Happy Belated Mother's Day!!!!

Bausher Retreat

I can't say it enough, I feel so blessed to have married into a family like I did. When I was little girl I often dreamed of a large family with lots of kids to have fun with. The fact that I was lucky enough to marry into the family I did has been a bonus. Every year we go to a retreat with the Bausher's. Jason remembers going with his family and his cousins when he was younger to the Pocono's area and he has always remembered this fondly. He was speaking with his Aunt Cindy 4 years ago and told her how much he wants that same thing for our kids. His Aunt Cindy found a place for us to all meet one weekend, and so the Walter and Marie Bausher annual retreat began. The last four years a lot has happened in all of our lives. Some births, and some deaths, but we are all the stronger for it. Here are some pictures of our time together on this retreat. Enjoy!

To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool.....

Oh boy, where do I begin. I have always had it on my heart that when I had children I wanted to homeschool them. Jason and I were unable to survive on one income, so I knew I would have to work. I never thought that I would be in the place or have a job that would allow me to do so. Almost 5 years ago, God opened up this opportunity for me to work as a teacher with Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School. (www.pavcs.org) Now I feel like I have the opportunity to do what I have always wanted, but I am scared to make the final commitment. This past year I tried it for 1 1/2 months, but Evan and I seem to have such similar personalities, that I wasn't prepared for it, and I am a "preparer"! So we placed him back in school. He still asks me almost daily if he can be homeschooled. So it seems that my pros list is about two pages, where my cons to do it are maybe three things. One, I am concerned about how much time I spend with him will actually affect our relationship in a negative way. Two, can I really do my job to the best of my ability, while also schooling him which is of the highest priorities in my book. I know that many who read this will not understand why I would ever dream of doing such a thing. I don't have an answer for you, I just feel it in my heart. Is it God leading me to this???? Some days it feels so strong, and then other days I am pulled in the other direction. A family member shared that sometimes we need to just "WAIT". The problem is I don't know what I am waiting for. Do I think a magical answer will just appear? I don't know. What I do know is that I love my children, and I want the best for them. If that means that I need to protect them from the "world" a little while longer, so be it. Am I naive enough to believe that they won't come up against trials and tribulation? Of course not. But I do feel I can better prepare them for how to deal with it when they are being raised by our family everyday, and not their peers for 7 hours a day. So this is my daily dilemma. I know everyone has opinion on this subject, so I would love for you to leave a comment for me, even if it is just to tell me you'll be praying. Blessings!!!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

This past Monday we went with the couples from our small group to the Reading Phillies game. We had a blast! I just have to say how blessed Jason and I are to have such wonderful friends in our life. This was a social gathering for us, but I feel that through these gatherings and our studies on God's word, Jason and I have grown in all aspects of our faith. We are closer to each other, our family, and our friends because of these Monday night meetings. I have posted a few of the pictures that I took from Monday night's game. The Phillies won! Our boys also get so excited when we say we are getting together with the group. So I just wanted to thank you all for being so important to Jason and myself, and to tell you what an impact you all have on our lives. God Bless!!!!