And so it begins...

Lots of work ahead. 8 years worth of life to pack up. The not so fun part of moving. Ha!

Hard to keep up

It just is...

Hard to keep up, you know.

Laundry, housework, lesson plans, grading papers, being a great wife, being a good mom...

Just hard to do it all. Many women do it. Very successfully I might add. But I haven't ever done it. Not with 4 kids, not trying to sell our home, not with this 3rd grade class. (I really do fear they'll eat me some days!)

But there's this one girl that keeps me going each day. She's behind, very low in her skills, EXTREMLY temperamental and has a very bad attitude. But she trusted me one day. She trusted me enough to cry in front of me. She trusted me enough to let me hug her, she trusted me enough (and my abilities) to "fix" her.

Boy was that a tough request to agree to. "Fixing" kids in the reading department has been a strong suite of mine for many years. I was so fortunate to be trained in the Reading Recovery process along with teaching 2nd grade for a while. I know how to get kids reading and on the path to reading success. BUT I've never taught a child like her. 10, angry, stubborn, and mad at the world.

So I'm on a mission. Knowing that God opened a door for me to help provide for our family during a time that we desperately needed it. He also threw in a little girl so broken who needing fixing. She makes up (kinda) for the horrible pay, long hours, frustration of of 8-9-10 year old boys. She likes me most days. She trusts me, she asked me to pray for her, she let me hug her. She needs me...and I need her to want me there. Because, I do not feel adequate for this class. I discipline more than teach. That's not good people!!!

So, yeah, it's hard to keep up.

New beginnings

My first day of work produced a ton of anxiety and even more guilt. I took a long term sub position at the kid's school and it is tough. The teacher unfortunately got sick over the break and can't finish out the year. The class is CRAZY but in a good way. They loved their teacher and she loved them. The students were also use to her ways and teaching style. On the home front we are CRAZY! We haven't found a routine at all. Everyone is chipping in with childcare and I am sooooo grateful. I have an insane amount of guilt and I miss my kids all day but this is good for us. It stretches us. Cam has been flexible with his schedule and I am so blessed that my dad keeps the little boys 4 days a week.

Cam decided at the end of the 2011 season that he was done with his business. It has been bittersweet to let it go. He was ready to move onto something else but the transition has been ROUGH to say the least. He is doing insurance full time and trying to make as many contacts as possible. I have an incredible amount of faith in God's plan and I know that Cam is in the position that will bring glory to Him.

Our house is for sale as well. We decided that we need to get out from our mortgage and are being led in a different direction. We aren't exactly sure what that looks like but we are confident it will all work out.

God is good, that much we know! We cling to that and we claim abundance and prosperity in 2012.

May your year be blessed and amazing.
Keri

Hiatus

A long posting hiatus took place. Well most of 2011 actually!!

I've never been more happy to see a year leave before. We welcomed 2012 with open arms and hearts full of hope for a great year. We have been in a roller coaster of sorts with jobs, finances, our house. All in due time I'll share what the Lord has been doing with us. But for now I'll just share some pictures of my sweet family! They've grown so much and are just wonderful.