From the heat of summer to the dead of winter. I guess I don't have as much computer time as I used to. We are down from 3 to 1 family computers and this year 4 of my home schoolers are involved in schooling that requires online time. Wow this year has been so full of changes looking over my very limited supply of previous post lets me see that. Natasha, our graduate, has become the first little birdie to leave the nest. Even though she is only 3.5 hours away and living at Grandma's house I sure miss having her home.

Katelyn our oldest is engaged to be married(Finally) .Tim is a nice Christian guy and is very loving and devoted to Katelyn. He has become such a big part of our family that we can't picture him not a part of our life.We told him along time ago that he could break up with her but he wasn't allowed to break up with the rest of us so I guess he decided he would take the package deal. Though he does plan on taking Kates away as he is joining the Air Force and will likely not be anywhere near here. I told him his top requests have to be within flying distance and his response was" somewhere here on Earth then?" No somewhere Horizon flies.They will be getting married sometime this summer no firm date as of yet.

We are still running our little Crazy farm and not having any better luck with the animals and their mothering abilities. I , who hates animals, have become nursemaid to several different one this past year, From puppies and kittens to calves. Yes even our cows are not good mothers and either neglect and abuse their calves or have no milk for them to nurse. So our latest baby was a girl, curly black hair and 65lbs. After losing one sister we quickly figured out some of the finer arts of farming. Tube feedings and pill poppers included, however she is now 2 months old and a healthy thriving calf. Though probably will never make it to the dinner table as everyone is very attached and think of her as some sort of novel pet. I have told my kids to be very grateful I was a better mother then any of the animals we have had around here as our current success rate for pets surviving infancy is only about 10%.

Work around here is slower then it has been in previous years and John has been out framing for the first time in a couple of years. Of course as soon as his job started temps dropped to near 0 and the snow started falling. Now that he is done and between jobs the weather was in the 60's and not a snow flake in sight. I am sure as soon as his next job starts all that winter weather will return. I haven't felt much anxiety about the financial situation yet. God has promised to supply all our needs. Maybe not all our wants but all our needs. So for now we've a roof over our head and food on the table. Praise God! (Though I would like those really cute clearance boots I saw for only $85 down from $125 and a family trip some place warm and sunny with a beach for a month or so) I wonder if those qualify as needs some how?

The Holidays have come and gone finally. We have spent the last few days trying to get back on a school schedule and into the routine of it. We where hoping to take a pass on the diseases being offered up for our sharing pleasure at the last Questad get together. So far we have managed to scrape by with only the Strep. Though it may be to early to tell on the ringworm, scabies, and/or the cough/cold/congestion thing. Yikes!!! Hopefully some year we can contain ourselves to the traditional sharing of  food, drink, gifts. Though I must say thing like strep and influenza are the gift that keeps on giving . Especially in a large family by the time it has made it rounds here we will probably be able to share it with the Vancouver cousins again in time for spring vacation. Oh well we wouldn't trade it for the world. Gotta love the big family get togethers.OK so not everything changes.

With the start of a new year and a lot of other new thing in our life, we are going to be trying a new church as well it seems. I am looking forward to a chance to become just another member in a church. To go to Sunday services, worship with other Christians and to just be spiritually fed. I like the idea of being just an unknown person in a crowd. No preconceived notions, no previous labels to live up to or live down, to go and just be me. What sweet relief that will be. I was initially terrified by the idea, but have come to actually welcome and embrace it. My family is not as enthused as I am and I am sure we will all have a huge amount of adjusting to do. There will also be some sadness for things that are no more. Though I am comforted with the assurance that what Satan intended for evil God can and will use for good. The Bible is so full of his promises to care for his own and that he will never leave us or forsake us. I have been through the battle this past few months and have never more strongly felt his presence and assurances then through all of  it. I have been incredibly blessed this past couple of years to witness God at work in the hearts and mind of my children and husband. and to see all our lives transformed by his blessed presence. To see all of us growing in Christ, seeking him in new and ever increasing ways, to developing meaningful prayer lives and spending time in his word. So though our location may change our condition will not. We will still be his children and he will still be our Lord and Savior, our all and all. All praise to God and his never ending mercies.

OK, so sometimes I get a little emotional. Just to add the right note I'll tell the rest of the story. I had just finished my last post when the aforementioned daughter tiptoed upstairs for a little late nite mommy talk. Or so I thought. Really the late night confessions of a teenage speeder. She had gotten a ticket on Graduation night and was planning on just paying the ticket and hoping I would not notice the insurance increase. But her conscience got the better of her and she decided to tell. Testing my vow to cherish every moment of my dear little one last days at home. I feel like ringing her pretty little neck right about now. I have told the girls that as long as they where still in school and attaining a good grade point average (3.0 or higher) I would keep them on my insurance plan and pay their auto insurance. I don't think I was including increases for reckless behavior in the deal though. Of course dear daughter thinks this is totally unreasonable as it doesn't fit into her college budget next year to have to pay her own high insurance rate. Actually it doesn't fit into my budget either. So perhaps she will have to come up with another payment plan or give up some of her high flyin ideals. (Senior trips to Mexico with an Aunt?)We'll see I guess.

Now that I've survived the whole graduation and big party afterward, I feel like I have forgotten about the rest of the family for the last week and really need to get back into the mommy of a big family mode.I just heard tonight that my sister Susan ( who was here last weekend) went home with Strep Throat again, and Larry and Emily's kids have it again also.Yuck. I love my family and all our big get togethers but everytime we all get together someone takes home a new bug.

Mark and Sandra have made the move back to Vancouver, it is supposed to be temporary but God may have other plans for their family. I know we will miss them while they are gone, however long that will be. She is planning on home schooling next year and I have been looking forward to having another family in our group with a variety of ages homeschooling. This has been a year of learning, probably more for me then for any of my kids. It has definetely been a year of ups and downs. It is funny how much differntly you see your kids after being mom and teacher for awhile. Last week while we where wrapping up Tasha's high school and Nicks freshman year I thought for sure I was done with the whole homeschool thing for good. But a couple of days off and reading and talking to other parents I feel renewed for the race again. We will be making some changes in our curriculum this year though I haven't decided for sure what to do. I am looking for a little more hands on high school stuff to do. The whole sitting at a computer for 6-8 hours a day is not the best thing for a teenage boy who has always been known for his excess energy. If any one has any suggestions on getting him a well rounded education that will be enough that he can pass his entrance exams to college ,when he is old enough for running start, please pass them on. That is one of the thing we have been talking about is whether to continue having the high school age kids pursue a State diploma. So much of their requirement today have little or nothing to do with mastering their classes and obtaining the required credits. Between WASL, senior projects, high school and beyond plans, etc so much of it seems a waste of time and energy and really irrelevant to the educating role the school is supposed to be doing. Oops, the movies are over and it is time to head to bed. So I will end for tonight. 

I have been sorting thru photos to do a video slide show at Tasha and Jordans graduation. How unbelievably quick this past 18 years have gone. Looking over pics for all the kids it is hard realize that they are growing up. Tasha is still undecided for sure where she will be going to school. There is some mix-up with transferring her Spanish Credits from the college classes she took to her high school transcript. They may not count as her foreign language credits she needs to attend any of the Universities. I do not really understand why and she is struggling with disappointment and anger over this. Frustrating to think you have worked so hard for something and some incorrect advice may change all your plans. But none the less she will be off to college somewhere in the fall. This mom is having a hard time seeing her go, though I am proud of how hard she has worked and followed thru with her dreams. She has always been a determined, independent kid.

Today I finally went and ordered a second set of laundry appliances. I was getting tired of never catching up with the laundry around here! Tuesday I will have a brand new set. There are so many options it is crazy, I couldn't stand sorting thru them all and just decided to go with what I already have. Kenmore front loaders. Go figure, when I got there to order them I was informed that they no longer made the same model. The new models have steam cleaning cycles and steam freshening in the dryers. WOW now I won't even have to iron any more( at least according to the sales literature). Later as I was at the grocery bagging my groceries an older gentleman started remarking on how much meat and frozen food I had purchased. How lucky I was to have freezer and be able to keep our food fresh. He was remembering living in Pasco as a young child and having only an icebox to keep things cool. He also was remembering the old wood stove they used for heat and cooking. Got me to feeling awfully glad of the modern conveniences I enjoy and take for granted every day. I complain because the heat pump doesn't always keep up with the heat around here. Yikes what if I didn't;t have a heat pump? and on top of it I had to use fire to cook, heat water for everything (dishes, laundry, baths). What if I had to grow, harvest and preserve everything my family was going to eat for the year? I think we would all be alot skinnier, have alot less clothing and definitely would not be changing many times a day. No long showers or soaks in the jacuzzi tub. What, I wonder would I miss the most?

I confess that the telephone would definitely make the top ten. I sure do like my telephone. It is great when I can be home working on something around here and still feel in touch with the rest of the world. It seems most days it is almost impossible to get out of the house for any thing other then the basics. Groceries, doctors appointments, dentist appointments etc. I have enjoyed going to the park the last couple of weeks with a group of ladies . The kids have enjoyed the outing to. Last week was really warm and I got sunburned shoulders that are still healing. This week with the Memorial day weekend coming the weather has done the usual and started getting cold and raining. I am glad I was not planning a camping trip. Though I am sure all those who have will still enjoy the fellowship.

Well I need to get back to bed now, so Good Night and God Bless to all.