Journey With Jen

I've learned that when ask God, "where are you leading me?"   ....that He'll actually answer. When you tell God to "use me, use my family for Your purpose" ....that He will. Sometimes, I am just not ready for the answer. Those statements have been my prayer for a few months now.  I want more more us than running on that hamster wheel never getting anything done.  I realize that my oldest son will be 16 this year.  Did you read that?? 16!!!  I only have a few more years with him.  I want to instill so much before they go off on their own.  Yet, often times I am tired from the rat race of life.  Do I really have enough energy to add more to my plate?? I know that if God leads me there, that He will equip me for it.  That includes the energy to get it done, right??   Our church is in an exciting time of change.  Change for the good.  The breaking away of tradition just because of tradition.  And looki...

It really is true how time flies.  My little six pound baby girl turned 11 this week.  My baby is no longer a baby.  :(   She is in her last year of elementary school, actually she only has about 4 months left.  Faith is ready.  (momma not so much)  She has always been ready to grow up. She refused to nurse between 9 - 10 months.  She would only drink from a sippy cup.  I remember how I wasn't ready.  I wanted those last few months.  Faith was even walking before 12 months.  At her 1 year birthday party, she was walking between everyone like it was no big deal.  Even when she went to kindergarten, she didn't want me to walk her in.  (I did, of course, crying like all the other mother's walking out the door.)  The thought of middle school doesn't make her nervous at all.  She is  ready.  Faith is always ready to grow up before I  am ready to let go. I've read all of those parenting b...

I cannot believe it's already mid-year.  Both of my boys are in junior high now.  Joey is finding his ninch.  He loves band.  He is also in yearbook this year.  Junior high has been good for him.  Then, well, there is Luke.  He struggles still. He is still trying to find his place.  Junior high has been a hard transition.  The first three weeks Luke's schedule was messed up.  It got changed four times!!  He is in a mix of "regular" classes as well as a few resource classes.  When I e-mailed his math teacher regarding the 'D' he had in her class, she assured me that Luke would be taking a test before semester grades that would raise his grade.  She never really understood that I didn't care about his grade (for the most part), I was concerned if the material was about his head.  I was concerned more about if he was learning the material, not about what he made on a test.  This week was another IEP meeting for ...

This weekend, I finally finished my menu board.  I know that doesn't sound very excited reading that but let me share with you how really cool it is!! :)  I found the idea on Pinterest.  The link to here for the original.  This is what mine turned out like: Let me kind of explain what you are looking at.  On the left are clothespins with Monday through Sunday on them.  On the right side are my card holders with weeks 1-2 and weeks 3-4 on them.  My husband gets paid every two weeks, so that is why I separated the month that way. (that is when I go grocery shopping) The first thing I had to do was to figure out a month's worth of menus.  I, personally, try not to repeat my menus for the month.  That may sound a bit intimidating.  Just break it down into small steps.  For example, for my own family I try to have an Italian dish once a week.  We also have an Asian menu and Mexican once a week.  I have soup once a week ...

Before church on Wednesday, we stopped at Wendy's.  While I was in line waiting, I looked around and notice some people in front of me with Special Olympics backpacks on.  I look behind to figure out where my children were and make sure they were not doing anything.  I see a few older children that are participants.  My heart just breaks for not only the children but the families represented there.  I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us.  It's just hard to remember that some times. So, the Special Olympics group were ordering large quantities and we needed to go.  The wait was too long unless we wanted to be late to church.  We get into the car and my oldest is in the front says something like, "I'm glad we left.  I don't know what to do around special kids."  (He loves old people and kids just nervous around special needs kids.)  I trying not to cry while driving because special needs children tend to get me emo...