Wow - really set this aside....

Well - apparently it has been 5 months since I posted!  That's OK - it has been really crazy around here.  I am sitting in my back room since I have been banished from MY room.  We moved the tower into there - long story, and most of the time it works out, but......

This is going to be just some random thoughts and an update....

Mike is in week 6 of 8.  Then one week off, one more 8 week semester, then he is DONE (July 3rd)!!!  Assuming he passes everything (and we have no reason to believe that he won't),  he will have his BA.  I am wondering what life may look like school-less.  At least for a little while - wait - does that sound vaguely familiar?????  And we already went from THIS IS IT to "for now".  We're not even done yet!  His degree will be in Biblical and Religious Studies - which is a spring board degree to be honest (that's what they always called my attempted English degree).  In other words there is no "field" for that degree - without seminary.......  For now we are just focused on getting through the BA and seeing what God may have for us in the future.  Which means..... more change.  NOT my favorite!!  If only life were predictable!!

We have 5 weeks left of homeschool.  We have next week off, so that puts us "out" Memorial Day weekend.  YES!! The kids (and the teacher - especially the teacher) are DONE!  So we are trying to encourage each other to be faithful for 20 more days!!  We do have some really great books coming up so that helps.  The kids are getting big - Katie is in a size 7 WOMENS shoe!!  I feel like one of the kids in the row right now during church.  Especially when I have Michael and Katie on either side.  At least the twins are below my shoulder for now....  :)

We were recently blessed with a car.  Mike's van went down permanently a little while ago, and a second car got put on our list of things to hopefully be able to do after he is done school and working hopefully full time again.  We had been sharing the van which was slowly, we believe, going down hill. A family at church gave us their car, and another family fixed it up for us, and Mike now has a car.  Not only that, but should the van actually decide it is done, we can all fit into the car and still get where we need to go.  I didn't realize how much that was weighing on me until last week when both vehicles were on the road.  The traveling I have to do is winding down for the year - which is great - no more trips to Allentown!!  But our distant and very dear church family is not exactly local - and I realize more and more that I was starting to fear a break in fellowship because of transportation.  With this added vehicle I am breathing a little easier.  Not that I can put my faith in the fact that we have 2 cars, but I think you know what I mean.  The van goes into the mechanic for a thorough check up on Monday.  We are thinking transmission - hoping we are very wrong.  If it isn't we can gradually start to fix up the things we know are wrong with it.

On the topic of fixing things up - Michael Ben starts orthodontia in a few weeks.  I know it's not the same, but it kind of feels the same....  :)  Katie will also have to have 2 teeth pulled, and Chris is seeing his plastic surgeon in a couple of weeks for a consultation - we will be gearing up to start his last surgery soon.  Wow - those years went fast!!  Stephen is sitting tight and pulling out his own teeth - and loving the dullness of that - I don't think he is hurting for excitement :) .  I know I'm not.

Lots of thoughts about contentment again.   As I read over the blog I wonder at times if I have made ANY progress!!  Seems very circular.  I know God is good and He won't give up on me until He has made me into the image of Christ - even if we have to keep covering the same ground OVER and OVER again.  I just wish I was a faster learner.  Hopefully I will continue to update, but I think I am going to go storm my room now.....  :)