Don't you hate it when ...

You try to make something better and only achieve in making it worse ... UGH! Ok, it all started when I wanted to improve the look of this blog. I wanted 3 columns instead of 2. I want to add some ad's and helpful information and I thought it would be more helpful if there were 2 side columns. So I started searching for a nice 3 column template. I found one and followed the instructions to install it. Well, I only managed to really mess it up. So stay tuned, I am trying to get it all back but it is a slow process. Good thing the blog is not very old. GRRRR OK little rant over, going to fix it all

Peace and Blessings
sb

Flying time!

Today we started week 5 of the Schultz Family School 2008-2009 Year. I cannot believe how fast time is going. I am amazed. Now I know we have not really had a FULL week due to hurricane scares and necessary evacuations. Despite those unwanted interruptions I think this is the best start to a school year we have had yet. In addition to Madison, Ethan and Zoe Claire, we also have 2 sweeties with us. K and K are twins in the third grade. The girls fit into our family so very nicely. They all love to find similarities they have. I really think Miss M is enjoying having the company around. She has been in a classroom of 1 for so long. It has been great to have her there to encourage and assist with the younger ones. It has benefited her as well. I am a firm believer in what I believe to be fact is that sometimes our brains are just not ready to take in certain information. Sometimes it needs to grow, branch out and develop in other areas before it is ready to grasp other concepts and processes. I think this is especially true for math. For years Miss M has struggled with math. It has been difficult to understand. Many years in a row she hits a wall before the first week is even up. It has clicked with her this year. She just "got it" and she is so excited. Not to say it is easy at all but she is understanding it, the numbers and their process' are making sense.
So I am hoping you are all having a great year so far. Praying you are enjoying one another and the bond that homeschooling helps to create. Praying you are all also enjoying your school year so far!

Peace and blessings
sb

here we go again...

Hurricane Ike is making his approach toward the gulf. Nothing is certain yet but they think it will go into the gulf and thus we will be threatened by yet another hurricane. This one looks bad. We will once again be heading up to Brewer, MS. Stay tuned.

Nana's birrthday rap

The kids did this today for their nana. We were laughing so hard when we watched it. I just knew I had to share it!

Hurrican Gustav Blessings ...

I am so happy to say we are home safe and sound. The small town of Pascagoula weathered the storm just fine. It is my understanding that we only briefly lost power and all else was well.

I have to share with you about our time in Brewer, Mississippi. It really was such a blessing. We arrived on Saturday to about a half dozen or more people who wanted to hug our necks and love on us. They jumped right in and helped us unload the kids and all of our bags. The group had so graciously prepared a wonderful dinner for us, a buffet of pizza, salad, chips, bbque sandwiches, drinks anything we could have wanted. They had gone to Sam's and loaded up on any kind of snack the kids could have wanted, breakfast cereal, fruit, etc.... They thought of everything. They had already set up the beds, stocked the bathroom with toiletires we could have forgotten when we packed and fresh towels. They had lined up groups of people to come cook each breakfast, lunch and dinner for us and to do our laundry while we were there. Their loving, giving attitude and actions took so much of the stress off of our shoulders. Even their youth came to hang out with our kids and even pitched in with the little ones. It was so obvious that everyone there was so very genuine and just wanted to be of service. They were truly the hands and feet of Christ. Before we left several people made sure to tell us in the event of another Hurricane we were expected to come and stay with them again.

I did a lot of thinking on the way home yesterday and you know this was the most pleasent evacuation I have ever experienced. Usually our time is spent, glued to the tv trying to watch what is going on at home while we wrangle with kids trying to keep them quiet and occupied so they dont disturb the other guests. Then there is the stress of all the money we are spending and the possible hurricane damage at home. So as you can imagine evacuations are stressful. This was just not the case in Brewer.

So to Brewer Baptist Church I say a great big THANK YOU! Thank you for your hospitality, for your prayers and for loving on us the way you did this week!

Peace and Blessings
SB

Today

Ok, so our most important electrical/mechanical items in our house have decided to either fritz out or were messed up by our own hands. Our AC has been acting up for the last few weeks, our dryer is not drying very well, and now just today I slammed my phone in between the car and the trunk. My screen has a beautiful orange burst on it but I cannot see anythign else on there and no one can hear me when I call them. So ... there you have it. Of coarse this would all happen at the most inconvenient times .... and it is these times I quietly wish for someone to pass the buck to, for someone I could turn to and say here honey you handle this while I finish with the kids, for someone elses paycheck to be deposited into my checking account in addition to my own. It is in these moments I secretly wish prince charming was not some dreamed up fairy tale of a man but rather a true to life human who will show up on his whte hoarse to help me get through days,moments,times like this. I am still trying to think flexible here God I am trying I am really really trying.

So today it looks as if we will not be affected by hurricane Gustav. Of coarse at this point hurricane Katrina was still heading for Texas and we all know how that one ended up. I am not putting much stock into what the predictions are just yet, not until it is in the gulf but even then there are last minute shifts so it's really anyone's guess. There are no predictions that this will be anywhere near HK as I lovingly refer to her but I dont want to be around for any hurricane. The thought of loosing power, with 3 children here by myself is not appealing. Not at all. So as it stands we are heading for the hills. There is a rumor that if we are still in the cone there will be a mandatory evacuation and sure dont want to get caught in all that madness. I will update when possible to let everyone know how we are doing. Oh and all my numbers were saved to my phone and not my sim card so I lost all of them too. I dont memorize numbers much anymore so chances are if you werw someone I talk to often your number has been lost, please call me soon so I can add you back on the phone list.
stay safe
peace and blessings
sb

YUP its Hurricane Season ....

So far in the last week we have had a tropical depression come through and are now starting the watch for Hurricane Gustav. Hurricane season is always full of unexpected excitement .... yes I am doing my best to see it in a positive light. I do try to figure out sometimes in these moments of wait and see what God is trying to teach me. He knows I struggle with unpredictability, can't stand much change at one time and I am not spontaneous, so sometimes I think He is trying to gently teach me to loosen up, take it as it comes and rely on Him more! I am doing my best to do that, I am so thankful He is so loving and gentle with such lessons.

So as it stands we do have a place to go out of the threat of wind and rain. Finding shelter within driving distance is sometimes difficult because hundreds of people are also running from the same storm, hotels are scarce and usually pretty costly. I feel so fortunate though that we will be allowed to stay in the Christian Life Center of a church in Brewer, MS. with my mom and younger sister and my dearest friends the Cunningham's. We will bring our school work and move forward, use the time to explore a new place and wait out the storm until we can return. Now we are in watch mode, using every bit of information we can to make important decisions.Pray for us, I dont know what I will do if there is another super storm to come through, emotionally, financially, just not sure what I would do.