Under Construction

Thank you for stopping by today!

I am in the processing of making some changes to my blog.

As you can see, I have added some tabs to the top of my page!  There is no text at this time, but I am working on it, so please bear with me.  I am trying to figure a way to add one last tab, about my ongoing weight loss journey . . . as that is a huge part of where I am right now.


 I will continue to post, and will let you know when the page is complete!

Please be praying for my children.  All three of them. 

Kayla was in a car accident a few nights ago.  She is OK.  She has some bruises and had a mild concussion; but is mainly dealing with headaches and just hurting.  I praise God she was protected by His watchful care!

Christopher and Kaitlyn have BOTH been sick for days.  Found out today not only do they have Flu-B (had no idea there were different stands of the flu, did you?!), but they also have STREP!

Can you say, INSANITY!

As I type this, I am being summoned.  Milk Shakes are on the menu tonight for sore throats!

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."  Numbers 6: 24 - 26

Web Cams Bring Learning To Life!

A friend and I were talking just yesterday about how education has changed in the 20 years since her brother had been teaching; and especially since our parents were children. Her words helped me process my role as a homeschool mom, "Twenty years ago, we all had to go to the teachers as our source of education/learning; today, the source is everywhere. Teachers have to work harder to make education interesting and bring in the facts."

I started homeschooling my son that has Asperger's in August of 2011.  I struggle with thinking outside the box; but am learning!  Maybe before he is too much older, I will be able to present education in a fun, practical, outside of the box, type of environment, instead of "all about books!"

For the last few weeks, my children and I have been checking daily on a Bald Eagle that was nesting.

Actually, we have been checking two sites, one in Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge  near Vian, Oklahoma (the most frequent one as eggs two of the three eggs had hatched when we started watching) and the other in Norfolk Botanical Garden in Virginia.  In the Virginia location, the male and female eagles have visited the site, but no eggs have been laid as of today.

The third egg at the Sequoyah site finally hatched on it's 35th day!  The kids have seen both the male and female bird feed the eaglets AND have seen birds, fish, and duck brought in to feed the eaglets. 

It has been an amazing experience and has brought education to life!  We've all been sick during the last two weeks; and while we have not had the brain function to sit down and do "book work," we have been able to learn about the size of a Bald Eagle egg, its gestation period, bring in a little History regarding the National Symbol, discuss the cycle of life and put the food chain in live action!  So, being sick has helped me to let down my "must cram all this in attitude."

We have also visited the web site for Winter the Dolphin that the movie Dolphin Tale is based on!

I do hope you will visit these great links!  They have indeed, helped bring learning to life ;)

Enjoy!

Heaven

Kaitlyn and I were talking about Romans 3:23 last night.

As we were discussing it, she asked, "Is heaven REALLY REALLY big?!"

I answered honestly, that I have no idea just how BIG heaven is, but then proceeded to tell her about streets of gold and gates of pearls.

I then told her how we will be healed when we get to heaven.

The example I used was how Mammow couldn't see well when she was alive; but NOW that she is in heaven, she has her eyes again!   Kayla's eyes got big, "You mean Mammow that ALWAYS painted my fingernails couldn't see?!"  I said, "No, she could see VERY little." 

With that, Kaitlyn looked at me and asked, "Everyone is healed when they get to heaven?"

I said, "Yes."  She then said in the most innocent, sweetest voice, "Even my itching will go away?" And with a lump in my throat, I said, "Yes, Kaitlyn, even your itching will go away." 

Kaitlyn has a pretty severe sensory disorder. 

In 2009 approximately 1 in 20 children were diagnosed with SPD. 

She also has eczema; and with the temperature changes (low humidity) the itching and sensory is intensified. 

Others have said, "all this stuff is in her head." 

I can assure you, this precious 6 year old little girl lives it every single day.

It's real.

May I encourage you, if you know of a child with a sensory disorder, make it a point to encourage his/her momma and daddy.  It is an exhausting task to work through these issues day in and day.

We are fortunate.  We have friends that are always looking for ways to make our little girls' life better . . . and often encourage us!  It will change their outlook, I promise!

30 Days With No Kayla . . . . And David Letterman!

Its been 30 days tonight that I put my first born on an airplane for the west coast.  I still expect her to walk in the room and start complaining about her curfew and stomp through the house, or plop down on the floor and start coloring with the kids . . .    

A few weeks before Kayla left, she and I went to dinner at Olive Garden thanks to a gift certificate a friend had given me for my birthday.

After dinner we went to Sam's to pick up a few things.  As I pulled into the parking lot, a song came on the radio that I knew was going to bring me to tears.  As the words played, "there goes my life, my future, my everything, . . . . . hugged them both and headed off to the . . . west coast. . . . " the sobbing began.  I was losing my life . . . . "to the west coast."  Even typing these words and remembering that heartache brings tears to my eyes and heart.

It's amazing how life turns around.  I wasn't always a good mother.  The fact is, I point blank stunk at it.  I was never there for her as a child.  I was in the bars; and even taking her in with me.  I couldn't miss out on "my life" so I pawned her off on whoever I could or took her with me. 

I am so thankful she doesn't remember those years.  I'm so thankful for forgiveness and grace.

This song, There Goes My Life, is as close as it gets to describing our life (other than the roles . . . . and, no, Kayla's closet has NEVER been full of the Abercrombie clothe line and she didn't leave with an American Express! lol!  In fact, funny story, I had  never even heard of that clothing line until someone gave Kaitlyn an outfit for Christmas this past year!  I'm so not interested in labels . . . thank you God for making me simple!)

Anyway, I hope you will listen to that song; every time I hear it I cry.

Kayla married her love, Jacob, on the 30th of December 2011.

The first 48 hours I wept uncontrollably.  No lie.  Cleaning out her dresser drawers, I got a whiff of her perfume and the bawling started again.  I honestly didn't know how I was going to live without my little girl . . . the girl that saw me through being a crappy mother, a mother that slept in the car with her when she had nowhere else to go, a mother battling sobriety, a mother with a temper, a mother that came to know a Man that offered an amazing saving grace, a mom that beat alcoholism with God's strength, a mom that got re-married, a mom that miscarried, a mom that had a baby boy that we came to find out has Aspergers, a mom that had a second baby girl that now is learning to cope with sensory, anxiety, and ocd issues . . . . She had seen me through it all; she kept me alive when I wanted to die. 

She was my hero, and this song, says it all.  It is one of mine and hers favorite.

With each passing day it got a little better . . . . and then one day, in the midst of cleaning the bathroom (and crying because that was her weekly chore and I was missing her), the Lord brought to mind David Letterman and his top 10 countdown. 

Now, I NEVER watch this show and haven't for YEARS because usually, I am in bed LONG BEFORE he comes on (is he even still on the air ???) and I have NO IDEA why it even came to mind; but it was like the Lord gave me a way to laugh about a tough situation. 

He gave me a top 10 count down of the pros of Kayla moving out!  I'm not kidding!  And wait till you see what the number 1 best reason for Kayla moving out is! 

So here goes:

The top 10 positive reasons of  Kayla moving out are:

10. no more taxi service to school and work

9. no more slamming cabinets at midnight when everyone's asleep because she just got home from work.

8. no more stomping through the house (raised house, not concrete slab)

7. no more rolling of the eyes (at least I can't see it through the phone line . . . skype, yes, . . . phone line, no ;)

6. no more bickering amongst siblings because they are "getting on my nerves!"

5. no more, “mom I’m out of shampoo!”

4.  no more, “ugh, you have no idea what you are talking about!  Everyone elses mom lets THEM do it!”

3.  less money spent on the grocery bill, power bill, and water bill

2. no more, “Kayla, it’s your cat, clean the cat litter!”

AND THE BEST THING ABOUT  Kayla moving out . . . . . .

1. THERE'S LESS CRAP IN THE ALREADY FAILING SEPTIC SYSTEM!

So, on this one month anniversary of Kayla flying out to California, while I miss her terribly and doubt that I will ever stop worrying, I can cry a simple tear . . . or two . . . or three, and know that I, and she, will be OK. 

And that's a good thing :)

Loving Through Disappointment

Putting this plea out there and would like your input from as many of you as possible.

 

How do you, or have you, learned (or relearned) to loved through disappointment?

 

What scriptures have helped you?

 

Did you fake it till you could love again?

 

Or maybe you gave up?

 

When did it, if ever, become "OK" again?

 

This morning, in my journal/quiet time, the Lord told me to pray about learning to love through disappointment. 

 

You know, that thing called, "unconditional love."

 

I think it is something we all experience in one way or another; be it with a spouse, or child(ren), a family member, or a close friend; whethere we were the one disappointed or even did the disappointing.

 

While I am studying this, I would really like your input!

 

IF this is too personal of a question to answer, please feel free to email me at thepadenfamily@gmail.com. 

 

Thank you :)

 

Stacey

Small Potatoes!

Yesterday when I read my Jesus Calling devotional, I read one of yesterday's scriptures and the other ones were for today's.  Of course, I didn't notice that until this morning.

I did noticed they didn't seem to go directly hand in hand like they usually do, but nonetheless they spoke volumes. 

Today, as I am writing out the scriptures in my journal, I thought, "OK Lord, you MUST really be trying to tell me something . . . didn't we just do this one?"  After checking, I noticed the error. 

I re-wrote the scriptures that were meant for today and THEN was prompted by the Holy Spirit to read and write out yesterday's scriptures . . . . .

SO appropriate for a woman that was filled with anxiety and worrisome thoughts until the wee hours of the morning!

Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4: 6- 7, "Do not worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Today's scriptures that was read yesterday and today . . . . . (I read  this is many translations, but then read it in the message . . . . loved the way it was put!)

2 Corinthians 4: 16 - 18,  "So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."

ISN'T THAT JUST GOOD YA'LL!?!

Habakkuk 3:19, "Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights."

Not sure what you are struggling with today, whether it's worrisome thoughts, or tired and weary, but I pray you will be filled with a peace given only by the Father.

Give me feet like a deer, Lord, as you take me to  new heights!  Amen!