I've been very busy with stuff here at home and blogging had definitely escaped my to do list....
So here is an attempt to update everyone...
First I QUIT QUIT QUIT my job at Dairy Queen!!!!!
Without going into too many details...the only reason I got the job at DQ was to teach me a lesson about working in the outside world (hadn't done it in 14 years) and for me to appreciate my "gift" as a childcare provider and the blessing of being able to do it in my home.
It really got tough for me. You see, with Mike gone, and taking care of everything around the house, schooling, buying a house, dealing with a sick parent, a troubled sister, etc....I was about to a breaking point. So, Mike agreed that I could quit. What a great great GREAT day that was!
*********************************************
The closing date on our new house is still May 4th pending appraisal. As long as the house appraises at the asking price, then we are all good to go!
We need electrical updates done on the house and the one estimate we got was for about $2300. Guess thats not too bad.
*********************************************
School has taken a round of change. I see Tony's learning style changing. He loves GARDENING! You should see his plants and see how much care he takes in them. I ordered an Amanda Bennet Unit Study on Gardening that I hope Angel and Tony can do thru the summer.
I may just plan things like this for the whole year next year if they like to this.
**********************************************
As soon as I get in the new house, (mid may) then I will start my childcare certification process.
I have to take a class on CPR and First Aid and get my house ready. I have to get a few references for the state to contact to see if I'm mentally lol...able to handle childcare.
Lots to do but I am sooo looking forward to doing it again. I really can't wait!
**********************************************
Kids are doing ok. Besides fighting off sickness that is.
Wednesday night I got the stomach flu worse than I ever had it. It was absolutely horrible.
Then the next day, Joey came down with a horrible cough and cold. It took a couple of days but I do feel better today.
**********************************************
Well, there is the update.
Be Blessed
Nikki
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
No words of wisdom, just an update on us.
As much as I wish I could write a few words of wisdom, as of today, April 20th, I find that I have ZERO! hahaha.
So, I will just update you on what is going on.
Mike left on Monday and arrived safely back at his home port in Virginia.
I've been dealing with the owner of the house we want to buy, and mortgage companies, and termite inspectors, and house inspectors....
I've been trying to get estimates on the electrical work we HAVE to have before we move in the house.
I end up catching a horrible cold AND still trying to find time for work and house and kids.
Let me tell you something. I've run out.
I'm running on Empty and I don't see a gas station for a million miles........................
Gas tank is dryer than a desert.
My house is in chaos and then I get a call from my dad and sister to tell me in less than 2 weeks, only 4 DAYS before I close on my house, they are coming to visit me. Understand that I can't say no cause I haven't seen my dad in about 5 years or more. But bad bad timing.
My dad is almost 70 and goes to bed around 7 every night. Where do I put my dad when a family of 6 is already living in a 2 bedroom house ????
I'm supposed to be packing up some of my stuff and organizing things to get ready for this move to our new house. NO TIME !!!!
Im also trying to lose the last bit of weight I wanted to lose before summer. Where do I find the time to walk and exercise?
Anyone have a solution to this? Any males out there who think they can FIX this for me?
Jump in guys....I'm all ears....
Add homeschooling to this mix? Right now, we are concentrating on math skills. The kids are enjoying their math workbooks and I feel good they are accomplishing a few pages of that per day ...
In all of this, I still have to find time for my son to learn a lesson about defacing church property.....
I feel like screaming but because I am hoarse from my cold, no one would hear me anyway!!!!!
Are you laughing AT me or WITH me yet?
Keep the Bible Bowlers in prayer. They have their competition tomorrow. Go WHEELING!!!!!
Now, I must bid you all goodnight. Its past midnight and I'm tired and need my sleep.
Goodnight
Nikki
Comments? email me
vilano6@comcast.net
So, I will just update you on what is going on.
Mike left on Monday and arrived safely back at his home port in Virginia.
I've been dealing with the owner of the house we want to buy, and mortgage companies, and termite inspectors, and house inspectors....
I've been trying to get estimates on the electrical work we HAVE to have before we move in the house.
I end up catching a horrible cold AND still trying to find time for work and house and kids.
Let me tell you something. I've run out.
I'm running on Empty and I don't see a gas station for a million miles........................
Gas tank is dryer than a desert.
My house is in chaos and then I get a call from my dad and sister to tell me in less than 2 weeks, only 4 DAYS before I close on my house, they are coming to visit me. Understand that I can't say no cause I haven't seen my dad in about 5 years or more. But bad bad timing.
My dad is almost 70 and goes to bed around 7 every night. Where do I put my dad when a family of 6 is already living in a 2 bedroom house ????
I'm supposed to be packing up some of my stuff and organizing things to get ready for this move to our new house. NO TIME !!!!
Im also trying to lose the last bit of weight I wanted to lose before summer. Where do I find the time to walk and exercise?
Anyone have a solution to this? Any males out there who think they can FIX this for me?
Jump in guys....I'm all ears....
Add homeschooling to this mix? Right now, we are concentrating on math skills. The kids are enjoying their math workbooks and I feel good they are accomplishing a few pages of that per day ...
In all of this, I still have to find time for my son to learn a lesson about defacing church property.....
I feel like screaming but because I am hoarse from my cold, no one would hear me anyway!!!!!
Are you laughing AT me or WITH me yet?
Keep the Bible Bowlers in prayer. They have their competition tomorrow. Go WHEELING!!!!!
Now, I must bid you all goodnight. Its past midnight and I'm tired and need my sleep.
Goodnight
Nikki
Comments? email me
vilano6@comcast.net
Monday, April 16, 2007
Really good article
I do not endorse the books the Rick Warren writes, but I found this article very good.(Highlighted words are my doing)
What's Really Important?About Rick Warren (REMEMBER .... HE WROTE-PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE)You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having "wealth" from the book sales.
This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren,"Purpose Driven Life " author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California.In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren
Rick said:People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond:In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity.
We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity.
This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountain top, back and forth.
I don't believe that anymore.Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a rail road track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,"which is my problem, my issues, my pain."
But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money,notoriety and influence.
He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions?Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness?Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say,God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD.
What's Really Important?About Rick Warren (REMEMBER .... HE WROTE-PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE)You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having "wealth" from the book sales.
This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren,"Purpose Driven Life " author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California.In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren
Rick said:People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond:In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity.
We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity.
This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountain top, back and forth.
I don't believe that anymore.Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a rail road track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,"which is my problem, my issues, my pain."
But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money,notoriety and influence.
He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions?Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness?Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say,God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD.
Sad Day
Well, Mike just left to head to Virginia Beach. FOR THE LAST TIME AWAY FROM US!!!!
He should return on June 1st. Seeing him drive off was incredibly hard because he wasn't here for very long. But at least the next time he gets home, it will be for good.
We had a nice time as a family as long as he was here.
I have to say something though...
Mike told me that coming home after being away from church for so long was incredible.
He was only able to attend 2 Sunday services but each one brought tears to his eyes. He said that everyone at our congregation was so loving, and welcoming that it was overwhelming. THe sermons were fantastic, the singing brought joy to his soul....THANK YOU NATIONAL ROAD FAMILY!!! You don't know how much that means to our family.
THose of you who haven't ever had to be away from church very long, do not know the hardship on one's spirit to be gone so long.
Please just pray for MIke's safety back to Virginia Beach. I told him to make sure to give a huge round of hugs to everyone from our old congregation at Bayside.
As I sit here, the kids are all still asleep, and Mike is gone and it bring much sadness to my heart.
************************************************************
We have a closing date on our house of May 4th but it might be sooner if we can get all of our paperwork done early enough. On Friday, we have our house inspection and termite inspection done on the house. Hopefully that will go smoothly and the inspector won't find things wrong with the house that would sway our decision to buy it.
************************************************************
Joey leaves on Friday for Bible Bowl. I wish I could join him but then Michael would be without a way to work , and after Mike leaving again, I just can't bear to leave the younger ones again. They aren't dealing very well with dad leaving after only being here a short time!!!
***********************************************************
Well, I will try to get back into blogging more frequently. I have got to learn to still do my normal tasks with Mike being home. Maybe once he is home for good..I can do that.
Be Blessed Everyone
Nikki
He should return on June 1st. Seeing him drive off was incredibly hard because he wasn't here for very long. But at least the next time he gets home, it will be for good.
We had a nice time as a family as long as he was here.
I have to say something though...
Mike told me that coming home after being away from church for so long was incredible.
He was only able to attend 2 Sunday services but each one brought tears to his eyes. He said that everyone at our congregation was so loving, and welcoming that it was overwhelming. THe sermons were fantastic, the singing brought joy to his soul....THANK YOU NATIONAL ROAD FAMILY!!! You don't know how much that means to our family.
THose of you who haven't ever had to be away from church very long, do not know the hardship on one's spirit to be gone so long.
Please just pray for MIke's safety back to Virginia Beach. I told him to make sure to give a huge round of hugs to everyone from our old congregation at Bayside.
As I sit here, the kids are all still asleep, and Mike is gone and it bring much sadness to my heart.
************************************************************
We have a closing date on our house of May 4th but it might be sooner if we can get all of our paperwork done early enough. On Friday, we have our house inspection and termite inspection done on the house. Hopefully that will go smoothly and the inspector won't find things wrong with the house that would sway our decision to buy it.
************************************************************
Joey leaves on Friday for Bible Bowl. I wish I could join him but then Michael would be without a way to work , and after Mike leaving again, I just can't bear to leave the younger ones again. They aren't dealing very well with dad leaving after only being here a short time!!!
***********************************************************
Well, I will try to get back into blogging more frequently. I have got to learn to still do my normal tasks with Mike being home. Maybe once he is home for good..I can do that.
Be Blessed Everyone
Nikki
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Better late than never hahah
Hi everyone.
I know, I've been bad at blogging lately but hey, give me a break, my hubby is FINALLY home!!!
Things have been great but his time home is drawing to a close and I already hate it. But at least that means the time he is home for good is also coming quickly.
The time he has been home has been fantastic. We are truly enjoying our time together.
**************************************************
Update on the house....
The loan part of the process has been approved!!!! but there are still a few obstacles...
Waiting on an appraisal....and as long as that goes well, then we are set. Maybe we will even close on the house before 30 days!!!!
***************************************************
Looks like we will probably be closing on the house before 30 days!! I know that the bank said 30 days is normal...but if we want sooner, then they will do their best to do that...
***************************************************
More to come!!!
I know, I've been bad at blogging lately but hey, give me a break, my hubby is FINALLY home!!!
Things have been great but his time home is drawing to a close and I already hate it. But at least that means the time he is home for good is also coming quickly.
The time he has been home has been fantastic. We are truly enjoying our time together.
**************************************************
Update on the house....
The loan part of the process has been approved!!!! but there are still a few obstacles...
Waiting on an appraisal....and as long as that goes well, then we are set. Maybe we will even close on the house before 30 days!!!!
***************************************************
Looks like we will probably be closing on the house before 30 days!! I know that the bank said 30 days is normal...but if we want sooner, then they will do their best to do that...
***************************************************
More to come!!!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
What does 31 Hours mean to you?
31 Hours until I see my husband for the first time in 6 months!!!!
Such excitement around my house. Mostly from me!!!!!! So much to do....and so little time to do it in lol.
I want to tell all of you out there who have listened to my complaints and cries over the past 6 months, THANK YOU! I pray God's blessing upon you. Prayers have kept me going this past 6 months and its almost over with. Thank you
Praise God for those people in your life who make our time on earth a glimpse of what heaven will be like!!
Such excitement around my house. Mostly from me!!!!!! So much to do....and so little time to do it in lol.
I want to tell all of you out there who have listened to my complaints and cries over the past 6 months, THANK YOU! I pray God's blessing upon you. Prayers have kept me going this past 6 months and its almost over with. Thank you
Praise God for those people in your life who make our time on earth a glimpse of what heaven will be like!!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Diaries of a CRAZY MAD woman!!
Anyone who talks to me today will KNOW that I have gone off the deep end lol.
I've been running, yes RUNNING, around my house all day today trying to finish the tasks at hand.
Cleaned my garage..
Cleaned my yard...
Laundry...
Bathroom is cleaned...
Gotta run to Wally World and do Easter shopping, get a feather pillow for Mike..
Go to Gabriels and pick me up an outfit to pick Mike up at the airport in...
Finish cleaning house...
Pick up son at work at 4...
Each room I enter, more things come to mind that I must do!!!
I want things just right...
Well, what a aerobic work out today has been.
I can't believe....about 48 hours and he will be on his way ....
WOOWOHOOOO
Nikki
I've been running, yes RUNNING, around my house all day today trying to finish the tasks at hand.
Cleaned my garage..
Cleaned my yard...
Laundry...
Bathroom is cleaned...
Gotta run to Wally World and do Easter shopping, get a feather pillow for Mike..
Go to Gabriels and pick me up an outfit to pick Mike up at the airport in...
Finish cleaning house...
Pick up son at work at 4...
Each room I enter, more things come to mind that I must do!!!
I want things just right...
Well, what a aerobic work out today has been.
I can't believe....about 48 hours and he will be on his way ....
WOOWOHOOOO
Nikki
Sunday, April 01, 2007
ITS APRIL 1!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you guys know how LONG I have been waiting for this month to get here?
It seems like ages have passed by.
Yes, in just a couple of days, the love of my life will be home safe and sound!
I can't keep my thoughts straight hahaha...
My next couple of days will be filled with grocery shopping, easter shopping , house cleaning, carpet cleaning, garage cleaning, and I'm sure I probably missed a 1000 different things I need to do buy just can't think of it all.
I KNOW that my husband doesn't really care about these things but I do and I want his homecoming to be special!!!
I gotta paint the windows on the car and the windows of the house.
Hang up a Welcome Home sign!!!!
Oh...Lord please guide those sailors the rest of the way home!!!!!
It seems like ages have passed by.
Yes, in just a couple of days, the love of my life will be home safe and sound!
I can't keep my thoughts straight hahaha...
My next couple of days will be filled with grocery shopping, easter shopping , house cleaning, carpet cleaning, garage cleaning, and I'm sure I probably missed a 1000 different things I need to do buy just can't think of it all.
I KNOW that my husband doesn't really care about these things but I do and I want his homecoming to be special!!!
I gotta paint the windows on the car and the windows of the house.
Hang up a Welcome Home sign!!!!
Oh...Lord please guide those sailors the rest of the way home!!!!!
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