It's Me Again Margaret ( C'mon I know there's a Ray Stevens fan who gets that)

Hello again blog world. I have thought so often this past year of getting on here and writing but either my heart or my head would not allow me too. All my good intentions of returning to this blog and leaving behind written memories went by the wayside. This past week I had determined that I was coming back . I'm putting my words down , even if no one ever reads them but me. I was blessed this weekend to see that another old blogging friend has returned also. Maybe we can both be blessed by blogging again.
I first started blogging on Homeschool Blogger many, many years ago. It was never my intent to be one of the "super Mommy Bloggers", which is great if that is your calling ; but it was never mine. My blog was an outlet for me, a place to store our homeschool journey memories and collaborate with like - minded families. Now blogging, and even homeschooling are so different. Still, I like to share my thoughts and whatever moments of creativity I may have.
We ended our homeschool journey in May of 2018 when Roosie graduated highschool. I will share some pictures later. I feel I have to put them on our homeschool blog if nothing else but to give the story its ending. I shared a little on that blog, Wisdom House Homeschool, of the struggle I was facing with all the changes coming my way. It was hard, very much so. 2015 is when the changes began , with kids leaving home, weddings, a baby, my "baby" turning 18 and graduating . 3 years of transitioning into a new season of my life. I'll share a secret with you, I have battled depression in the past. It was a hard fought battle. I hate to say that with my change of season, depression came knocking again. I would sometimes find myself feeling like I was sitting in a dark hole. I lived life. Went to work, came home, did things that needed doing; but lost all desire to go beyond that. Like I said, I thought often of this blog, the happiness it has brought me over the years. I would say to myself, "Today is the day you do it. You're gonna blog, and write and make things...". Then I would just sit and stare at walls. Countless times I apologized to Roosie that things had changed so much for us, that I could no longer be a stay at home her last years of school. I carried so much guilt over that. It suffocated me at times. I cried going to work cried coming home, cried if I was home alone, cried reading emails from homeschool groups, cried ... well, you get the picture. Let me say that even though she got the short end of the stick, Roosie was so gracious to me. She was always telling me to stop apologizing, everything was fine. I love all my children , and my Deidel with all my heart, but I have to say that my girls have been such a rock for me through this change. They have encouraged, listened, cried with , laughed with and at me, helped me find faith when I could not see it within myself. Roosie and BabyGirl have been my crutches that helped me limp through. Now things are much better. I have left the shadow behind me. God is faithful as always and no desert is too dry, no night too dark. I am enjoying this new season of my life. My grand-baby Deidel has been such a blessing to me. God sent him along at just the right time. He knew my Momma arms needed something to hold and love and watch grow. I am enjoying the wonderful young men and women that Toodles and I have raised. They are good people. Even though they gave me all this grey hair. Toodles and I are now enjoying the extra couple's time we have. We try to date as often as we can and watch TV together, or just hang out. I'm going back to school again. I'm working on earning my Masters in Nursing Education. I want to be able to teach online , from home...cause home is still where my heart is. Plus, when BabyGirl has children, she said I'm going to homeschool them so I have to get back home somehow. But I still have to work til I die. Online teaching is the best of both worlds :) I hope some of you readers are still around. I appreciate all the comments and encouragement through the years. Bear with me as I get my blogging groove back, and share things , and grow to be the woman God would have me be. Y'all know I ramble , use run on sentences and terrible grammar ; but I promise I taught the kids right :) So grab a cup of something warm or cool, relax and scroll by sometime.  ~ Blessings !

First Day!

Today was my first day on the job as an RN. I have a long week because of orientation and training but soon I will have my 3 day work week. I will have longer work days but at least I will be home at night and for most of the week. Spring has sprung here which makes us long to do more things outside for school. Everything is finally blooming, including some surprise tulips in our new yard. We have been doing some garden planning and outside clean up. We dug a firepit the other day. We have to get some pavers to line it but at least the hard part is done. We have gotten to spend the past two weekends helping my parents build a shed. Hoopy and Tman learned some valuable work skills from their Dad and Papaw during the construction. There is still some work to be done but Hoopy statred back working weekends at his summer job and Tman got a new job at a local ranch. BabyGirl is continuing at her job without me ( I miss working with her) and Roosie just celebrated her 15th birthday Friday. So many changes are happening ! Seasons *sigh* But as always God is good :)

Bible Study Journal.

While perusing the internet yesterday I came across a Bible study journal that I just adored...really , it was pretty great. But as it goes, there are not many extra dollars floating around our budget, and I do have this awesome Office suite thanks to my DD, so I made one similar to it that fit my need.. Overall I like my creation. I did add in a picture journal spot on mine. I use picture journaling of Scripture to help me wrap my mind around the principle of the words....here is an example.

Please don't be jealous of my insane artistic talent... it's a gift...what can I say ? (heehee) Anyway...that is one way I help commit verses to memory. Maybe it will work as a great tool for you also. Now on to the Journal., you can download it here , Bible Study Journal. If you happen to have any difficulty just comment and let me know and I can email it to you. Have a blessed day! Blessings ~

New Notebooking Pages

Be sure to check out the new notebooking pages I talked about on our homeschooling blog. Wisdom House Homeschool.

Well, the blessing challenge has been going very well so far. I am trying to find little ways every day to be a blessing to someone. I have also determined each day this month to voice what I am thankful for. I have been using Facebook for this interaction. Whether we realize it or not every day holds special moments that we should be thankful for. Lots of times it is easy to be discouraged with everything we have going downhill in our lives but finding the beautiful moments in each day helps to lift our spirits. It does for me anyway. November has settled in very well here in the Smokies. We are having some very cool nights and sitting by the fire-pit is one of our favorite activities. The leaves put on a spectacular show this year. Now they are on the "falling" side of Fall. The girls and I have been taking some nature walks the past few weeks. I will be posting about those on my homeschool blog , Wisdom House Homeschool. I'm still not sure what our Thanksgiving plans will be this year. What are your plans for turkey day?

Homeschool Planner

Check out my post about our planner on my homeschool blog.
 School Planner
Let me know what ya think ! Blessings ~

My Homeschool Blog Is Up And Ready To Go

 Check it out here! (NOTICE: it has not been updated in a while since it was such a hassle on HSB but get ready for those updates to start rolling in.)




<center><a href="http://proverbs24.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/lisasimcox/WHHbutton.jpg"/></a></center>I made the decision a while back to move my homeschool blog from Homeschoolblogger.com since things had changed so much and you just never knew if your blog account was there from one day to the next. I know with the latest changes there has been yet another exodus from there to Blogger. I knew I wanted to move my entire blog here but I did not want to have to copy and paste each and every post. Unfortunately wordpress themes will not upload to blogger...unless you convert them :) and here my friends is a free and easy way to to do just that. Check it out here:
http://wordpress2blogger.appspot.com/
If your ready to move from homeschool/homesteadblogger.com them follow these easy tips to make Blogger your new home sweet home.

Graduation Day , June 2 2010

BabyGirl's Graduation June 2 2010

My BabyGirl is now a high school graduate and I'm not sure how to feel about that...of course I'm proud and happy for her...but somehow a little sad. Life moves too fast doesn't it? Wish I had somehow captured more in my memories...regret now forgetting even the smallest details. I love you BabyGirl ... follow your dreams!