Happy New Year!!

It has been a while since I have blogged I have been trying to keep up with all the blogs but I don't always comment. Facebook seems to be taking the place of the blog for many of us but I still love the blogs and how it has allowed us sisters to get to know each other. Things have been pretty quiet here lately. We had a really nice Christmas and now awaiting the New Year. Sickness seems to be hitting the brethren here pretty hard as I am sure it is everywhere. My girls have really been passed by by the sickness except a sniffle here and there and I thank God for that. JoHannah seems to be having a problem with here eyes lately they look pretty bad today almost like pink eye. Other than that they are growing like weeds and while I am thankful for that I get a little sad that Jada just turned 5 in December. I find myself wondering where the time has gone?? She will be starting kindergarten around the time we are expecting the next little one. This child will be very blessed with 2 great big sisters. They both say that they want a girl but Daddy really really wants a boy. I have been praying that if it is ok with the Lord that he will allow us a son this time but a healthy baby is enough for me. Well I will end for now and I hope you all have a safe and blessed New Year.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and may God bless you all!!!!

Expecting....

Well as I posted before I recently joined Weight Watchers and have really been doing good with it. I weighed in for the last time last night and have lost 20lbs. The reason why it will be my last weigh in for a while is because last week we found out that we are expecting baby number 3. It seems like everytime I go on a diet I end up pregnant. We are so so excited we really thought that we wouldn't have any more but the Lord saw fit to allow me to get pregnant. I totally want the prayers of my brehtren the first trimester always makes me nervous but the Lord is with me so I am sure that I will make it through.

My Grandma

I was sitting with my girls watching a cartoon called Little Bear and it was an episode where Little Bear was at his grandparents house playing with his Grandfather Bear. It made me think of my Grandma. I am so thankful for the years that I had with her. She passed away when I was 21 years old. She was never a wealthy woman and didn't bye us alot and that was fine. She gave us what was more important than material things she gave us her time. Grandma's door was always open. She sat at the kitchen table all the time and when we would go visit her which was often that is where we spent most of our time except for in the warm weather and then we were out in the yard. Grandma was really my only grandparent she was my Mom's Mom. My Grandparents on my Dad's side passed when I was young. Grandma loved playing games with us we would spend hours at the table playing cards or Yahtzee she loved that game. She taught me to cook and always raved over my cooking if I made something. We worked in the garden and she let me help her can. My Grandma was a good woman I knew that she had faults but that never stopped my love for her and I truly miss her. I could talk to her about anything she always had an ear to listen. She shared my joys and sorrows. I had lost my first pregnancy before she passed and I wasn't sure that I would be able to have children. She loved kids and I really wish that she would have been able to see my girls. I am so thankful that God allowed me such a great Grandmother.

Another Day

Not a whole lot going on in the Schoolcraft household these days. I can't believe that Christmas is coming so fast. It seems like every year the year seems shorter. I haven't started any shopping and Jada will be 5 on the 16th of December so we have shopping for that too. I am still doing Weight Watchers and I really enjoy the program. I wish that I would have signed up years ago. I have lost 9lbs in 4 weeks. I doesn't seem like much but I really feel good about it and I hear it is better to lose at a slow pace so that the weight will stay off. Here lately we spend alot of evenings at home which is good we have had some real quality time together as a family. Life in general is going great there are always room for improvements but if life was perfect then what would we have to look forward to in Heaven. Well I hope everyone who reads this is well and I hope to hear from you all soon. God Bless!!

JoHannah

I love this picture this is totally JoHannah at her best!!

Thank God!!

So today we met with The Other Schoolcrafts (I am calling them that because it is just easier than naming them all) at a park over by their house and ate our dinner out there and let the kids play. The play ground wasn't very busy at all there were a few other family's there though. Frankie and I were talking and I was watching the kids, well I turned around for a minute to look at her or look at the guys playing football and when I turned back around I didn't see JoHannah. I called her name no answer so Leah, Frankie and I spread out on the playground and looked for her she was no where to be seen. I yelled for Johnny and was really beginning to panic. I was really getting frantic I was yelling her name and no answer. This man seen me and said " If u are looking for the little girl with pigtails she was headed that way." That way was toward the car so I took off in that direction by this time probably only a minute has passed but it felt like an eternity! Johnny was looking Jimmy too all of us really. When I started walking toward the car around some trees she heard me calling and stared toward me. I was really freaking out. I had millions of thoughts going through my head none of them were good and I had to correct her for wondering off and had a really stern talk with her but then I just wanted to squeeze her and not let her go. This has got to be the most frightening experience that I have has thus far as a parent. I just Thank God over and over that she is safe and none of those millions of thoughts were a reality!! Thank You Lord!!!!!

Here Lately....

Here lately not a whole lot going on just the normal the girls are both in preschool and they are doing really good. Johnny and I are well just one day at a time trying to serve the Lord and take care of our family. I recently joined Weight Watchers Saturday actually. Its only been 3 days but it has been pretty easy so far. Johnny is doing it with me so that really helps. He is not going to the meetings but he is trying to do the program. I just really hope that we can stick with it. I hope everyone is well and I still love reading all the blogs I don't always comment but I still check in.

Neglecting the Blog

I am sorry that I have been neglecting the blog lately. I do sign on every few days to catch up on everyone but I have been using Facebook alot lately. Things are pretty boring around here lately which is not a bad thing. JoHannah and I have both had a cold but we are getting better. The girls both started preschool at the beginning of September. They are doing really good. JoHannah really likes it I think it gives her some time away from me and Sissy who mothers her too. There are only 6 children in her class and that makes me feel better about her going. We did take a vacation in Ohio in Amish country at the beginning of September too and it was just beautiful. I have to say that it was the best vacation that we have ever had. Our cell phones had no service and we had no TV or Internet and it was great. We had a very peaceful time and got to enjoy God's creation. We went on a wagon ride over 800 acres of land where we were able to feed all kinds of animals right out of our hands. I didn't want to go at first but it was awesome. The girls loved it and so did me and Johnny. Well I hope you are all well and look forward to reading your blogs.

Update on the Funk and Other Stuff

Well I do believe that the funk is lifting and I am feeling a whole lot better. I have been praying about it continuously and have had a lot of good talks with sisters. I feel so much better and I know that with the help of God things will continue to improve.

We were able to go to Kentucky and be with the brethren there this past weekend and we had a beautiful time. We really didn't do much but just visit and be together and that was very nice and peaceful. They all seem to be doing good and I was glad for that.

Not too much going on here at home. We are looking for another vehicle for Johnny to drive back and forth for work. Frankie was taking him to work on the days that Jada has school but her hours have changed so that really wouldn't work anymore. We had planned on getting another one after the first of the year but it has just been pushed up a little. We have been praying about it alot because I don't want to get something that will not be dependable but our budget is pretty small so we have to get an older car. I just pray that the Lord will send us to the right one.

Funk

I guess i will probably just be rambling. I have kind of been in a funk lately. Funk is the only word that I can think of that describes the way that I feel. I have such a beautiful life a good family and the Love of God what more could a person want right. I am blessed with 2 beautiful children. I am not really sure how I have gotten to this point. I think that my blood pressure is up and I feel like my blood is boiling all the time. I am sure that it is just a trial but I will surly be glad when it is over and I hope that I come out on the other side stronger in the Lord. I was talking to an older sister today about all of this and she really had some good advice. I realized that I don't go to God with things that I should. I also have realized that I just plain do not pray enough. These are all things that i can fix with the help of God and I hope that with a lot of prayer and reading the Word that I will be able to get through this time in my life. I need to slow down and enjoy my children while they are small and I need to be thankful for the things that I have and be sure to take the time to pray and let the Lord know how thankful that I am and I know that He will help me through.

Puppy, Pool, and a Birthday

Well we have been busy as usual. We recently got a new puppy her name is Lola and she is about 8 weeks old. She is a really good puppy and I am glad that we got her. Also we got the pool up and going here at the house we are in now. It needed a new liner and between Sondra, Johnny and I we got that done and have been enjoying the pool. The only thing is that now the weather is in the 70's. The week before we opened the pool it was in the 90's go figure. I also had a birthday. I turned 29 on Sunday and my Dad had a sign put in my yard. He has been teasing me about being 29 and holding. I will attach pictures of the puppy and the sign and hopefully the next time we go out to the pool I will remember my camera and I will put on some pics of that. I wish I had done a before and after but I guess I didn't think about it until after the fact. Well I hope everyone is well and I look forward to reading all of your blogs.

Maybe A Bear Ate It.......

Here is a video of JoHannah reading a library book that we checked out last week. I think that it is her new favorite book and I will be looking to buy it and maybe she can pass it on to her kids someday. She is just 2 years old and I think she does a great job. I read this to her once and her Mamaw read it to her once and that was all it took and now she is reading her version to us.

Blessings!

We have had so many blessings lately but there is one that really sticks out in my mind today. Last week I got a call telling me that we had to come up with a large sum of money in a short period of time. Well when I got off the phone I started praying and I felt like the Lord told me to check the mail so I did. There was nothing in the mail that day and I thought well maybe it was just my mind and not the Lord talking to me. We had the money that we were going to have to pay but it would make thing really tight for the rest of the month. We were leaving to go camping on Friday and this was Tuesday and we had already payed for camping and there were no refunds. So we went on our trip and when we got home Johnny checked the mail and there was a check in the mail that was totally unexpected. We are truly thankful! The Lord really watches out for us even when we really don't deserve it.

Update on Busy Times and Our Anniversary!

Well we had a great trip to Shipshewana. I really enjoyed myself and had a very peaceful time. It is really a beautiful place and I look forward to going back there again someday. It is a very religious community and all the people that we encountered were very nice thank God for that. Now I will have to say that the only hard thing about the trip was being without my girls and Johnny. I missed them and I am sure that they missed me. I think it will be a long while before I leave them again.

Well now we are in Aurora, IL. We are staying in a really quiet hotel with a pool and right now Johnny is gone to his classes and we are here alone. We plan on going swimming later and just hanging around here. Before we came my girls both had a round of the stomach flu and thank God it didn't last long because JoHannah came down with it the evening before we left. But with the Lord's mercy it all worked out and here we are.

Now today is our 8th Anniversary. We celebrated Friday evening with dinner and a movie and we had a really nice time. I am so thankful for the life that the Lord has blessed me with. We have had a really wonderful 8 years and I hope for many more. I have told Johnny that I want him to take me somewhere for our 10th so we have that to look forward to (if the Lord dosen't return first and that would be wonderful).

Busy and Getting Busier

Well things have been really busy lately, good busy though. We have truly been blessed over the last few weeks. Last week my husband was told that his company was getting bought out and would be under new ownership as of May 1st. We were a little concerned but all in all we know that the Lord will help us through what ever so we just prayed and we have been truly blessed. The company that Johnny is now working for seems great and they have big plans for him and we are very thankful. They have assured him that his job is safe and they have far better benefits which is something that we have been praying about along with out brethren here for a really long time and God has truly blessed us. We have a desire to have another baby if the Lord is okay with it and all of this has seemed to come at the best time. We do need prayer in this so if you think of us we would love to have your prayers.

Now to the busy stuff. A week from tomorrow Lord Willing Sis. Sondra and I are going to take a trip to Shipshewana (this is the first time I have really been away from my girls). We will be leaving on Sunday and return home on Tuesday evening. We are really excited to go if and hope that we are blessed with good weather and a nice peaceful trip. Then when I get home I am going to be packing up and heading out on a trip with Johnny and the girls to Aurora, Illinois. We will be gone for a week Johnny has to take some classes for his job there and his boss said that we could travel with him so that is what we are planning. So we are going to be busy in the next few weeks not to mention our 8th Anniversary is the day that we leave for Illinois. So lots going on here and I hope that I will still be able to read the blogs and if we do anything exciting for out Anniversary I will post about it later. I hope that all is well with anyone who reads this until next time.........

Pictures from the Park

A few weeks ago I went to visit a friend of mine who lives a couple hours away(she just had a baby) and I left the girls at home with Daddy. Well him and Mamaw took them to a park and took some great pics. Here they a

Settled In

Well thing have settled down a bit here and we are settling in good in our new home. There really has not been a whole lot to post about lately. I have started potty training with JoHannah and she is doing great (Praise God). She says that she makes beautiful tinkles and that just cracks me up. We have had alot of sickness here with the brethren and we could use your prayers for our congregation. Sickness keeps quite a few out of meeting here lately and we surly do miss them. Like I said there really is not mush going on here so I will end for now. I hope that everyone is doing well. Love and Prayers.

Johnny's Deer

Here is a picture of Johnny's deer head. He got it back last week.

All Moved In

Well we have moved and we FINALLY have the Internet again!! I have alot to post about but I think I will have to spread it out over a few posts. We got moved in a couple weeks ago and I was super busy the first week and I think that I have everything unpacked now. The Lord has been so good to us we feel truly at home here and the kids have adjusted really well. I was worried about JoHannah but she actually did better that Jada. Jada is doing good too especially since her bedroom is right across from ours and if she wakes up in the middle of the night she can see our bed with the doors open. I hope that everyone is doing good and I look forward to catching up on all the blogs. I will post more later. Bye for now!!

Just Sharing A Little

Things are still pretty busy around here. We did get the water heater in finally at the other house and we have hot water now which is great. There is a story behind it though the water heater that one of our brothers gave us didn't work because it leaked (we were still thankful for his heart). We went and bought a new one and got it all hooked up and it was doing fine but later on that night we went back by the house to check it out and make sure there were no leaks and such and when we pulled up we could see down the side of the house and it looked really wet. Johnny ran inside and sure enough a pipe had busted and the house was flooded! It flooded the utility room, the kitchen and the master bedroom so we did what we could to get it cleaned up and called the insurance company and thank God it is all covered. So now we are in the process of picking out new flooring and for those three rooms and when all the work is finished we plan on moving in. We are hoping to move in the next few weeks.

Today I got a really surprising phone call. My cousin called me today and was asking me about church and said that he was wanting to get him and his family into church. Now none of my family are in the church and I was just thrilled that he called and is showing interest. I would like prayer about this if you think of it because he has had a pretty rough life and says that he has gotten his life straightened up and wants to make some changes. He says that he knows that God has helped him and he wants to do something for God. It seems like he is searching and I really hope that he can come to know the Lord.

Well I guess that is all that I have to share for now. I hope that anyone who reads this is well and I look forward to hearing from you all.

Blessings!!

We have has so many blessing lately that I need to share them. We are moving as you all know and we need a hot water heater for the house because the old one is cracked, so last night my husband was at Men's Meeting at church and a brother told him that he has one that we could have. We feel so blessed in this because water heaters are very expensive. The one that he is giving us is smaller than we are used to but I am sure that with the help of the Lord we can make some adjustmens so that it will work out. Also a few weeks ago some brethren sent us a check out of the blue we were really shocked and when my husband asked the brother about it he said that he felt like the Lord put it on his heart to send it to us. We have been able to do alot of work on the house and not feel so stressed about money. We are so thankful to the Lord and the brethren for their love. Also I am very thankful how God has answered prayer so fast because Jada has done so much better with school this week. Monday she did cry but as soon as she sat down with the other kids in class she was fine and today she didn't cry at all and the other mothers even commented that she had a smile on her face when she walked through the door at school. God is so good and I just wanted to share what he has done for us in the past few days.

Schoolcrafts Happenings

Well I haven't been able to post for a while but we have been so so busy. We have had Jada's birthday party and then Christmas and we are preparing to move. We are moving into the house that Johnny grew up in and we have been painting a getting things ready over there. We finished the painting on New Years Day and then the next day we went to Kentucky for the weekend. So things have been a little crazy around here. We did have a beautiful Christmas though I think that it is one of the best that we have had in years and for that I am thankful to the Lord. New Years we really didn't do anything me and Sondra and Frankie all sat on the couch and watched the ball drop and just visited because Johnny went to bed early and we were the only ones that were still here. Bro Jimmy had to work early so they had to leave and that just left us. Our trip to Kentucky was great we were able to visit with the brethren there and be in meeting with them this morning and that was nice. Bro. Marvin from down there needs prayer he hurt his back on Friday before we got there and has been in terrible pain and also Bro. Brad has been having some bad spells and he needs prayer too.

That is really all for now we are going to start packing soon and tomorrow Jada goes back to preschool so she will need prayer she is still not wanting to go but Johnny and I sat down and talked with her tonight and she seems to be some better about it so we will see. I hope that every one is well and I look forward to reading all the blogs.