In The Distance.....

we saw a cross....
Out of our newly cleaned windows......

As we drove through the top of Texas on Hwy 40.

In the distance we saw a cross...a huge cross from about twenty miles away!
As we got closer we knew we had to stop and check it out! It's located in a very small town called Groom, Texas.
It's 190 ft tall!

They say 10 million pass by it everyday and about 1,000 people stop by eachday!
`
Construction of the cross frame was done in two shops in Pampa, Texas by more than 100 welders and was put up in July of 1995. It took 8 moonths to complete.
Every piece had to fit together when the frame was transported and assembled at the construction site forty miles away. When completed, the
cross weighed 1,250 tons
or 2 1/2 million pounds.




We walked all the stations of the cross.
It was a great lesson for the kids as we prepare for the Easter season. We stopped by each station and talked about it.

They even had a spot that was dedicated to the babies that have lost their lives to abortion. Very touching!


You can check out more Awesome pictures of the cross! I'm sure glad we stopped. It will be a memory the kids will have etched in the minds forever.

Can I Be Honest With You?

Hello, I'm here! CPS did not get a hold of me (yet)
I'm sure their visit is in the works when my health insurance gets a hold of them.

(My computer crashed Thursday, but it's up and working) Thank you Lynn and Cliff!!! I thought I lost everything, but thank God I didn't.
I'm still working on answering emails...

I'm alive...but barley!
My kids have held me hostage in this RV. It seems right after I posted the "Call Me Crazy" post last Thursday, My kids turned on me. Even Finley! Which she is usually the sweet quiet easy going one. She now tells me NO! She is turning in to a little wild one!
All five of them ganged up against me. Acting out of control...
I kept thinking, there is no way I want more! I can't even handle the 5 I have!

Finely fell again and split open her eye open AGAIN. Same eye different spot. Needing stitches AGAIN! This time they didn't put her under they put her in a straight type jacket thing and let her scream her head off while they stitched her up. UGH! I felt so bad for her! I felt like the worst Mom. How could this happen? I try so hard to be a good Mom, but seem to be failing. Have you ever heard of so many kids getting hurt so much?! Me either!
At this point I was about to register them all for school and sign the two little ones up for preschool and get a full time job. Seems easier! Seems safer!
Seems like I'm getting attacked??? Don't ya' think? I find the more I step out in faith the harder life gets....


Maybe it's just the fact that Daddy's been working and now it's just Mom "home." I'm having to re-train them and let them know Mom means business. They behave so much better when Daddy's around.
Or maybe it's just an adjustment. We are not "on the road" and constantly going like we have been for the last 4 months.
..maybe their bored!
Our days have changed. We are still living in the RV, while Dad works on some business stuff for the next 6 weeks. Then we plan to head out again and hit the Northern states.
In the mean time we are celebrating Easter with the family and heading to the beach to camp out until it's time to head out on the open road again.
Which I can't wait. We will finally be traveling in beautiful weather!
I'm not gonna lie, this past week has been a challenge. Living in this RV on the road is fine. I love the road life and the adventure it brings. But to be honest, I'm missing "home" and this RV is not what I call "home." I'm missing my own bed, a long hot shower, roses in my garden, a big kitchen table, and most of all space.
I'm not ready to be tied down with a mortgage yet though. We still have more traveling we want to do. I just have to remind myself that we are blessed to be able to do this. Making all these memories with our children. This is only for a season. A house can wait! This season will be over before we know it and I will have my house before I know it then I will miss traveling.....

I won't sign them up for school or daycare and get a full time job if I don't have to....Because this is a season too.
They will all be grown before I know it.
There's going to come a day where I'm gonna miss my kids driving me NUTS!
Being a stay at home mom is HARD, Homeschooling is HARD but I know I can do this with God's help! I know I was called to do this.
They grow up way to fast and I want to enjoy them. I want to raise them up in the ways of the Lord. We only have one chance to raise them. So, I am going to make the most of it and I'm gonna give it all I got!

Now, will you please pray for the sake of my kids health, my sanity and my wallet that this will be the last ER visit!!!

A verse that has helped me this week....

Let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.
Galatians 6:9

Do you ever have times where you feel like giving up? Do you ever feel like finding the nearest bus stop and shipping your kids off to school? Do you ever feel like you can't keep up with everything? (like your kids finger nails or haircuts?)
(I will be cutting his mullet before Easter)



What verses do you look to for help. Please share!

Please!

I'll get them back tomorrow for this week though hehe! Remember last year!

Goodbye Red Glasses

I'm not happy to say that a fight broke out in the backseat of the car last night. Landen kicked Faith right between the eyes and broke her eyeglasses in half. You would of thought she broke her nose for the way she was crying. She wasn't crying because she was hurt, she was crying because her red glasses broke. Oh, no not the red glasses! Faith LOVES her red prescription glasses.
I personally am sick of the red glasses. They were cute at first but she has had them way too long. I tried to talk Faith into getting another color. Nope, she still wanted red ones. Faith refused to throw them away and wanted to wear them like this.




She does wears contacts, so we have those but we don't have a spare set of glasses for her. She asked if we could tape them. I told her no way she might as well write dork across her forehead too.
Daddy came to the rescue and super glued them together for her (just to wear around the house)
We ordered her new glasses online but until then, the super glue ones will have to do. Being that the glasses online are up to 70% off we will buy her a couple pairs. This way we won't have to deal with tape or superglue. Goodbye red glasses, hello new colorful collection.

New Mexico

If you have emailed me or sent me a message on FB, I will get back to you! My inbox is the fullest it's ever been! I love getting emails and hearing from you. It just might take me a few days to get back to you. I only have so much "free time" where I don't have a monkey hanging on me...I'm sure some of you can relate:)

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I've got Landen in the shower but not for a shower(it's a great place for timeout in this RV) and doubles as a great closet to put our vacuum and other things... Farrah and Finley are napping and the older ones are working on their Haiku poems.

Yesterday, I drove the two older kids to Pick Up Sticks a Chinese restaurant. I dropped them off in front while I waited in the car with the younger 3. They went in and ask if they could have chopsticks to glue to their Haiku poems. I love that they are so independent and not afraid of talking to older people. They ended up talking to the manager and telling them they were homeschooled and this is for a school project. That's a learning lesson in itself.

They are all busy working on those and while I have a little "free time" I thought I would share some pictures about our stop in New Mexico about two weeks ago.

Yummy Mexican food, in old town Albuquerque, NM.
They brought us all the Sopaipillas ( a puffed-up fried bread served with honey) we wanted. I'm still trying to run off the extra weight I've gained from that day!

Ah, New Mexico, how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways: The sunshine; the dry, light air; the cultural diversity; and, oh yes,

THE CHILE!

On the map Austin found The Wildlife West right off highway 40. By the time we got there they were closed, but the owner was there and let us walk around for about an hour. He saw how interested Austin was in the animals he couldn't turn him away. It started snowing so the little ones and I went back to the RV to get warm.

The zoo has many opportunities for students to learn. It's the only zoo in the United States that is built by teenagers. They also use recycled material.





The next day we headed to the Petroglyph National Monument.

We saw a lot of wildlife and hiked the trails learning about the people that traveled the Rio Grande valley long ago.


The kids wrote about what they thought each Petroglyph meant and then answered some other questions the Ranger had for them. After they completed their Ranger packet and compared AIG's brochures with the their evolution literature they got yet another patch to add to their road jackets!

I, Austin, Faith and Landen do not believe that the West Mesa, was created a million years ago when lava flowed from a large crack in the Earth's crust.......

I highly recommend these brochures if you take your family to famous national parks or geological features. Or even if you don't, you and your family can learn a lot from them! Being on this trip has showed me how much evolution is pushed on us so much everywhere we go. It's pushed on us like it's a fact and it's not a fact it is simply a theory! I'm tired of all of the evolutionary/millions-of-years explanations we get from the official tour guides. I want to be able to know the truth and have my kids know and debate the truth! It might cost them a badge but they will get an extra jewel in their crown right? ha! These have helped us so much on our trip. They clearly show that real science confirms the biblical account of creation and a global Flood. It goes to show the Bible can be trusted, even when it comes to geology!



We went rock climbing and saw Arizona from New Mexico.....




no ER visits were included in the making of these photos :)

Call Me Crazy!

originally posted on Feb 4, 2009.
And yes, I still do feel this way, even living in an RV. So I guess I'm even crazier than I was last year:)



--------------------------------------------------
I've gone back and forth on posting this in fear of what you all will think. I know most of you already know I'm crazy, but this will for sure put me at the top of the crazy list!
I was first introduced to the quiverful movement 3 1/2 years ago. Never thought too much of it. I had 3 kids and knew we maybe wanted more. Now that I have 5 my thoughts have changed. My husband recently had a vasectomy appointment. Actually two but we missed both. On purpose. We just both didn't feel at peace with the decision to follow through with it. (I know most of you are like OH MY GOSH, she is crazy)
After Farrah#4 was born I prayed that God would take away my desire to want more children away. Deep inside I knew I wanted more children. I was just too embarrassed to admit to it. Everyone would make comments about the size of our family etc. I always felt like someone was missing. I mean at some point I have to feel complete right? There has to be a last baby sometime. (I know, I know) My husband and I prayed about what to do and soon became pregnant with #5 when Farrah was just 5 months old. We were so excited! Everyone thought for sure it wasn't planned but she was:) See, I told you I'm(were) crazy! Everyone would ask, "Are you guys done?" or just assume we were. I mean 5 kids in today's world is just plain crazzzy. I soon learned that not everyone approved of our family size. In fact my most critical comments came from my Christian friends and family. Because of these comments It caused me to think that there was something wrong with me. Why do I want so many kids? Have I really lost my mind? Am I having too many? "The world says children are a burden." God says, "Children are the greatest blessing he can give a couple." Yet, we look up and pray for no more blessings? I again prayed God would take away any desires to want more children. When Finley was born on the operating table the doctor told me it would be too dangerous for me to have more children. Was this God telling me I'm done?
All through my pregnancy my doctor would make rude comments to me about having 5 children and how that is just too many etc. etc. Her exact words to me after sewing my c-section up were: 5's the lucky number your final score put it on your car. I don't care what you do cause that's all your having. Your baby making days are over and then walked out... I just started crying. She said it in such a mean nonchalant way. She looked at me like you have 5 kids already lady why are you crying. I asked her the next day why it was too dangerous for me to have any more. She said I had too much scar tissue from having back to back c-sections. Then looked at my husband and said, "If you want to raise 6 kids alone go ahead and try again." I never did go back for my 6 week check up! I have 2 appointments with other (nice) doctors just to talk with and get second and third opinions before doing anything final.
I still long for more children but am afraid to admit it. (Oh, no did I just say that?) Call me crazy but I believe my desire comes from God. Why else would I be so crazy???
God is to be in control of EVERY area of our lives. Yet it seems when you talk to Christians, it's every area but fertility. For that, we are suppose to use our heads, be responsible, yaddy yah. Yet in everything else, we are to give over to the Lord. Why you suppose that is? I'm sorry but I struggle with this. (AM I ALONE) In my opinion I just don't think it's up to us to determine the size of our family.
I know God calls us to be stewards of our lives. There are good reasons to limit the amount of money, ministries, and even children we have. Every couple must work with God on the answers to these questions within their own family. The problem comes in when we decide, selfishly to limit the number of children we have based on our worldly desires and fail to allow God into the conversation.
"Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man;so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Psalms 127:3-5

I guess I take these scriptures literally.

Gen. 1:28 I have found so many scriptures that speak about children. I just think Christianity is being way watered down. Generations are being more tolerant and becoming more accepting of the ways of the world.

God is the creator, the one who writes my days, and the giver of life. Satan hates life. Satan is the thief Jesus spoke of, "Who comes only to steal and destroy." His intent is the total opposite of Gods plan. Jesus said, "I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full." As a destroyer of life I think Satan is definitely not into encouraging childbearing. I believe anything that would discourage a women from fulfilling her God given calling furthers Satan's plan.

So what is behind this movement? It can't be Satan. Why on earth would Satan be trying to populate the world with more Christians? So is it God? It would make sense that God is calling people to surrender their whole lives to Him. Is it a calling? Turning our hearts back to what He calls a blessing? I've heard people speculate on what would happen if more Christian families became QF. Just imagine how fast Christianity would be the dominate religion if every Christian family was QF and all their children were QF for generations on while the rest of the world continues to decline in fertility having just 1.4 children per couple. Wouldn't take that many generations eh?

I know this is foolishness for some. Some would say it's also foolish to abstain from premarital sex. We think scripture teaches different. I am learning to not be ashamed to appear foolish in the eyes of the world. I'm crazy!!! But as a good friend of mine told me once that's ok Bridget your crazy for Jesus. LOL
~For wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.


IDK...sometimes I feel like it would be so easy to just follow everyone, heck even some pastors I talked to say sterilization is OK. But is it? I don't know. I'm just praying for God's will.

Whew!!!! So now that my own mother has fallen out of her chair and in fear for my life...I think I hear the phone ringing haha! I'm sure it's my mom, my grandma or my mother in law trying to talk some sense into me. I'm not gonna awnser the phone:)

There you have it. Hopefully some questions have been answered for some of you. We value your support and understand that you may feel differently about this. Please, please know that I don't think badly of anyone who uses birth control or sees differently on this than we do. As it is a personal decision between you, your husband, and God and God doesn't want the same thing for all of us.

Am I alone on thinking like this? Thoughts? Should I just move to Arkansas, maybe perm my hair ????


After telling my sister I was pregnant with #5 the next morning I found this picture in my inbox. LOL!!!! Thank you Brianna for loving me even though you think I'm crazy too:)

Blab....

Before I forget...
Congrats to The Chatty Mommy!

You won the NYDS Giveaway! Please email me your address so we can get the tote full of goodies out to you!

Ok, what was I going to blog about??? Oh, yes....

I am reading a book called, "Walking With God" by John Eldredge.

It is really helping me in my walk with God.

I've struggled with some things in my walk. I seem to compare my walk with other people. Not Good! If I would hear someone say, God told me to do this or that. I often would wonder why God never speaks to me like that? Are they lying and just want to look cool or am I just not as holy as they are?......

I'm learning that we are all at different places in our walk with God.

Just a couple years ago, I look back at things I did and didn't even feel a bit convicted about doing. Now I'm like oh my gosh, I can't believe I did that or said that. It's because I've grown in my walk.

And thank God I'm growing....ha! I still got a lot of growing and learning to do!

I got an email a couple days ago from a young girl who just became a Christian that asked, "How do you know God's will for your life?" She said she prays and asks God for guidance but doesn't hear anything....

Yikes...why me?

It sure challenged me to have to write back to her...but reading this book helped me as well.( I'm only half way through)....

The Bible is our rule book of faith and practice.

If we know and understand the scriptures, we will be well on our way to having His guidance and will for our life.

We need to first examine our life. God never guides His people contrary to the clear principles of His written Word.
We need to know what pleases Him and what displeases Him.

There is no substitute for walking with God, sharing with Him, and talking to Him daily (see Isaiah 58:11). When you do that, you will experience His direction and His correction. You will come to know what His desire is for your life (see Psalms 25:9, 32:8, Proverbs 11:3). This relationship develops over time, not instantaneously.

Spiritual maturity forms a basis for guidance.

Another key to know God's will for our life is found in the book of Proverbs, : "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5).

This means that you are not only to know God, but to trust Him implicitly. Every aspect of your life is to reflect His sovereignty over you. "In all your ways acknowledge Him" means in your work, in your family, in your personal life, in your thought life, in your recreation, in everything you do, you acknowledge that God is in control of you. Then, lean not on your own understanding. If you think you know all the answers, if you have everything all figured out, then you are leaning on your own understanding. If you trust God, acknowledge Him in the way that you live, and do not lean on your overconfidence or past experience.

Let Him guide you.

There are many other ways that God can guide you. If your heart and life are centered on God and His Word you can rest assured that He will direct your path.

But why can't I just ask God,"what's your will for my life?"

The ultimate is not merely to get direction from God, the ultimate is to know God. By spending time with God. Sometimes it's difficult for us to get into His presence, because maybe He wants to see if we truly will expend the spiritual energy and exercise necessary to do so. Will we stop certain sins? Will we get rid of things that hinder us? Will we truly seek Him with all of our hearts? Will we stop and just be still? Or are we too busy?

Some people only want a quick fix. "God, tell me how to make money on this business deal, please. See you next time!" Or God, "heal my Dad." And then that is the end of it. But God wants us, all of us! He wants to change us, not merely give us quick answers to difficult problems. We will never be changed unless we come into His presence, spend time with Him, and allow Him to purify us from our sinful nature.

He's working on me...I'm trying to be still and hear Him too:)

But before I go, I thought I'd share some pictures from our 1st day back in California....

9 of the 10 grand kids came to Grandma's to play....Don't I have the cutest nephews?!!!

Dog pile!!!!

So many little ones running around!


The Greats with 9 of their 10 great grand kids and one on the way!



We all had a blast!

Thanks for listening to me blab......

Palm Springs.....

We went from snow to weather in the 90's in one week.

We couldn't of asked for better weather in Palm Springs!

We stayed at our time share and enjoyed the pool.

The kids must of gone on that slide a million times!

They even entered in a "who has the biggest splash" contest.

They didn't win but they had fun trying.

We packed away all our winter clothes and brought out our spring and summer clothes. It feels good to be wearing tank tops and flip flops again:)

We hung out in Rancho Mirage at the River walk one night.

Great Grandma and Grandpa couldn't wait to see us, so they drove out and stayed with us. It's been 4 months since the kids have seen them. They are very close so this was a longggggggg time for them to be away. Faith made them shell necklaces from our trip at Bay St. Louis and Landen couldn't wait to show Nana he could read!

We stayed a couple nights at an RV park in Desert Springs and enjoyed soaking in the mineral tubs. We met some Canadian friends that are full timers. Now, I want to road trip it around Canada after hearing about all the beautiful places there ey!

Finley's eye is healing nice but we are trying to keep it out of the sun so it doesn't scar. She also sported the "palm" springs pony tail:)

This girl loveeeeeeeees bananas!

Can you tell?

Downtown Palm Springs......

The kids wanted to take a picture with Sonny Bono even though they had no idea who he was.

The kids just kept giving Nana and Papa hugs the whole time. They missed them so much!

We enjoyed a nice dinner out on the town!

Everyone had a partner...

We didn't do any school while we were there. We called our own Spring Break. It sure was a nice break!

The kids were a little disappointed that I didn't make green pancakes and the toilet didn't turn green when they flushed etc.... like the previous St. Patrick days we've celebrated but I did have a green marker that saved the day!!!

and Grandma brought St. Patricks Cupcakes...

and they all got to sport shamrock tattoos at the pool...

whew!!...thank God for the cupcakes Grandma brought and the green marker....

I am still a cool mom in their eyes:)

Austin, Faith and I took lessons to learn to play pickleball. A tournament was going on so one of the players offered to give us a free lesson. We played a lot of pickleball . It's such a fun game, kind of like tennis. We all enjoyed learning a new game. I think we might of picked up on a new sport!


Maybe we will have a future tennis or pickleball star in the family:)

We are enjoying this California weather and love being back to see our family and friends!

Stay tuned as I try to catch up on the rest of our road trip.....