Week in Review

*sigh*

That's all I can do at this point.

I have had a tough week, a busy tough week.

My grandmother passed away on Saturday morning and since then, even though we are not in South Africa, there has been a lot going on with the family.  One of the biggest things, is my brothers and I trying to decide what to do with our mother and what the best option is for her.

See, my mother has lived with my grandmother for the past 20 or more years, and now she is completely alone, so obviously we have to step in and make some very tough decisions, which are never easy.

Who takes her, where does she go, what is best for her considering her epilepsy and other health problems, the high cost of all her medication etc.

I have been praying for God to show us the right way.  I am just very thankful that I have my brother and my sister in law with me now, it wouldn't have been easy getting through this without them.

Aside from that, we have Tae Kwon Do 3 times a week for 3 of the kids, plus dancing 4 times a week for my niece, plus job interviews and all sorts of appointments for my brother and sister in law.

It's been just absolutely crazy, and I am not quite sure when this train will stop at the station, because it seems to just keep going and going.

Anyway, with everything that has been happening, my poor blog has been neglected, once again.  Shameful!!!

I have been taking pictures almost daily, trying to at least capture a little of what we've been busy with and I just want so much to go back to my normal carefree blogging, I miss those days tremendously.

So, here's a quick look at my week in review.  Sure hope you had a good one :)

Blessings,
Sandra

Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/23/2013

Good morning my friends :) Here we are, our first Fall Happy Homemaker Monday, so exciting.

The Weather:::
51 degrees right now, been feeling the cooler weather especially in the mornings.  I find myself walking around the house with a sweater on.  Looks like lower temps and rain this coming week. 

Right now I am:
Typing this post up while I sit at the kitchen table with my son and nephew, listening to their chatter. 

Thinking:
That I need to go have my finger checked out.  I've been having some pain in my joint and it's a little swollen, so not sure what is going on. 

On my reading pile:::
Currently reading The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek. 

On my tv:::
Catching up on Hell on Wheels.
Sleepy Hollow
Breaking Amish

On the menu for this week:::

Monday - Crockpot Italian Sandwiches
Tuesday - Fish Cakes with Tomato Rice
Wednesday - Chicken Fricassee with Rice
Thursday - Beef Stew
Friday - Tuna Chick Pea Salad
Saturday - In Boise for the day
Sunday - Chicken Curry

On my to do list:::
Laundry - one load to iron and put away
Homeschooling
Take kids to Tae Kwon Do


What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
Working on a pair of knitted boot cuffs for my daughter.  Also started a stash yarn buster blanket to get rid of all the little balls of yarn laying around.  I'm using the blanket stitch for this one and I love how fast it's coming together.  I don't usually like blankets with many colors but I think this one will look cute when it's done.

Looking around the house:::
Have a sink full of dishes, even though there's 8 of us in the house, we are doing dishes by hand and foregoing the dishwasher.  I find it is actually quicker this way because we stay on top of the dishes instead of letting them pile up. 

From the camera:::

On my prayer list:::
My family back home as they deal with my grandmother's passing.
Still praying for my brother and sister in law for jobs.

Bible verse, Devotional:::
So speak and so act as [people should] who are to be judged under the law of liberty [the moral instruction given by Christ, especially about love].
—James 2:12

It can be difficult to grasp the idea of the “law of liberty,” because law and liberty seem to be worlds apart: A law says one thing, while liberty says another. I believe the law of liberty spoken of in James 1:25 refers to the freedom of self control, because God puts a new heart in us that wants to obey His law of love.

With this new heart that Jesus gave you, you have the ability to be led of the Spirit, who gives you the power and freedom to love others. Enjoy your day by allowing the Lord to love others through you.

Hello Autumn!!!

Source:  Flickr

Officially my favorite season of the year.  Best part is that I actually get to enjoy it and see the leaves turning and the weather cooling.

Cozy scarves, warm crochet blankets, hot ginger tea, pumpkin pie, apple picking, candy corn.....

Source

 I'm ready for jeans, boots, knitted cuffs, holidays, crisp mornings and walks in the forest....

Hello Autumn, I've been anxiously waiting for you :)

Heaven gained another star tonight

 

 From left to right:  Grandma Odete, me, my mom, Grandma Jacinta in 2008

It is so excruciatingly difficult and painful to be away from home on a good day, but when something happens it makes it even worse.

This morning we got news that my grandma passed away.  My grandma Jacinta is my mom's mother and she hasn't been well for a few weeks, she even ended up in the hospital two weeks ago but everyone thought she was doing better and well on the road to recovery.

Unfortunately, last week she started deteriorating again and this evening she passed away, at home in her own bed surrounded by her children.

It breaks my heart.  I have missed out on so much since I left South Africa 15 years ago, and when things like this happen it really reiterates for you the fact that you are thousands of miles away and not able to hug the people you love.

I'm trying to stay positive and I'm trying to see the positive side of everything, and knowing that she is no longer in pain is huge for me.  I'm so glad she is now reunited with her husband and in a sense, happy that she can now see me and my children from up above and will no longer miss out on our lives.

But folks, it hurts.  It's a pain unlike any other and it cuts right to the core.

So I want to take a moment and thank the Lord for putting Granny Jacinta in my life, for the time I spent with her, and for being given the opportunity to know this wonderful woman and to hug her and kiss her when I did have the chance.

Heaven has gained a new bright shining star tonight, but we've lost a part of our hearts.

Love you Granny and will miss you forever.

Around here....

We are welcoming fall, and boy is it ever making it's presence known.  We have been hitting the 30 degrees in the mornings and there's talk of snow showers in the higher elevations.  I have a feeling this winter is going to be pretty cold.

I'm looking forward to it, if nothing more than to get rid of some unwanted bugs around here.  I can't wait until the flies are gone for the winter....ugh they make me sick to my stomach, you can't open a door for a few seconds without an influx coming right in.  Likewise, I'm sick of bees and wasps around here and can't wait to get a break from those.

Been enjoying some Guacamole, I don't know what it is this year but I've been devouring copious amounts of guacamole.  I do think I've gotten my sister in law addicted to it too because she's just as bad as I am LOL

As the cool creeps in, everyone around here has resorted to finding warm spots to nap, snuggle into, watch tv etc....even the pugs.  This seems to be Bella's favorite hiding spot. 

Lola on the other hand prefers to be on whichever human is closest to her.  She snuggles right in there next to us as we sit on the couch or even at the dinner table.  Silly dog.  Though she's been keeping my Nicholas company as he's not feeling very well, seems he's coming down with a cold which I hope I can avert because once one gets hit with it, I'm certain it will spread like wildfire around this house.

Yesterday morning I headed to the library to return some books and of course, restock my *library basket*.  Came out with The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury, A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs, Safe In His Arms by Colleen Coble, Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble, When Love Comes My Way by Lori Copeland, The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek by Jane Myers Perrine.

I've started on The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek and I've actually been enjoying it while sitting out in my front yard swing....at least for the moment before it gets too cold to be out there.

I've also started some new devotionals and I wish for the life of me I could remember their names right now, but I'm drawing a complete blank.  They're good though, and they're just the right ones for this moment in time in my life.

Alrighty, now I'm going to grab my knitting needles and work on Jasmine's boot cuffs while I read a little more, with a cup of coffee of course :)