Diary of a Woman Learning

Did you ever offer to do something because you REALLY wanted to bless someone and you just blew it? I did that today and I feel miserable! I'm not going into details but I will say that I didn't do it on purpose...I have felt like I'm in a haze and I TOTALLY dropped the ball on something that could have been a great blessing for someone else. I literally feel sick! I have prayed already, but will you please do me a great favor? Could you please pray for my stress level over this ridiculous situation. I have a terrible tendency to not be able to forgive MYSELF even though I know that God certainly doesn't hang anything over my head. And I am DEFINITELY going to make this up to the intended recipient...I can't NOT... Thank you to my new "bloggies" (I just made up a new term, I think :o)- I certainly hope that I can be as great an encourager to YOU as you have already been to ME!

Today has been a pretty good day so far. Kiddo had a lot of work to do but since my FIL is out of town and they were SUPPOSED to be on vacation, MIL is off of work. We went to lunch and a movie together. I am still trying to do my version of the South Beach Diet thing, so we went to a buffet so I could have salad, veggies and meat and keep the carbs to a minimum. Then we went to a very inexpensive local movie theatre and saw Kung Fu Panda - what a cute show. We all really enjoyed it more than we thought we would - I think Hubby would like to see it sometime. Maybe we'll rent it and have a movie night, Kiddo laughed out loud several times even though he said he didn't really want to see it after all. Not sure why he changed his mind but MIL said, "Okay, but Mommy and I are going to watch it so you can sit with us." Usually she isn't that direct and would have let him choose a different show or we would have gone elsewhere to do something else...I was impressed! He ...

I want to learn to support and uplift my family in all that they do even when I don't feel like it! That is me today. We went to the funeral for my grandfather today and it was nice. His best friend even rode his Harley to the cemetery before the funeral. His pastor from the "Motorcycle Ministry" (or as we call it, the Biker's Church) officiated and several of his biker friends followed the hearse to the cemetery service. There was a fly-over (as my grandfather was retired from the Air Force) and when they tried to play "Taps" over the speakers, it didn't work...okay Grandpa, it WAS funny! :o) He was a trickster and considering the solemnity of the situation it is exactly like something he would have enjoyed to lighten it up a bit! My grandfather was a wonderful, strong man that loved to make people laugh by making up great stories...the first time I got "in trouble" with him was because I didn't believe one of his tall tales - he told my ...

It has been a rough and very long couple of weeks, but things are beginning to calm down. My grandfather passed away quite peacefully on Saturday afternoon - before a long battle with colon cancer. We are so very thankful that he left on his own terms and not the cancer's. God has provided continually throughout the situation and I know He will not back out now - God is so good. Just three weeks ago my 79-year-old grandfather was riding around town on his Harley - now I'm sure he's tooling around Heaven with my grandmother on the back! Though he will be missed, there is no doubt that he is in a better place and is much better off. I have been so busy that my housework has greatly suffered - understandably though it may be, it has to get better today. I am working in my kitchen today while Kiddo does his work. I'll have to stop to grade his papers, but we'll get it all done. Since I don't have much that I can eat here in the house I have toyed with the idea to ta...

It has been crazy lately. My grandfather is in the hospital, and I feel guilty for not being there more, but truth be told he is in a lot of pain and he doesn't like company when he feels bad. Meanwhile, my mom is dealing with the family stress - and believe me, there is plenty of that to go around. I am a phone call away and she knows I will be there in minutes if she needs me... This is no excuse, though. I am falling short - I cannot seem to get motivated! I missed my daily walk yesterday because it rained all day and it is still gloomy today. I haven't decided yet if I am going to walk or not...I won't melt if it starts to rain, but the humidity makes the air so thick! Yuck! I'll go to church tonight and get pumped up again...besides, Kiddo is still doing his work and has a ways to go before he's finished - we probably won't have time to walk before dinner which will be super-early since we have to be at church before 6. It'll be too late to eat after ch...

I know I posted this in March and I honestly didn't think anyone would read it! Then things got crazy and I just forgot! I know - it's awful! Today I am ready to give it another go and I plan to post at least weekly starting out...if I have more to post, then I'll do more. Well, I am afraid I have not done a very good job at homemaking lately! I have been rather lazy and discouraged and just down. It isn't good for me or for my family so that will end today! I have been working really hard the last two weeks on improving my health. I have incorporated exercise into my daily living and we are walking our dog every day - he behaves better when we do this too. Then of course it doesn't hurt that I lose weight! By watching my diet and walking I have lost over 7 pounds in just one week! In addition to homemaking, I have another important job. As a homeschooling mother, I am challenged to teach my child - but I want him to learn on his own, too. Sometimes it isn't al...

My heart's desire is to be a great homemaker. A maker of a home...not a home builder , that's different. Let's see what Webster says a homemaker is, shall we? Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary says that a homemaker is "one who manages a household especially as a wife and mother." Well that's pretty generic. That isn't exactly ALL that I want to be. I want to be respected by my friends and family because they know without a doubt that my family comes first. I want to be seen by strangers as having something that they want...peace. I want a clean and welcoming home where anyone feels they can drop by for no reason and I am not ashamed to show them the hospitality I desire to learn. I want my husband and my son to know that when they are here, it is a haven for peace and rest, but also when they go out into the rest of the world, I want them to feel prepared for anything that may come their way because I have supported and encouraged them fully. "O...