The Forever Neighbor: April 2011

25 April 2011

Military Monday Blog Hop

welcome, welcome, welcome! you have stumbled upon (or purposely found) the Military Monday Blog Hop! while your gracious hosts are military wives and blogging connoisseurs, we invite all of you, military or not, to join in this great new blog hop to get your week started and your blog following grown! feel free to link up as many blogs as you have - but please don't leave links to your facebook, twitter or other blog hops (those links will be deleted!). you can also share this blog hop on your own blog, if you please.... we totally encourage it!

the guidelines are quite simple here!

grab the Military Monday Blog Hop button and post it as a new blog post or somewhere on your blog so we can be sure you are at the right hop!

follow all three hosts {just click the buttons below!} & leave a comment that you are following us! - we promise to follow back, just give us a few days to catch up with everyone!

follow as many, or as few, of the linked blogs as you like - but remember, the more you follow, the more followers you will get in return! be sure to leave a comment that you stopped by from the Military Monday Blog Hop and leave your blog address!!

thanks for joining us, and we hope you make some great new blog friends today! now, let's get hoppin'!

11 April 2011

Blessings Pouring Down

This past week could have been a little more difficult to find the blessings because the hubby is gone and the kids had strep throat. However, no matter the struggles that we were sent, there were still many blessings to be found.

121. Skype

122. Watching my children talk to their daddy with Skype

123. My heart beat faster when my phone is ringing and it is a Skype call from the hubby

124. The ability to see my hubby while he is away

125. Technology

126. God's armor over my hubby

127. My church family who have embraced us and prayed for us during this time

128. Facebook because I would not know what is happening with family and friends

129. Receiving a "thinking of you" card from my cousin; my sister in Christ!

130. A nice washed truck. It only lasts until I pull out of car wash, but a blessing it is for those two seconds

131. Break-up season in Alaska. Spring is on its way!

132. My "date night with Dave" (Dave Ramsey). Last Friday was my first night attending Financial Peace University (FPU) and how eye-opening it was

133. My two blessings healing from strep throat

134. An hour long conversation with my sister

135. Having food in the house and money in the account, just in case there was a government shutdown

136. My last week of my two classes

137. Coffee talks with my fellow military spouses

138. Ladies night at church. We could not attend last week because of illness and I realized how much I love those ladies!

139. My Saturday night Bible group. They truly ROCK!

140. Next day chili

This post is linked with Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience.

Military Monday Blog Hop

grab the Military Monday Blog Hop button and post it as a new blog post or somewhere on your blog so we can be sure you are at the right hop!

follow all three hosts {just click the buttons below!} & leave a comment that you are following us! - we promise to follow back, just give us a few days to catch up with everyone!

thanks for joining us, and we hope you make some great new blog friends today! now, let's get hoppin'!

06 April 2011

Because He Loves Me

One of the hardest things I have had to do as a military spouse was to watch my husband walk out the door, knowing he will not be back for a year. I know he can be in harms way, and there are days where we cannot talk to each other to have that reassurance that all is well. Moments of sadness and "what ifs" can enter your mind, and you have to quickly push those away, otherwise it can consume you. You have to put your faith in God.

Days can be a struggle when I cannot hear my husband's voice or there is no email in my inbox. One begins to worry. I am not going to lie, it is tough, very tough. However, what helps me get through the day and my sad times is Psalm 91:14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name."

Ahhh what peace washes over me when I read and re-read this scripture throughout the day (and sometimes during the night). He is our protector in any situation that we are in. He wraps His arms around us, protecting us, loving us. This scripture can help in any situation that arises in our life. We just need to put our trust and faith in Him.

Because He loves us.

This post is also linked up with iFellowship.

05 April 2011

Our Protector

I know it is to be wordless, but I have to share. The blessings and I went for a walk by the pipeline this weekend, and my son insisted on bringing his toy gun so he can protect his sister and I. He made sure to walk in front of us and told us if we heard a branch or twig break to run to the car because it could be a moose or bear. He then said that he would take care of the animal and that we would be safe.

Chivalry I tell ya!

For more Wordless Wednesday jump on over to 5 Minutes for Mom.

04 April 2011

Sammy the Turtle

I remember before I had children that my house would never turn into a zoo, literally. I did not want pets. I would make sure that we would never have pets. I thought that pets would make your house smell, some animals shed, and some animals are just yucky. (I am not going to remind you that we have a dog, a cat, and a fish).

On that note, I would like to introduce you to our new classroom pet *sigh*

Sammy

I do not know what I was thinking when I ~~suggested~~ agreed to getting a turtle, probably because he was free and came with all of his items needed to survive. However, we have had Sammy for a week now, and the kids are learning so much about him and his habitat. See I knew there would be a homeschool lesson in this!

I Am Not, I Will Not

I know I have not kept up with my one thousand gifts, but know that I look each and everyday for a blessing sent from above. Sometimes it may be hard to find that one blessing while you are fighting the storm, but the blessings are there, trust me. Before I began to write this post, I swore I heard my husband let out a cough. I get up to check and it then dawned on me. It was not my husband. I will not be hearing his cough, his laughter, and his encouraging word, here in our home for awhile. There will be no more morning kisses before he leaves for work or his phone call letting me know that he will be late, again. I could be so bitter and upset. I could be mad at the world. I could be mad at Him.

But I am not.

I will not.

I have blessings surrounding me.

91. A whole month spent with my husband and children.

92. My husband on leave for a month.

93. Surprising my children when daddy arrived home from training...early.

94. My husband's boots by the front door.

95. My son wanting to be like his dad.

96. A daughter who looks at her daddy like he is Prince Charming.

97. A week long getaway; just the four of us.

98. The quiet time with my husband.

99. Hearing him say "I love you"

100. Our phone calls.

101. Our love letters.

102. The protection God has over him.

103. Friends who are there to support me.

104. Friends who text, call, or email just to say they are praying for us.

105. Watching the first two seasons of Criminal Minds with my husband.

106. Having my husband hold me while watching Criminal Minds.

107. Having my husband as my protector.

108. My son who wants to be my protector, while his daddy is away.

109. Walks with my two blessings.

110. Playing a card game with my beautiful daughter.

111. Playing a board game with my handsome son.

112. Hugs I receive from my blessings.

113. The warm weather embracing Alaska.

114. Coffee.

115. My fellow military spouses.

116. My youngest brother becoming a Marine.

117. The unexpected book I received in the mail from my cousin.

118. Hearing my daughter say how much she wants to be like me.

119. Watching my son perform to a song about being in God's Army.

120. The smell of my husband's favorite sweatshirt that he left for me.

This post is linked with Ann Voskamp over at A Holy Experience.

Military Monday Blog Hop

grab the Military Monday Blog Hop button and post it as a new blog post or somewhere on your blog so we can be sure you are at the right hop!

follow all three hosts {just click the buttons below!} & leave a comment that you are following us! - we promise to follow back, just give us a few days to catch up with everyone!

thanks for joining us, and we hope you make some great new blog friends today! now, let's get hoppin'!

03 April 2011

Homeschool Bins

Last year I posted some pictures of our homeschool room and you can click here to check those out. Well, I had to change a couple of things around because I felt overwhelmed with the lack of shelving. So the hubs and I went to the local Fred Meyer's and picked up a bookshelf that had some cubbyholes. I also purchased some collapsible bins to use for storage. Well, when we got home and put the shelves together I decided that I NEEDED one more shelf. So off to the store we went!

Instead of this shelf:

We have these:

I am just loving how everything is set-up and organized. I was able to put their everyday school books into one bin, which they are able to grab, bring it to the table, and still have all of their books organized. Of course little man loves carrying it one handed because he is so strong like his daddy that he only needs to use one hand. You have to love little boys!

02 April 2011

UBP'11

Hello UBP guests!

Welcome to The Forever Neighbor!

I know there are many blogs to visit so I will make this short and sweet.

I am a Christian, homeschooling momma to two blessings, and a military spouse to one. I blog about military life, homeschooling, and my faith in Jesus Christ.

Please leave a comment so I can come by and party at your blog!