It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I am trying to get ready for Christmas.. I can't believe it's Friday! We are slowly getting it together thought.

This year I have had a problem that I had not expected. In a time that is political correctness and not wanting to offend anybody we are discovering that the emphasis on Santa Claus is stronger than ever.

See, we don't do Santa. We never really have. It was rush over to this house and that house Christmas Eve and Christmas day when my two girls were little. (K & B) One year I remember K asking why Santa could only bring toys to Nanny's house. Then me and their dad divorced and the whole visitation schedule interfered with all of it. During this time, I started getting closer to God and felt that for my girls was to put the emphasis back on the birth of Jesus.

So, for ten years we have not had Santa in our home. When me and Jeff got married we compromised for A & J and made a tradition of having a special devotion on St. Nicholas day(December 6) to share the truth behind the myth and also to give glory to God in the works of a godly man. St. Nicholas lived to help others. This is a good value to share with the kids, too. For Christmas once everybody is home we read the story of Jesus' birth up to the angels announcing it to the shepherds. We save the story of the three wise men for twelfth night (January 6). For our family, everything we do turns the focus on God. The kids love it because they get a small gift on St. Nicholas day (usually something little that will fit in a shoe), they get Christmas presents from Jesus (because Jesus is the provider of all our needs), and then on Twelfth Night there are little gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh which translate to chocolate coins, jewelry, perfume, etc).

Anyhow, as I was saying, up until this year we haven't had a problem with anybody trying to convince the kids otherwise. And let me note that we tell the kids that there are others that do believe in Santa and it is completely their choice. We just don't in our home.

One day Benji comes home and tells me that Santa is coming to our house and he is excited, reasonably so, and I remind him that Jesus brings our gifts. He then says no, Ms. teacher said Santa brings them. I explained to B that Santa is just a story based off of St. Nicholas and remind him about that. He says that's right and all is well. Then a few days later we have almost the exact same conversation. I didn't want to go up to the school and cause a scene, I know how Benji takes things so literal. I was hoping that it was just a misunderstanding. So I left it, figure I have a week from the time school gets out until Christmas to fix it. I am not sure I did the right thing.

What would you do if your family believed a certain way and it was not with the majority? I have half a mind to write a letter for next school year explaining that our kids do not go Trick or Treating and that we do not have Santa Claus.

My kids have just as much if not more fun that the ones that do. Do the Santa Claus kids have 3 days that they get gifts? Do they learn the history of the season? Does their season only last a couple days where ours lasts a month?

I better think ahead about Easter too I suppose.

May you all have a blessed Christmas!

Time seems to be flying...

The past month has flown by it seems.

School started for the kids August 3rd, so we have been grabbing school supplies right and left. It gets crazy with six kids in school.

Benji is in Developmental Preschool. I really like the set up. It's a reverse inclusion, so they bring in typically developing peers with the kids that have delays. Benji has come SO far it's amazing!

Micah and Josh are in Elementary school. 1st and 2nd grades. Things appear to be going well so far, still trying to get in the pattern of checking backpacks, doing homework, etc.

Allie and Brittany are in the middle school. 6th and 7th grades. We already have had to do Allie's IEP to tweak things for this year and I pray that she adjusts well. Britt is looking forward to being in advanced band and fall ball.

Kimmie is now a freshman in High School. So hard to believe that she is growing up so fast. I know I don't feel old enough on most days to have a child in high school. They had their first football game this past Friday, it was great. The football team lost but our band and flag corp swept the floor. This is gonna be a great year!

Things for me and Jeff are doing good. Once we get the fall schedule down it will be even better... LOL

I start college Friday. Gotta get up to Clarksville bright and early for Freshman Orientation. I am excited and anxious and scared to death. You know it's one thing when you are 18 or 19 going to college, but 34? with kids? scary.

Since We've been gone

I believe it is safe to say that April was a busy month. I felt like I was continuously on the run. It was fun though.

Britt had softball. While we didn't do as good as we wanted to, we did better than we thought we would. They placed second in our district! Way to go Lady Colonels!

Everybody else has just been busy with school and life.

I have been accepted to APSU. Working on the financial aspect of it. Did get the pell grant so there is some money. Just need to get a better buffer. Thinking about a Stafford Loan but I would really rather not go into debt. Anybody know of somebody that would give me money to go to college?

The down side to all of this college stuff is that aparantly my High School Records misplaced my immunization record. I have called 3 doctors and 2 health departments to see if they had them and they don't. Everybody gets rid of records after so long. *sigh* So I have to get the MMR shots again. Today in about an hour I will be getting the first one. Then in 30 days the second one. Which BTW, I hate shots.

So that is pretty much what is going on with us. End of the school year. It appears everybody is moving on up!

Holy Thursday

I find myself torn today.

Today is the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus. Or.. that is the general consensus. My soul wants to honor the Lord and focus on Him. Even moreso than normal. As important as Christmas is, Resurrection Sunday is even more important.

So why am I torn?

Because today, four of our six children are participating in easter egg hunts. Where the focus is on the furry rabbit and how much candy can they collect... and of course how much can they eat before they get home and it is rationed.

Why is it okay for the school system to worship the pagan goddess of fertility when it is not okay to mention that Christians celebrate the resurrection of their Savior?

We find it already difficult to get the school to understand that we limit the junk food the kids eat (we have removed things like red 40, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, etc), the school doesn't understand that we see it as the kids responsibility to do their homework and to get papers signed, not ours. The school also doesn't want to get involved with consistency, or stopping a child from lying when they know the child is lying. In the grand scheme it makes me almost want to homeschool. Almost.

More thoughts I suppose. The older I get, or perhaps the strong my faith gets, I see more and more of what is wrong with the world.