An Epiphany...

You know when you think about something many, many times, but then, that one time you understand it more than ever! Heck, you understand everything about everything, for that split second! 

...happened to me this morning. If I don't hurry I'll lose it all, but here goes:

I am a very sensitive person period! I've tried over and over to grow thicker skin, but it doesn't grow on me. It's like trying to cultivate apples in the dessert (or something extreme like that, please don't message me and tell me you grew an apple tree in the dessert). 

The past week I've been bitter, not friendly, and I fit in so well...I realized that I can either conform to this unfriendly, unloving, ungrateful society, or I can...not!

I seem to get more respect when I'm frank and unemotional. If I keep this up I could really finish this whole game in the lead. Take my winning to my grave like King Tut. 

There is a gentlemen I used to work with who we call Mtn. Man Dan (You know who you are) who inspired me with a post he made a week or so ago. I may not have gotten his exact point, but I did get this. I'm tired of phoniness. I'm tired of feeling like I have to be that person who wins the race. I don't want to conform to this world, this society, this game. No, I'd rather be with the losers, the ones who come in last. The ones who knew that they never had a chance of winning, but came out anyway, worked hard anyway, and finished anyway! Can you imagine running along side someone who finishes last! Seeing the emotion, the joy, the love, the faith, the "impossible". That's where I want to be. I want to be real. I want to be genuine. I want to be happy, and joyful, and kind, and loving, and living the impossible.  We've always been taught the opposite, so I may only make sense to myself right now, but it's the way I feel. 

So, I think that's where I'll be, I'll be the nice "guy" who finishes last. If you want to find me, I'll be over here, enjoying what I call wealth, the fruits of the spirit~ JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, SELF CONTROL...

and above all 

LOVE!

+

May God Bless you all, wherever you are and want to be...

We Caught our Second Wind!

Boy, I must say 2013 was a tough year. I know I've said this before, but I really over-pushed my limits. 

I'm glad to say goodbye...

I had a nice, well-needed rest from it all. The holidays were very lovely and joyful.

 Now I'm ready to roll into the New Year

...like a boss!

{K} had his first basketball game last weekend and he did so well!!

We were THOSE parents yelling so loudly and over-doing it with cheers for ever bucket his team sunk...

Back to schooling...

I'm really looking forward to the last half of the year with the kiddos. I realize that even on the days when we don't seem to get anything accomplished , the children are still progressing at a rapid pace! 

I love love love being able to organize their curriculum. I also love the freedom that homeschooling gives us. 

Lately, I've been having to skip through lessons because I keep getting the response, "I already know this"...

I make them prove it every time, sure enough, we skip even more lessons....

I feel like that is something we struggled with a bit in public school, especially with the oldest...

Even if he knew it, he was still required to do it again. Don't get me wrong, repetition is very important for some things, but there is a point where boredom gets the best of us and does more than cause a little trouble.

I was looking through the pics in my camera and I was laughing so hard at the silly face poses...

         ^that's {J}'s silly face...ha!

My children really take their silly faces seriously. They give 100% effort in making a silly face, it almost looks painful...

So yeah, we've caught our second wind and are feeling like we're cruising right along merrily. 

We haven't been very social, but when the weather gets a bit nicer we'll be out more.

We're also looking for good book recommendations for {M}. She's read so many books already, but here's what she has left on her reading list for the rest of the year:

• The Phantom Toll Booth
• The Great Gilly Hopkins
• Because Of Winn-Dixie
• The Whipping Boy
• Caddie Woodlawn
• Anne of Green Gables
• Tuck Everlasting
• Sounder
• The Last Invisible Boy
• James and The Giant Peach
• Pippi Longstocking

Do you have any other awesome books around the same reading level that you highly recommend?

God Bless all of you and yours!

~The Zeres