Thanks so much for looking. Be sure to leave a comment, if you think it would encourage my heart.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Bring on the Flip-flops, Lazy Days, and Fun Nights!




Yeehaw--school's out and summer's in! Kylee has turned in her last assignment and already spent a whole day doing nothin'. And it is quite ironic that today she has a friend here and they are playing "school"--what in the world? Mike has one last assignment and about a day and half left to do it. I am ready to close out the year on our Homeschool Tracker and take a break before beginning to add new assignments for next school year. Summer is knocking and I am ready to swing open the door and welcome it.  


We had our last co-op class on Tuesday. It was a whirlwind of a day with all of that, a dance recital for a friend, and a kindergarten graduation that night. I cried through the whole day. My kids (and my friend) have banned me from future recitals and graduations. Completely RUDE, if you ask me. It was just so sweet. Not to mention, it was another reminder of how quickly time passes and how fast they grow. I just don't have much time left with these two wonderful creations of God that live under my roof today. Seems like just yesterday they should have been ones on the stage dancing and graduating from kindergarten. There are so many things that I would do differently. BUT, I can't dwell on that cause I am bawling as I type, and I don't want to get banned from blogging. Anyway, God knows best, and He knows that the things I would change are things He planned for our good. He has used those things to teach me that I need Him. I am only hopeless without Him.






I've been makin' a list and checkin' it twice. A Summer Bucket List, that is. Here is what it looks like in its beginning stages:
*outside shutters stained
*touch-up paint walls in house
*paint the hallway
*paint the doors in the house
*get the kids doing their own laundry weekly
*trip to lubbock
*trip to rusk
*cousin time at the harper's
*swimming lessons (if mike needs help)
*driver's ed done
*buy groceries
*stock-up on some things using coupons
*journal
*blog
*visit bahama bucks
*double date with bradley and sheree
*some pinterest (of course)
*relax with friends
*work on being a good wife

What about you? What's on your Summer Bucket List? I'd love to hear what you have planned.

Before you go, I thought I'd share our summer subway art with you. Feel free to print one for your own home, if you'd like to. I just love it.




findJoyintheJourney
-kym^

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Change is Inevitable--Except From a Vending Machine

Well, Christmas time has come and gone. It doesn't seem right that a whole month has been lived since that day. But it is right. It has been lived. I hope that you enjoyed every minute of it. If not, begin today and do your best to enjoy the next month and what it brings. In the words of my friend, Jesus' half-brother, James, "Count it all joy..." Much harder to do than say.

The recurring theme of my month has been CHANGE. If you know me, you know I like change. At least, I thought I did. I do love to change my house and my planner and my hair and my organizational ways and -- well, I guess that is about it. Change has bombarded me lately, and quite frankly, I am trying to throw a fit about it. The first and major change in our lives is that we now have a dog. His name is Bauer and he has caused much change in the Harper home. The main one being how much peace the momma person gets. My family seems to think that he is (and I quote) "the cutest dog ever." I don't share their sentiment for the black ball of fur with lungs that don't quit. Lots of my friends think he is adorable and sweet and wonderful too. Some even fool themselves into thinking that he doesn't do things that he does do and they let him lick their face and their mouth. SO GROSS!

Meet Bauer--the cutest dog ever...NOT!

My kids are changing too. They are each growing into the young adults that God is making them into. I am really not sure I am ready for those changes. I am having to learn to adjust just as much as they are. It is so strange. It's funny, we have years to prepare, and yet it seems it just happens one night while you sleep. We are all learning how to shoot and handle guns and about gun safety. That is scary. Mike and I desire to get our CHL this year. Funny thing about that is that the boy, Mike, is the best shooter of the family. He can't get his, but when he can, he will be ready!

Learning the ropes. Do you see the shell exiting Mike's gun? So cool! My boy is shooting my gun just for grins.

Our church has moved its website. Which means we had to change our email addresses. I am at  kym@iamberean.com and Mike is at harper@iamberean.com. We hope you will make note of our new addresses and not forget to email us once-in-a-while. We do love hearing from you when we get the opportunity.

My internet browser crashed and my wireless printer isn't working. Mike had to uninstall my browser and reinstall it. Guess what that means. I lost all of my bookmarks to sites I have found and used for school, Sunday school, family fun, meals, and all sorts of stuff. Starting from scratch is hard. Still don't know what the deal is with my printer. That thing has almost been more trouble than it has been worth. I guess when it works, it's wonderful. But when it doesn't, it is really not convenient.

My favorite photo editing site, Picnik, is closing. I am so sad. I love that site. They say they have moved everything to Google+. But, I am skeptic. Why does technology seem to change with every new invention? What is Google+ anyway? Does anyone know? I only have until April 19th to find a new photo editing site. Any suggestions? I do get a full refund for the year, but that is not a real consolation in my mind.

Another change we are experiencing is in the weather. It is 77* and beautiful one day, 52* and windy the next, 72* and gorgeous the next, and 39*and raining the next. Strange, really. We do enjoy the opportunities to do whatever the weather calls for though. We enjoy a day at the park with friends. We enjoy a fire in the fireplace and watching the Rocky movies when that is appropriate. We enjoy an afternoon at Sonic with other friends. We do enjoy the rain, even if it does provide a lake that prohibits entrance through the front door. It sure makes for some good sleeping.

I did go to the grocery store the other morning to supply the kids with snacks for them and their friends. I was talking to the self check-out monitor and left my change there. It was about 5 days later when I entered the store again and she stopped me to ask me what happened the other day. I had no idea what she was talking about, but listened as she tried to recall why she needed to speak with me. She remembered. I had left my change there that morning. She had to search and it took a few hours, but she found my change and returned $17 to me. Wow! Change may not come from vending machines, but it does come from honest, self check-out monitors.

The other change is my Bible study. I am studying God's Word with James, Beth Moore, Max Lucado, and a few other friends. It has provided both joy and anguish. Tears of happiness and sorrow. I hope to close the book of James and be a changed person. There is that word again. I don't want to be the same as when I first met him. I want to count it all joy when the thumps of everyday life hit me. I want to be a doer and not just a hearer. I want to behold my genesis face in the mirror and walk away and remember who I am (in Christ-who I was intended to be).

I thought the other day that everything is changing. You either change with it or get left behind. That's what happens. You can choose not to change your clothing style and your hair style, but you will be walking in the year 2012 looking like you belong in the year 1992. Have a laugh or two picturing what that would look like.

This is what you would look like if you wore the clothes you wore in 1992.
What about if you still had glasses like this or hair like this? Ha!

Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like You. You are the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me. This is what I pray.

findJoyintheJourney
-kym^

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Reflections and Visions

I have been wanting to write something for so long now. I keep not doing it.This blog will be picture heavy. Hope that is okay with you.

We had a great Christmas and counted many blessings. We got to see most of our family and had a blast playing and hugging and talking and hugging and playing and playing some more. I took some pictures of my siblings and their families. I also took some pictures of the grands with Nana. I need to do that with the grands and MeeMee this year. Get ready! Here are a few of my favorite.

What cute boys we have!

Nearing the end of about 1,000 pictures. : )

I love these kids.

Sweet kisses from Kinley's girl cousins.

A. Dor. Able.

Beautiful girlies.

Fun.

How sweet.

How adorable are these kids?
 


Just plain fun.

Missing #'s 6, 8, & 11.

Proof that Kyler was in Texas, Lauren!

Just enjoying the day.

Love.
Kevin, Kelly, Keaton, Kara, Kyler, and Korbin Carson. Thank you for the opportunity to photograph your family. It was a pleasure and I love you all. You are beautiful.




Keaton

Kara
Kyler

Korbin

Korbin


My youngest brother and his family were kind enough to let me snap some photos of them. It was a pleasure. You are amazingly lovely and I had a blast spending time with you. 


Sweet Daddy kisses.


I love each and every one of you.


Kevin and Nathan took a couple of pictures of our family. Thanks, Guys



Here are my very favorite pictures of the kids just having a blast together on the slide at Legacy park in Lubbock. It is a great park, and the kids thoroughly enjoyed playing together while there.









My goal this year is to blog, at least monthly. Be sure to leave a comment if you are enjoying the blog and want to see more. It is so fun for me. Hope you enjoy it half as much as I do.



findJoyintheJourney
-kym^

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Counting Down the Days

We are enjoying counting down the days until Christmas Day. It means that after our morning services, Lord willing, we will be traveling to Lubbock and really excited about seeing family. Bob & Emma have been a big help in keeping our minds (especially the momma's) and days occupied. They have found plenty of mischief to keep themselves busy, that is for sure. They have even left a surprise or two for the youngest homestead occupants. 



We found them in the shower smelling lovely. They left us some gum on that day.


One day we found them reading all the Christmas books. They left us some money to be a blessing (in Jesus' name) to someone in our church family. We were. We were thankful for the opportunity.

One day, Bob & Emma made some Elf donuts and brought us some Human donuts that were delish!


And, we found them under the tree with ornaments for the Baby Girl and the Bub.
Both were quite fitting for the recipient.

We have been reading about Jesus each night, in an effort to get to know Him better. Did you know that Jesus:
1. was compassionate, Luke 8:41-56
2. was forgiving, Luke 7:36-50
3. had power to heal, John 4:46-53
4. was opposed to evil, John 2:13-17
5. had power over the elements, Mark 4:34-41
6. loved children, Mark 10:13-16

It has been great to discuss these things as a family and then journal about our day and our reading.
I "stumbled" across something this week that I can't help but share. I think I will not be the same. You may already know much about it. But God waited to show it to me until now. Just when I was ready. Just when I needed it. Ann Voskamp has a wonderful testimony and a wonderful dare. I took the dare. I have begun to log my one thousand gifts. It is wonderful. It is challenging. If you have ever wondered, "If the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop, the losses that puncture our world, our own emptiness, might actually become places to see.
To see through to God.
That that which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open place to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave.
Maybe so.
But how? How do we choose to allow the holes to become seeing-through-to-God places? To more-God places?
How do I give up resentment for gratitude? Gnawing anger for spilling joy? Self-focus for God communion? To fully live—to live full of grace and joy and all that is beauty eternal?"

If you dare, take the dare with me. It'll be worth it.

findJoyintheJourney
-kym^