not used to it, but I like it, and Doug does too, so we'll see.

There's the update.  Busy as always, and tomorrow will be more-so.

Swimming

The boys have been swimming in the pool for most of the summer days we have had.

They have become much braver about going under the water and opening their eyes under the water. 

Aaron is the one who has surprised me the most.  He has (prior to this summer) been almost drowned on three separate occasions.  Ok, he was closely monitored, he just has this habit of diving out of the inner-tube he has been placed in, and into water that is far above his head.  He has, however, done a wonderful job of  adjusting to playing in the water and not drowning himself.  He has even gone in a three foot swimming pool and, since the pool comes to about his eye level, he will walk around, occasionally jumping up to catch his breath before walking some more.

 Both of the older two have been doing wonderful as well, Andrew can now float on his back, as well as swimming short distances.  He can't get his face out of the water to breathe while he is swimming, so no deep end for him quite yet.  Nate can almost float on his back, but he is still working on it.  They are all doing really well, and I'm very thankful for my parents giving it to us.  God is so good, and he continues to meet each need before we quite know we need it. 

Right now, it is a crazily cool summer day, with highs supposed to be being around 80*. So today, I will sit here under my clothesline, watching my boys play soccer and on the swingset.  I will thoroughly enjoy having the windows open and the fresh breeze coming through my home.  God has been good, summer will be fun, and life can only go uphill from here.

An Expected End

Never before have the words "an expected end" brought such comfort.

One of my absolute favorite Bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11, which says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to bring you to an expected end." 

There have been many times throughout my life, since I found that verse in college, that it has brought me comfort.  When I was unmarried and waiting for a spouse, it was comforting to know that God had a man all picked out, and was directing our ways toward one another step by step.  Then, after I was married, and no longer wanting to teach, it was comforting to know that God had a plan through the chaos of teaching.  Then as I REALY wanted to have a baby, it was comforting to know that God had events lined up to give me the perfect children at the perfect time.  (well, maybe they're not PERFECT, but perfect for us).  As I've taught and trained our sons, it's been comforting to know that God has a path all laid out for their lives, and that He knows every pitfall they will face along the way.

Yet, as I sit today, and mull over the events of the past two weeks, that verse has been a comfort as much through these weeks as it has in my entire past put together.  Doug had lost his job officially a couple of months ago.  Then he lost his second job.  The money we're living on is slowly dwindling, and soon it will be time for him to work again.  The business we are building is not going as quickly as we would like.  BUT, just yesterday, we found out that Doug's dad has- on the outside- a year to live.  Doug only has a short while left with his Daddy, and I am SO  thankful for all the time he has been able to spend with him in the last six months.  Looking back, I can see God has had it planned since the beginning of time that this is the way it would be.  I am so very thankful that Doug has been able to spend so much of his dad's last days with him.  As hard as the knowing that the end is near.... the comfort of knowing Doug has something special to remember is so much better.

Soon, it will be time to build a business and work like crazy.  Now, it is time to rest in God's care, knowing that HE has "an expected end" planned out for us.

Clark Update

SO, I haven't posted in a while, but there HAVE been loads of things going on here.

Doug and I are building our own business, and while we don't see it as selling, many people are turned off simply by the fact that we own a business.  So, We've taken to calling it "marketing."  We "endorse" a wonderful line of products that were green before green was the thing to be.  They're healthy and affordable for the organic customer.  There.  That's my sales pitch.  I really do LOVE the products we have, and am looking forward to helping others find those that work for them as well.  (Not to say that if you read this I want you to inquire...and not to say I wouldn't let you if you did... Just updating!!) :P  We're really excited about the group we are with, their morals, their stand, their helpfulness, their servant-leadership, their ability to push you to the limit.  It's like the NFL.  You can be in a college league, or in an "arena" league, or you could even be a player in the NFL; but if you're not on the team that wins the Super Bowl, you're not a winner... at least not in football. Same with business.  There are many different marketing ideas out there, but unless you're playing in the best marketing system, on the best team, you don't have as much oportunity for winning.  OK, off my hobby horse now.

The boys and I are SO far behind in Homeschool.  It's been a hectic month, the month of December.  We hardly were at home at all.  The schooling is going well, however, and Nate is reading a few sentences at a time now.  SO proud of him.  Andrew is working on his math families, and that is going steadily, if a little slower than I had planned or imagined.  All the other subjects, he is doing really well in.  He hasn't ever lacked in English or vocabulary, so I expected him to catch onto that fairly quickly.  He is starting to learn cursive writing next Monday, and he is SO excited about that.  Aaron is actually doing pretty well too.  He is working on learning the letters, and I would say he catches on to half as much as Nate.  At three and a half... He's doing SUPER!!  He is also working on a half a lesson a day in a book I LOVE!!  It is called Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  It goes slowly enough that they catch on well, and at the end, they are reading at a public school 2nd grade level (it does use phonics of a kind, and it is SUPER EASY to follow.  The boys have not had any trouble at all going between that and the things that I have from A Beka).  Nate does a lesson a day, and is now half way through it.  I intend to do A Beka phonics with Nate next year, so that should cover anything that he has trouble catching onto in Kindergarten.

Lets see... other than that, the only big news is that Doug is on the job market again.  Without going into all the details, he is now persuing a career in Sign Language.  He is at school every Thursday to learn what he needs to know to be an interpreter for larger functions.  He is really excited about pursuing it , and I am getting excited about where it will lead.  God has provided every need along the way, and He continually amazes me as to what all He can do.  I know, shame on me for not trusting Him more.  But He is good to us. 

There's the update as to what we've been up to .  Hopefully I 'll be back sooner, rather than later.

Andrew Douglas Clark

So, now it's Andrew's debut.

Andrew is, and always will be, my scholastic. At the age of 18 months (when most children start to speak), he was speaking in complete sentences.  He also learned the letters of the alphabet by sight and sound by the age of 16 months.  And he loved books all his life. He learned how to read early, reading his very first word at 2 1/2 years of age.  He read at a 4th grade reading level in Kindergarten.  He is definitely my scholastic.


Then, yesterday at Wal-mart, he lost his very first tooth.  My little man is growing up.... hence the blog about him.

He is just recently becoming very interested in spiritual things.  So, we bought the comic book series, "Good and Evil" from No Greater Joy.  Wait, Doug said they were not called comic books, they're..... graphic novels.  At any rate, they're interesting, fun, and a way to get my boys to want to learn the basic truths of the Word of God.  Besides this, I know for a fact that they present the Gospel from beginning to end, and I want Andrew to be introduced to the truth in a way that he will want to know.


Also, on a much more fun and goofy note, Andrew has informed me that he has narrowed his choices down to three girls for him to marry.  First, Emma: cause she's smart, and that would make for smart babies.  Second, Amanda: cause she's fun to play with.  And third,  Nadia: cause she's pretty, and that would make pretty babies.  Really, he told me so himself.


So, for now, that's the blog on Andrew.  Something sweet, something funny, something serious.  Prayers would be appreciated about the serious part, Thanks.

Random

Two things have happened in the last day and a half that 

I don't want to forget.   

First, I found this statement in the "Daily in the Word devotional. It 

said, "Tough times don't last; tough people do."  It was just a good 

reminder.

Second, The boys were watching Tom and Jerry today and there was 

one cartoon about little circus elephant  that had escaped and ended 

up in Tom and Jerry's house.  Jerry had painted him like a mouse to 

scare Tom, then the momma elephant came along and they painted 

her like a mouse.  At the end of the cartoon, Andrew said, "That's 

funny.  Tom thought the momma elephant was a giant mouse!!" 

Aaron said, "That wasn't a ephalent.  That was a hephalump." 

Guess it shows what he's been watching!

Behind the Curtain

My oldest son asked me recently why we close the curtain in his room each night as he gets ready for bed, then opened them in the morning when he is dressed again.  I didn't even think about my response, "Because no one needs to see you while you're changing."

Recently, God has been working SO MUCH with my husband and I about our hearts.  What's really there?  Why do we do the things we do?  Sure there've been problems around us, but nothing can compare to the things you feel deep inside.  When God starts really working on your heart.  Some days, the hardest person to live with is myself.

As God re-arranges the priorities of my heart, I have a tendency to argue about the importance of one or the other of them remaining in place.  Sometimes I don't understand the importance of the curtain being closed, so to speak.  Why can't I know now what God has planned for me in the next year or so??

What I'm coming to realize, yet again, is that my Heavenly Father not only closes the curtains so I can change, but because - just on the other side of the window, He's making a brand new day for me to enjoy.  I am coming to the realization that when I can't see Him, I can still trust Him. 

Job 23:8-10 says it this way: "Behold I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."  It has been a comfort to know that He IS working on the right hand, and He is before, behind and beside me as I walk.  Just because I can't see Him doesn't mean He isn't there.

Also, the other day, I was reading through a friend's blog- the friend whose house rules I stole.  In one of her entries, she talked about I Corinthians 1:10, "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we also trust that he will yet deliver us:"  Then, it came up again the next day in my through-the-Bible reading.  It was as if the Lord was saying, "Yup, it's really there for you, too!!"

My God has a plan, My God is able, My God is there, My God will deliver!!!!  AMEN.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word,
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know "Thus saith the Lord!"

Jesus, Jesus, How I trust Him,
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus,
O, for grace to trust Him more!!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

I don't know if I usually miss these things, but the boys have said the most adorable things lately, and I don't want to forget them, SO, here they are.

So, Andrew has a rough sounding cough this morning, and he tells me, "I think I have Cholesterol Arthritis. Is that what Daddy said he has?" LOL!!! (Inside of course!)

Then, we're doing school, and Nate-Nate is doing the letter "T". The picture on the top is one of those old toy telephones that I played with as a little girl. Nate-Nate asks, "What is THAT?????" Yup, nothing like making Mom feel ancient.


Then, studying children of the World, we were talking about Australia, and I asked what was something that could be made of wool. Nate says, "I know, I know, A fox, cause it's kinda like a wolf!!!!" LOL!!


Am I just immune to this most days??? Aaron was talking about swallowing his gum and said his esophogas (Learned from Magic Schoolbus) was in his shoulder. When I explained it was in his throat, he said, "No, that's where your throw-up is." Where do they come up with this???????????????? LOL


Then, tonight, Aaron was eating Skittles, and had a mouth full. He took them out, and said, "Look what's inside, BLOOD!" He was eating red ones.
 
Kids.  Gotta love them.

House Rules (Stolen)

I found these rules and couldn't help but re-posting them.  I hope she doesn't mind.  They made me laugh and feel normal again. Since she put it WAY more interestingly then I ever could, I'll leave them in her words.

House Rules
1. When Mom naps, we play the "we are petrified pieces of wood" game. 600 square feet leaves no room for noise when Mom is trying to take a nap.

2. One person talks at the dinner table at a time. We do not believe in speaking in tongues, nor interpreting them.

3. Saying "I don't like this" gets you an extra helping of whatever does not catch your fancy.

4. Telling the truth will get you out of many a pickle, and might get you elected to Congress.

5. What Dad says, Mom says, and vice versa. If we catch you tryin the ole' switch-er-oo, your name is mud man, mud.

6. We do not describe Mom using any animal characteristics.

7. We read "Mom's are Marvelous" every time we find it. Finding it is as follows: We find the book, gather and sit no matter where we are or WHAT we are doing, and read it completely through with no interruptions. So what if Mother's Day is months away.

8. Fun comes after chores. I tried the Mary Poppins adage, "In every element of fun there is a job that must be done.." and yeah that didn't work. So chores aren't fun. Do them then have fun.

9. We do not explain what kind of bugs the pitcher plant eats to help our existence at any time of the day.......nausea is instantaneous.

10. By 3 1/2 you are on your own in the restroom. Toilet paper is cheap. Find it and do whatever works for ya.

11. The questions, "Are we there yet?" "What are we having for dinner?" and "Why do I have to do this?" are tolerable the first 3 times...... after that we take 5 cents from your inheritance each repetition. AND when Mom is getting dressed and putting make-up on after noon, the question "Where are we going, Mom?" can make you disinherited all together.

12. When you hear "So-and-so-is-here!" assume emergency stations. Mom will be tripping on her robe as she flies to her room to dress, while you are left to shove as many things as you can under the couch.....dishes included.

13. You are allowed one or two good hearty laughs at an unexpected bodily function, whether yours or not. After that it is just poor manners.

14. You can hide wherever you like so long as you can unwedge yourself when you need to exit.

15. Every outfit without visible food on it is wearable for a two day stretch, then washed.

16. Laugh often, love much and munch much. Wonderful motto.

Aaron Micaiah

I will probably get around to posting something about every one of my boys, but today, it is Aaron's turn.

Aaron is named Micaiah after the prophet in the Old Testament who stood before Ahab and told him the truth. Even knowing that Ahab was a king and could kill him, even knowing that the 400 other prophets had told Ahab to go fight... making Micaiah appear foolish before the crowd, even knowing he would be put back in prison for telling the truth, Micaiah stood for God. Aaron was just the name we found to go with it. Aaron is in the Bible, but he is not the reason for my Aaron's name. Knowing all that about his name, am I suprised that he is stubborn??

He is easily the most stubborn child I have met in a lifetime. That's saying some, considering I am his Mommy, and who his Daddy is. However, that is probably how he came by it so easily. Things will naturally take longer for Aaron to adapt to, but not because he is in any way slow. He just refuses to change until you refuse to give up making him change. Even eating everything on his plate (or in his bowl) was something with which we struggled for three days straight. For two hours at each meal. When, after three days of self-inflicted torture, he realized that Mommy wasn't backing down, and he really was hungry, he ate everything. To his credit, we haven't had trouble with him eating since. It's as though he has to learn everything for himself, then he has it, hands down.

On the other hand, he is one of the most affectionate children I've worked with. He's constantly running up and kissing my neck and saying "Mommy, I love you." Even during discipline, he tries to soften your heart with a few well placed kisses and hugs and "I love you's." Hasn't worked, but he's still figuring that out.

He also has a WILD imagination, and on top of all of that, he has two older brothers who make him believe that anything is possible. He may be a super-hero one morning, and a cowboy the next. Earlier today, he was a swimmer that everyone thought was a cowboy (or was it a cowboy who everyone thought was a swimmer??).

Of course, being three, he hears things on a three year old level, and adapts it to what he hears. The other night at church, the Pastor was mentioning the sick for prayer, and when he came to the Boatright family, Aaron pulled at my sleeve, and half whisper-yelled in my ear, "Mommy, Preacher said we're going on a boat ride!!! I want to go on a boat ride!! No I want to go on a train ride. Can we go on a train ride??"

Then, yesterday morning, he saw a girl who was in a singing competition. She sang "And I'm Telling You," the song that Effie White sings in Dreamgirls. As the song ended, Andrew asked his daddy if she was going to move on in the competition, or if she had to go home. Aaron spoke up and said, "She is staying, Andrew. Didn't you hear her say, [started singing] 'I'm not goin'. I'm not goin'.' "

Then, last night, he and his Daddy were talking, and he told Daddy, when he grows up he'll be a smart daddy, and go hunting tigers, 'cause they taste like chicken.

Of all the things that boy puts his Mommy through, and the fact that I wanted a girl so badly when I was pregnant with him.... Think of all the FUN I'd be missing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nope, wouldn't trade him for the WORLD!!!!!