Do you ever feel like God hates you? Or maybe hate is a little strong but dislike immensly? Like you've done something wrong and you are being punished? That is the feeling going on in our household right now. Johnny sends out resumes every day and hears nothing. That's hard on a person's self esteem. Mondi (the place he interviewed for) told him they filled one spot and still deciding on the other, and he only found that out because he called and inquired about where they were in the process. When we have a shot at success we get knocked down. ApplianceSmart was a great job, only to be taken away. School was suppossed to be the light at the tunnel, but why isn't it working out that way? We should be happy with just having each other right? Now we are starting to have to deal with the fact that if something doesn't come through soon we are going to have to dump the house. Imagine going through all the stuff we have accumulated and trying to fit into an apartment at this rate? More stress. Finding an apartment to let us bring all the animals? More stress. Taking into consideration Maddie is registered for school in the fall so it would need to be somewhere around here so I don't have to drive all over town to get her there. More stress. Trying not to take the stress out on each other and Maddie, difficult. This morning Maddie told me she wanted a brother or sister, yet another thing we can't succeed at. Not as if we have been trying to prevent it all these years. Just about everyone in our sunday school class is pregnant, to bad it isn't contagious,lol. So what do you do when you feel that way? I wish I could figure out what we were being punished for so we could correct it, I hope something gets better soon, we are hanging by a thread.

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:8

Some scrappy time....






Its a beautiful day out today, Maddie should have some time to enjoy it later. As for me, I'm in a "mood"...tired of stress, tired of worries, as one of my little ladies at work used to say "I'm tired of livin, tired of life, tired of livin with another mans wife" LOL --send positive vibes my way, they sure are needed.

Love and Blessings

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:4

Happy Monday!

No word on the job front yet, please continue to pray for us while we are trying to deal with everything, especially pray for my sanity and stress level, it is through the roof and I really feel as if I will break at any time.

For those of you that don't know, Maddie's screening has come and gone. She is no where ready for Kindergarden, I can't help but blame myself for not putting her in prek last year but no need to beat myself up over it now, its done and over with, as my favorite saying goes, it is what it is. The principal said she is very distracted and "wore her out" trying to keep her on task. She asked Maddie to draw a circle Maddie said she wanted to draw a triangle. She told Maddie to draw a circle again and she asked if she could go work on a puzzle. Oh aggravating. Not to mention what they are learning there in prek is amazing! They are reading in Prek! Learning to write in cursive and print, working on phonics...the whole shabang baby. Oh, she said that she isn't mature in some areas either....like holding scissors and crayons. I'm not going to lie, I wanted to cry when she was telling me that Maddie wasn't ready and I wanted to kick myself over and over because I feel like I didn't do what I needed to do to make sure she stayed on task. I've had many words of encouragement that have told me its not big deal that she will be older and than in the end it will be better for her to be a little more mature. I've been told that Maddie will have an easier time and we will be thankful ...so next year she will be starting P4 (prek). Yes, I could put her in public school but my other problems still exsist, I still have to work which means I still need help getting her to school and keeping her after school and that service is really REALLY expensive. With the private school we can still drop her off as early as 6 and pick her up as late as 6 and we know she will be getting a great education. Although the principal did say she knows Maddie is going to be a challenge but she really thinks that being a year older will make a big difference for Maddie. If we push her into public school kindergarten and she is frustruated and therefore getting up to do her own thing they will label her as a behavior and push her aside. They don't have the time, energy for staff to keep up with that. In my heart I really feel like LCA is where she needs to be. I'm also going to have her screened for ADD. I have been saying since she was 2 that she is a little on the ADD side...of course now the sitter is saying that she has some of the characteristics. I mean seriously, how many times do you have to say "Maddie pick up your toys, Maddie pick up the toys, pick up the toys Maddie!" by that point I am irritated because its not a new task, just pick up the toys and she is starting to cry because I am getting angry. OH BOY .....let me just rip my hair out now, hopefully it will be the gray ones. I can't keep doing this if it can be "helped, fixed" or whatever.

Love and blessings!

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Today is screening day for Maddie at school. Eek. I am so nervous, don't ask me why, I'm not the one doing it, LOL, I just know Maddie's personality...will she freak that she has to go into a room without us? Will she prove that she knows things or will she go into stubborn mode and not do anything? We've been talking to her about the whole thing so hopefully she will be fine. While she is doing her thing we are going to be interviewed and from what I have been told they will be able to tell us by the end if Maddie is officially accepted. Say a little prayer!

Johnny's job situation is still pins and needles. We still haven't heard anything from the place that he tested from, he said that the secretary told him they had people coming in all week to test and they had to have the results from all before they started to narrow down but that she hoped to have them done by the end of the week. Hmmmm...so until we hear something one way or the other, which we are hoping it will be positive words, we just keep saying prayers and try to stay positive. That is getting to be hard for Johnny though, he just wants to hear something from someone and soon. He did get a call from someone last night though requesting he forward his resume to them, it would be contract work for 10 months but at this point unless the other place comes through it would be work and experience. There is a job fair at the school next week too that he plans on going to. I just know that we need someone to bless us with a job soon, I'm not going to bore everyone with my worries of bills that need to be paid but the stress of it all is really getting to me.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Love and Blessings!

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

Psalm 119:1-2

The waiting continues....

Yesterday Johnny had his 2nd interview, well, I don't really call it an interview, he was there from 1-5:30 and he took 4 skills tests, 2 with about 180 questions each! He said that between tests they took him on a tour but other than that there was no talking. They said he "should" hear something by the end of the week.. I'm sure he did fine, he did great in school and I think it's one of those things that by now either you know it or you don't right? He found some practice tests online and was touching up over the weekend so we are just praying that we will hear good news sooner than later. =0)

Beautiful day here today! Maddie and Johnny had some "bonding" time today, they went to the zoo, while they were there one of the elephants went into labor! How cool is that! Of course they put her in seclusion, how selfish, I would have loved to be able to see something like that! ;0) Johnny said the animals were very active, the lions were very talkative. When I got home Maddie of course had to tell me about her trip at the zoo, she had a great time and they did need some bonding time, they bicker like an old married couple at each other! LOL ;0)

Happy St Patty's Day to all!
Love and Blessings!

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 26:3

Happy Friday!

Why is it that the first few days back from work after a break are the hardest? I only had 6 days off but these past 2 days work has been rough! I am exhausted! I'll blame it on old age, LOL!

Good news in the job world--Johnny had an interview on Thursday and they had told him they would finish their interviews and call in a few days to set up for a 2nd one. Today he called to get the address to send a thank you card (something he learned in school) and they said we were just about to call you, when can you come in for a second interview? AWESOME! I am so STOKED! Your continued prayers would be appreciated....they have obviously been working so far! :O)

Any good plans this weekend? Alot of St Patty parties going on around here not that we will be attending any. I think I am going to just stay home and scrap, enjoy some quiet time relaxing.

Have a great weekend all!

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Romans 5:15

Scrappy time:







Love and God Bless!

The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 15:33

Say a little prayer....

Good news, Johnny got a call today for an interview, Thursday at 1pm! He is pretty excited and this is just what he needed to lift his spirits up, he was getting a little discouraged. He will have to take a skills test but I'm sure he will do fine. All prayers would be appreciated!

Love and God Bless!
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

Mark 13:11

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Happy Birthday Maddie!!

Wow, I can't believe its the big 5! Where has the time gone? Maddie had a great weekend filled with fun and time with family. Oh, and some new treasures to enjoy too! We are all pretty exhausted today with the busy day yesterday and losing an hour of sleep today so I am sure we will all sleep well tonight!







Love and Blessings!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35,38-39

So wrong yet so funny....

Ok, so I know I am EVIL for thinking this is so funny but hey, I have a warped sense of humour, nothing I can do about that. Ok, so this is the scoop--a few days ago Maddie disappeared up to her room for quite awhile so Johnny went to go and check on her. Next thing I know he is yelling at her telling her to get downstairs and face the wall as soon as she got to the bottom step. So she's crying and he's telling her he never wants to see her do that to the cat again. Found out that when he went to go and check on her the bedroom door was closed, when he opened the door he found her strattling Gizzy (of course, the only cat dumb enough to let her close to him, LOL!) smacking him in the head with a whack a mole hammer. LOL!!!! I had to excuse myself to go laugh because it just struck me as HILARIOUS! Granted she shouldn't have done it but what cat lets a kid get ahold of him well enough so he can be strattled and beat? Oy.

Tomorrow is Maddie's birthday party. She will be 5 on Sunday! Can you beleive it? 5! We got a call today from Liberty Christian that I need to set up a screening day for her and they will interview us and let us know on the spot if she is accepted for sure. So much excitement!

Here are a few lo's...



The weather has been beautiful, they say it may hit 70 tomorrow!
Love and Blessings!

"I will praise you, O Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

Isaiah 12:1-2

Finally getting around to posting a few pics from the graduation.






Love and Blessings!

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

Luke 6:43-45