God's Chisel

Saw this on a friend's Facebook page. Thought I'd share it with you.

Be blessed.
Melanie

">

It's Kindergarden All Over Again

That's what it feels like. My kids will start getting ready for their first day back to school in about 7 hours from now. And because they're really nervous about it, so am I. I promise I'm nothing but understanding and encouraging words to them about all the new friends they're going to make and how nice the teachers all seemed, etc. but inside I feel just like I did on their first day of kindergarden. Everything is so different and foreign and not at all familiar. What makes this especially difficult is that on their first day of kindergarden, they were excited; the anxiety back then was all mine. Now, they're scared - at least they were when they went to bed. I pray they're feeling better in the morning. Me too.

Prayers are gratefully accepted here.

Be blessed.
Melanie

Florida livin' at its' finest...

...for my 9 year old son, anyway. While my daughter has been working herself into a tizzy contemplating the injustices of a "stupid" dress code wherein children are forced to tuck in their shirts, my son is all about the gators and lizards and frogs, oh my!

Side note: Sierra even sought out and introduced herself to the school principle last night at orientation just to ask if they are ever allowed to untuck - the answer? "Rarely". She politely responded with an "Ok, thank you" but as we walked away, she turned to me and said with utter frustration, Rarely! What does 'Rarely' mean!?!

Anyway, here's a sampling of Justin's summer adventures...

Crikie, what a beauty! After weeks of scanning every lake we passed by in hopes of catching a glimpse of an alligator, he was beyond thrilled to see, touch and, ughh, sit upon this very real gator at - of all places - a McDonalds in Orlando!












Catchin' lizards wherever they hide.















He caught a little guy just like this on top of our front door post. It took standing on a chair and a long stick to get him but he got him and played with him for hours. Not sure the frog had as much fun but he was set free by day's end.







Be blessed.
Melanie

No More Life As Usual

In church today, the pastor challenged us to ask ourselves if we would be willing to let God shake us up a little and bring us out of our "life as usual." I couldn't help but think about our new life here in FL. Definitely not life as usual.

We've never lived in an area like this before and honestly, it's going to take some getting used to. Now don't get me wrong; I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just not what we're used to - it's different and that doesn't automatically mean bad.

I'm the first to admit we've been downright spoiled by always having easy access to whatever we needed right at our finger tips and rarely more than a ten-minute drive. We're typical suburbanites. Work, shopping, doctors, friends, church, school - you name it - all right there. Here, in our little corner of central Florida, if you're not passing an orange grove, you're passing a lake...a big one, so that means it takes a little while to get anywhere 'cause you've got to get around that orange grove and around that big ol' lake.

The general pace around here is slower than what we're used to also which is, for the most part, fine with me since I tend to pace myself rather slowly anyway but is still one of the things we're having to get used to. When we want to go somewhere, we're used to getting there NOW. It seems a major drag to have to take all that extra time to get around that, albeit pretty, lake. We whole-heartedly believe in stopping to smell the roses but wonder why it is that some people have to take so L O N G to smell them. Let's sniff it and move on, people...gotta go Go GO!

For the record, I really do like it here. While our drive to Walmart would probably be a lot shorter if it weren't for the lake, I really do find it rather peaceful looking at it on my way. Though I doubt any of us would say no to an offer of prayer for our time of adjustment. I completely believe God has a purpose and a plan for us here which is why I can accept and even look forward to breaking out of my "life as usual".

How 'bout you? Be blessed.
Melanie