Meahl Memories

My Baby Is 6!

2012-01-22T19:37:00.001-05:00

I can't believe my baby turned 6 last week! Sigh! She is definitely more of a baby than my other three were at this age and I DON'T CARE!

Her big gift was a new bike. Now, I know many six-year-olds are riding a two-wheeler at this age, but Carys is SHORT! A tricycle has been just fine up until now.

Greg and I also gave her the Cars 2 DVD and the newest Veggie Tales, The Princess and The Pop Star.

Chase gave her a bunch of candy, wrapped individually of course!

Landon gave her a Twilight Sparkle pony set, and Gerren gave her this Rarity pony set, both of which were big hits!

December

2012-01-22T15:34:00.006-05:00

We had a lot of fun while Landon was home. We did school for 2 of the 4 weeks, one at the beginning and one at the end.

The children "led" in worship on Sunday, December 18. It was basically mass chaos, but they were cute.

"Go Tell It On the Mountain" had a lot of motions! :)

On Christmas Eve we went to candlelight service on the square in Ocala and then out to eat Chinese afterwards.

Christmas Day was rather disappointing this year. Let's just say that it's tough when your love language is gift giving and no one else in your family has the same love language. I put a lot of effort in to getting the exactly perfect gifts for everyone else, but it is not reciprocated. I also do NOT like being away from home on Christmas Day. However, now that we live in a different town than Greg's mom, it take too much time to go get her and bring her here for lunch (which is what we used to do) then take her back home and come home ourselves. That would be 3 hours of driving alone. So we went to Greg's brother's house. We had a good time, but I still don't like being out of my own house on Christmas Day. We did go to our usual movie that evening. We saw the Adventures of Tintin, which was awesome!

Traditional Christmas morning photo

Carys got some art supplies, a Pinkie Pie RC Car, Wikisticks, and some kid headphones (with volume control).

Landon got a couple new shirts, some new socks (he asked for all of these clothing items), and a refrigerator for his dorm room (from Craigslist!).

Gerren got some new headphones, a watch, and a new sweat jacket.

Chase got tips for her arrows (which she got last Christmas - sigh!), a new bedding set, 2 guitar hooks, and a bale of hay (to shoot her arrows into).

I LOVE this picture of Chase.

Another disappointing thing about this December was the weather. It was so warm I wanted to weep! You can see by the clothes Carys is wearing in early December exactly how warm it was!

The day after Christmas Gerren left for a little over a week for Winter Encampment. It actually got a little cooler after Christmas, thankfully.

Carys fell asleep on our bed one night.

Who knows why she pulled the covers over her face like this?

Landon voted by absentee ballot while he was home. This was his very first time to vote, so he wanted me to take a picture.

He was proud to be voting for Ron Paul!

Landon treated Chase and I to Five Guys and the new Sherlock Holmes movie one afternoon. The Lacognatas were so gracious to watch Carys for us. Sarah took this awesome picture!

That pretty much sums up December (except for my 49th birthday which I'm ignoring!). :)

Fall 2011

2012-01-22T15:27:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm so far behind on this blog because I wanted to start with Thanksgiving. I didn't take any pictures, though, and kept waiting to get some from my friend Kim (who is always so good at taking lots of pictures). She's really busy, though, and hasn't even gotten them off her camera yet. So, I'm going to stop waiting and try to catch up.

Thanksgiving was here this year with our friends from North Carolina. That meant no long drive or expensive gas for us. Instead I spent a lot of time in the kitchen and money on food! :) It was a fabulous weekend as always, though. The kids (which really includes 4 adults now) spent a lot of time playing Settlers of Catan, a game that was new to my kids.

Landon went back to college Sunday evening for a short 2 weeks. On December 8, we went to Orlando to help with the Burnett Honors College Parents' Society Finals Fling. We serve many college students lunch that day during our noon to 3pm shift. Afterwards we did a little window shopping and had dinner at CPK. Yum!

Landon came home the next day for a 4-week Christmas break! We were all so glad to have him home for awhile. Missed that kid like crazy!

DeLonghi Stainless Steel Fryer Giveaway

2011-11-30T08:53:00.002-05:00

CHEFS Catalog is giving away a DeLonghi Stainless Steel Fryer via the Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms blog. I have been dying to upgrade my old fry daddy with one of these enclosed fryers. My kids LOVE my homemade french fries!

Click here to see all the ways you can enter this giveaway!

11th Annual?

2011-10-31T13:41:00.007-05:00

Ugh! It's been more than a month since I've written a blog post. I need to stay off Facebook and be more persistent here! I came here to look at last year's post on the Annual Meahl Family Fall Scavenger Hunt, so I could see what year this one's will be. It will be the 11th!!! I can hardly believe it.

Since Landon won't be here, we took his pumpkin to him this weekend when we went to UCF for the homecoming game.

That morning, we made a trip to IKEA, while we were in the area! :) A trip to IKEA is entertainment even if you don't buy anything.

Before the game

Great sunglasses!

Carys was the best fan the Knights had!

It was a good visit with him but too short. We came back Saturday night so Gerren could play drums at church Sunday morning. It was his debut, and he did a great job! Greg took a video of the last song with his ipod, but it was a nightmare trying to get it from his ipod onto this blog. Hope you can see it! (Ignore the loud singing and focus on the drums!)

Here are some pictures from the scavenger hunt. This year, I geared my clues toward Carys since the older kids have already done 10 hunts! I put a picture that the word rhymed with and a letter that the word began with like this: Looks like "B" (I had a picture of eyes for looks like), Sounds like (picture of an ear) "bread" except it was a picture of a loaf of bread.

The answer to this clue is "mat".

Well, I learned that Carys needs to work on rhyming! :)

She found the clues (with a LOT of help) from us anyway!

She eventually found the pumpkins as well.

The Sharps joined us for the scavenger hunt and homemade funnel cakes.

Tom and Gerren hung out for the evening.

And Cathy, Bonnie, and I had a great time chatting!

Overall, it was a very fun evening!

Fall!

2011-09-22T16:36:00.007-05:00

I sure wish we had the weather here to match this cute fall background I have! Alas, it is still hitting the low 90's almost every day. This is my least favorite time of year in Florida.

It's been six weeks since I've blogged, and so much has happened since then. I think I've actually been in denial, because the biggest thing that happened was that we took Landon off to college on August 19. It is SO strange not having him around! I'm thankful that he's only about an hour and 15-20 minutes away.

He's attending the University of Central Florida where he's majoring in Physics and Math and is part of the Burnett Honors College. This is a picture of the outside of his dorm - Tower 3. It's the Honors Tower and the majority of the kids who live there are also in the Honors College. He lives on the 6th floor of 7. It's an apartment type of setting. When you enter off the hall, you're in a living room with a full kitchen. On each end of the unit there is a bathroom and 2 bedrooms.

The building on the right in this picture with the green roof is a Barnes & Noble, one of two on the campus. Right across the street is a Jimmy John's, one of the two college cafeterias, and a frozen yogurt place. On the very next street is a Subway and a Dominos. There are also a couple of local places to eat on both streets. Lots of options. The Towers are at the end of the campus by the football stadium and the arena. UCF is the second largest university in the US, so there are a lot of options right on campus.

It probably helped the letting go process that we left UCF and headed to our timeshare in Sarasota. We took Chase's BFF Sarah with us. It was a very relaxing week, and I didn't do much except lie in the sun and read! I did hit the beach a few times when Carys begged.

Greg had to work all week, and Gerren started dual enrollment classes on Monday, so they went home Sunday night. We met them in Brandon and picked Gerren up Wednesday evening after he was done with classes for the week.

We managed to get 3 weeks of school done before the timeshare, and we're in week 7 now. Much better than last year when we were moving and making an emergency trip to Illinois for my aunt's funeral.

Landon came home for Labor Day weekend, and we played more board games than we've played in years. The next weekend we headed to UCF for Family Weekend. We didn't do much except hang out with Landon. We did go to a barbecue on Saturday afternoon at the Honors College.

We spent a lot of time sitting around on Saturday morning waiting for Landon to get out of bed while we called and texted and called and texted. It was after noon before he got up. Thankfully one of the televisions in the Student Union was playing kid shows.

Carys watched.

Greg perused the campus map.

And Chase played on her itouch.

We went to church with Landon on Sunday then headed back to the campus for free food sponsored by some student group.

In the Pegasus Ballroom where the "free" food was

Unfortunately, they were out of food by 12:30. Ugh! We'll know not to plan on that next year. So, we ate at Qdoba in the Student Union!

Outside Qdoba

Proof that Mom was actually here!

We're looking forward to going back at the end of October for Homecoming when we'll actually attend a football game.

Go Knights!

Finished At Last!

2011-08-10T11:32:00.002-05:00

I finally finished One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. From Chapter 11, the last chapter, this quote really spoke to me:

It really is like C.S. Lewis argued: that the most fundamental thing is not how we think of God but rather what God thinks of us: "How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely m,ore important." Years of Christian discipleship, Bible study, churchgoing had been about me thinking about God; practicing eucharisteo was the very first I had really considered at length what god thought of me--this ridiculous and relentlessly pursuing love, so bold. Everywhere, everything, Love!

BUT this eucharisteo isn't easy for me! I'm finding this quote from the "afterword" to be so true:

Every breath's a battle between grudgery and gratitude and we must keep thanks on the lips so we can sip from the holy grail of joy. Nowhere else in the whole tilting universe lies the joy of the Lord but in that one word.

This is SO true for me. Every breath IS a battle between grudgery (which my spell-check tells me is not a word) and gratitude. Lord, help me win the battle!

I must return this book to the library by tomorrow. I think I will end up purchasing it as I KNOW I'm going to need to refer back to it! :)

One Thousand Gifts - Chapters 9 and 10

2011-08-08T07:00:00.002-05:00

I know it well after a day smattered with rowdiness and worn a bit ragged with bickering, that I may feel disappointment and the despair may flood high, but to give thanks is an action and rejoice is a verb and these are not mere pulsing emotions. While I may not always feel joy, God asks me to give thanks in all things, because He knows that the feeling of joy begins in the action of thanksgiving.

What a great description of a day in the life of a homeschooling mom--"smattered with rowdiness and worn a bit ragged with bickering"--at least a homeschooling mom of more than one child!

In chapter 10, the author takes thanksgiving out of its bubble of self.

Eucharisteo is giving thanks for grace. But in the breaking and giving of bread, in the washing of feet, Jesus makes it clear that eucharisteo is, yes, more: it is giving grace away. Eucharisteo is the hand that opens to receive grace, then, with thanks, breaks the bread; that moves out into the larger circle of life and washes the feet of the world with that grace. Without the breaking and giving, without the washing of feet, eucharisteo isn't complete. The Communion service is only complete in service. Communion, by necessity, always leads us into community.
I hadn't fully seen it until after that night on Yonge Street: Eucharisteo means "to give thanks," and give is a verb, something that we do. God calls me to do thanks. To give the thanks away. That thanks-giving might literally become thanks-living. That our lives become the very blessings we have received.
I am blessed. I can bless. Imagine! I could let Him make me the gift!
I could be the joy!

And now she brings it down to my everyday life:

Scratching a stubborn pot furiously with a wire scrubby, I remember it again, what I once read of liturgy. That liturgy has its roots in the Greek word leitourgia, meaning "public work" or "public servant." The meaning! This life of washing dishes, of domestic routine, it can be something wholly different. This life of rote work, it is itself public work, a public serving--even this scrubbing of pans--and thus, if done unto God, the mundane work can become the living liturgy of the Last Supper.

Then she mentions the key:

When service is unto people the bones can grow weary, the frustration deep. Because, agrees Dorothy Sayers, "whenever man is made the centre of things, he becomes the storm-centre of trouble. The moment you think of serving people, you being to have a notion that other people owe you something for your pains... You will begin to bargain for a reward, to angle for applause."
When the laundry is for the dozen arms of children or the dozen legs, it's true, I think I'm due some appreciation.... But when Christ is at the center, when dishes, laundry, work, is my song of thanks to Him, joy rains. Passionately serving Christ alone makes us the loving servant to all. When the eyes of the heart focus on God, and the hands on always washing the feet of Jesus alone--the bones, they sing joy, and the work returns to its purest state: eucharisteo. The work become worship, a liturgy of thankfulness.

And this is exactly what I need in my day--to remember that the work is for God, not for my family.

There is so much more. I could quote this whole book.

Speaking of Isaiah 58:10-11:

It's the fundamental, lavish, radical nature of the upside-down economy of God. Empty to fill... Give your life away in exchange for many lives, give away your blessings to multiply blessings, give away so that many might increase, and do it all for the love of God... Eucharisteo has taught me to trust that there is always enough God... Spend the whole of your one wild and beautiful life investing in many lives, and God simply will not be outdone. God extravagantly pays back everything we give away and exactly in the currency that is not of this world but the one we yearn for: Joy in Him.

Whatever you're doing today, do it for the Lord. She quotes Tagore: "I slept and dreamt life was joy, I awoke and saw life was service, I acted and, behold, service was joy."

One Thousand Gifts - Chapter 8

2011-08-02T13:25:00.002-05:00

I'm still being so challenged by this book. Here's the quote that grabbed me this morning.

Anxiety has been my natural posture, my default stiffness. The way I curl my toes up, tight retreat. How I angle my jaw, braced, chisel the brow with the lines of distrust. How I don't fold my hands in prayer...weld them into tight fists of control. Always control--pseudopower from the pit. How I refuse to relinquish worry, babe a mother won't forsake, an identity. Do I hold worry close as this ruse of control, this pretense that I'm the one who will determine the course of events as I stir and churn and ruminate? Worry is the facade of taking action when prayer really is. And stressed, this pitched word that punctuates every conversation, is it really my attempt to prove how indispensable I am? Or is it more? Maybe disguising my deep fears as stress seems braver somehow.

And then a few pages later...

Stress isn't only a joy stealer. The way we respond to it can be sin. I stand in the laundry room looking out at the barn, knowing that stress stands in direct opposition to what He directly, tenderly commands: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me" (John 14:1 NIV, emphasis added). I know an untroubled heart relaxes, trust, leans assured into His ever-dependable arms. Trust, it's the antithesis of stress. "Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord" (Psalm 40:4). But how to learn trust like that? Can trust be conjured up simply by sheer will on command? I've got to get this thing, what it means to trust, to gut-believe in the good touch of God toward me, because it's true: I can't fill with joy until I learn how to trust: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow" (Romans 15:13 NIV, emphasis added). The full life, the one spilling joy and peace, happens only as I come to trust the caress of the Lover, Lover who never burdens His children with shame or self-condemnation but keeps stroking the fears with gentle grace.

Then, to test my resolve, a phone call from my husband this afternoon. He got a phone call from the hotel this afternoon, his second job. Don't come to work tomorrow or Thursday. There's no money to pay him. The Hampton he works for lost its flag (its Hampton-ness) when the original owners lost it for non-payment and the bank sold it to someone else. Until they get the flag back, they are not connected to the Hampton online reservation system and people can't make reservations except by calling them directly. Therefore, they only had 13 rooms sold last night and 15 reserved so far for tonight.

Just when he was actually making enough money for us to live on, something else to worry about. Can I thank God for this? This is HARD!

Why We Homeschool (and Why We Use Sonlight)

2011-08-02T11:39:00.003-05:00

Landon had to write an auto-biography for admission to the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida this past spring. He wrote about his education and the people involved in it who influenced the person he is today. When I read it, it summed up why we homeschool our children and why we've used Sonlight all these years. I asked him for permission to use his biography, so here it is:

To get a good understanding of my life and my experiences, it would be best to give a brief exposition of my education and the impact that had on my development and my view of the world. When making her decision to homeschool me and my siblings, my mother learned about various curricula and selected those she believed would be best for us. She poured her time and her effort into our education. Through the curriculum she used, particularly a literature-based history program, she instilled in me a great love of learning. History, largely through this program, was really my first love. I would devour every book I could find on the subject, carrying them around until they were literally falling to pieces. Whenever we traveled, my book bag was always the heaviest. I have always had a general love of reading, and to this day I very rarely go anywhere without a book. In addition to this, she schooled us well in math—which happens to be one of her own strengths—using another excellent program she discovered. Later, she encouraged me to study to take rigorous CLEP tests and then dual enroll in our local community college. Although I did not always enjoy what she assigned to me, I worked through it, and in the last few years, I have seen her hard work truly come to fruition.

My mother was not the only influence on the person I am now. My father also played an important role. All my life he has been willing to listen to me talk about all sorts of crazy ideas and discuss them with me. He has consistently challenged viewpoints or stereotypes I have picked up. He listened to me talk about history, politics, physics, chemistry, a book I was reading at the time, something on the news, or any other topic. He did not just put up with it—he encouraged it. I believe that had a very positive impact on my intellectual development, and his philosophies and outlook have been a huge influence on my own worldview. Discussing ideas is really one of my favorite pastimes. In addition, I have had numerous friends who have contributed in similar ways. One, in particular, I have known many years, and he is now working on his doctorate in Photonics Engineering at North Carolina State University. He has greatly encouraged, inspired, and advised me in matters relating to the fields of engineering and science. Recently, in my dual-enrollment classes, my teachers have also made an impact on me. My physics professor in particular has managed—along with the amazing material we have studied and various other circumstances—to convert me from an engineering major to a physics major. In conclusion, I think more than anything, it is the people in my life and how they have contributed to my outlook that have made me who I am today.

It's music to a homeschool mom's heart!

One Thousand Gifts

2011-07-25T10:45:00.002-05:00

After the third friend told me that One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp was a must read, I put it in my queue at the library.

Now I must say that the author is very poetic, which makes this a difficult read for me. I'm more of a "cut-to-the-chase" kind of girl! However, I was hooked by the second chapter when I read this:

"For years of mornings, I have woken wanting to die. Life itself twists into nightmare. For years, I have pulled the covers up over my head, dreading to begin another day I'd be bound to just wreck. Years, I lie listening to the taunt of names ringing off my interior walls, ones from the past that never drifted far and away: Loser, Mess, Failure. They are signs nailed overhead, nailed through me, naming me. The stars are blinking out.

Funny, this. Yesterday morning, the morning before, all these mornings, I wake to the discontent of life in my skin. I wake to self-hatred. To the wrestle to get it all done, the relentless anxiety that I am failing. Always, the failing. I yell at children, fester with bitterness, forget doctor appointments, lose library books, live selfishly, skip prayer, complain, go to bed too late, neglect cleaning the toilets. I live tired. Afraid. Anxious. Weary. Years, I feel it in the veins, the pulsing of ruptured hopes. Would I ever be enough, find enough, do enough? But this morning [she had a nightmare about dying of cancer], I wake wildly wanting to live. Physically feeling it in the veins trembling, the hard pant of the lungs, the seeing it in the steady stars, how much I really want to really live. How I don't want to die. Is that the message of nightmares and dreams? To live either fully alive...or in empty nothingness?

It's the in between that drives us mad.

It's the life in between, the days of walking lifeless, the years calloused and simply going through the hollow motions, the self-protecting by self-distracting, the body never waking, that's lost all capacity to fully feel--this is the life in between that makes us the wild walking dead."

Oh my! I have felt exactly like that. Dreading every day, wanting to pull the covers over my head, calling myself "loser, mess, failure" because I've once again yelled at a child, etc., etc.

Her answer to this is eucharisteo - thanksgiving. This is the Greek word used as "give thanks" in the Luke 22:19: "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them..." Jesus did this the night before his crucifixion. And he knew what was coming.

Then she quotes Alexander Schmemann in For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy: "The only real fall of man is his noneucharistic life in a noneucharitic world." In her words, "ingratitude was the fall--humanity's discontent with all that God freely gives." OUCH!

And then this part of chapter 3 reaches out to slap me: "Long, I am woman who speaks but one language, the language of the fall--discontentment and self-condemnation, the critical eye and the never satisfied." I had to stop reading there last night because I needed to blog about what I'd read so far.

This morning I started the list. It will be hard for me to get to one thousand.

Read this book!

Carys' Boo Boo

2011-07-21T08:29:00.003-05:00

Last Wednesday, July 13, shortly before 6:00pm, Landon and I were in the kitchen starting dinner when we heard Carys start hollering and crying.

I said, "Where are you?" while Chase came barreling out of Landon's room. Carys was in my bedroom standing in front of my vanity mirror.

Chase said, "She's bleeding!" and threw herself dramatically on the floor.

Never one to overreact to blood from the mouth, I picked up Carys and carried her into my bathroom.

"Where are you hurt?"

"My chin!" she sobbed. I bent her head back, took one look at the gash on her chin, grabbed some kleenex to hold to it, and picked her up. She had been running out of my bathroom and slipped and hit her chin on the tile floor.

"We're going to the emergency room," I said, "Get the keys, Landon. You're driving."

I hollered Gerren's name while walking out the door, but there was no response from him. Landon HATES to drive my van because it's a big conversion van and much more difficult to maneuver than Greg's smaller truck. However, I wanted to hold Carys in the back of the van, so he had to drive. He did just fine. I was really proud of him. We repeatedly called Gerren on the way to the ER to get him to turn off the water under the pasta pot. He never answered the phone. Greg ended up having to go home from the hotel (where he was working at his 2nd job) to turn off the stove. I was not happy with Gerren who had his ipod on, I guess!

We went to a hospital near us that supposedly had a 10 minute ER wait. We got there about 6:15 or maybe a little before. Unfortunately, the Quick Care section of the ER was slammed that evening. Although, we were taken back to a room within 10 minutes, it was past 8:30pm before Carys was eventually treated. She got 5 stitches in the 2" long gash. The worst part was the 3 sticks it required to numb the area. After that she was fine.

She looks like she has whiskers! We'll see how it goes getting the stitches out on Monday, but it looks to be healing nicely now. It was past 9:00pm when we got out of there, so needless to say, we drove through McDonald's instead of making dinner at home. It was a LONG day!

FPEA Graduation

2011-07-05T13:52:00.005-05:00

We finally got Landon's graduation pictures from the formal graduation ceremony he participated in through our state's homeschool group, the FPEA. It was a really incredible ceremony. I always meant to sit through one before my kids got to that age, but it just didn't happen. So, I had no idea what to expect. I think we had it good this year because our governor was participating in the ceremony, so everything had to be kept on time. I've heard that's been a problem in the past.

During rehearsal they had the graduates write a thank-you note to their parents on an index card. Before the ceremony, they put these cards up on the big screen with the graduate's name on top as they played graduation-type music.

Then they put up pictures of the grads participating in an "activity" of some sort as the music continued to play. This was Landon's picture.

At the end of all this, they posted this picture of all the graduates.

Then the ceremony began. There were two speakers, one was a homeschool speaker, Rick Green, the other was the governor of Florida, Rick Scott. Then, they called the graduates up. They took this picture when each graduate was backstage before receiving his/her diploma.

As the graduate received his/her diploma from the governor, the FPEA district directors read a script about him/her that was submitted with all the pictures, etc. The governor handed every single graduate (there were 254) his/her diploma and posed for a picture.

At that time, a baby picture was played on the big screen beside a senior picture. Here are the two I sent in for Landon.

6 months old

18 years old

It was a really incredible ceremony, and we're so glad that Landon decided to participate. Here we are after the ceremony.

Motts for Tots Coupons

2011-06-17T09:09:00.004-05:00

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Landon's Personalized Graduation

2011-06-02T10:11:00.006-05:00

On Monday, May 23, we hosted a graduation/reception for Landon at the Hampton Inn & Suites where Greg works. We began by showing the slide show I previously blogged. Then I had asked 6 different people who've been instrumental in Landon's life to speak about him and give him a vision for the future. All I can say is that this was incredible!

I started and managed not to get too choked up.

Next was the commander of his CAP squadron, Major Keith Shewbart.

Doug Dodd, who was Landon's Sunday School teacher for a year and taught him in the Sheriff's Citizen Academy, went next. His oldest daughter and Landon are 19 days apart, and he grew up with Greg as well.

Next, Bob Ayton spoke. Bob is an AP Chemistry and Physics teacher at Dunnellon High School. He and Landon struck up a friendship at church and had long conversations about science topics. Bob wrote a letter of recommendation for Landon when he was applying to be a National Merit Scholarship finalist.

Kim Lacognata, the Preschool Director at the Church@ the Springs, went next. Landon worked in the 3-year-old class there for more than a year.

AJ, Landon's cousin, spoke next. AJ and Landon spent a lot of time driving back and forth to the community college this year and had a few classes together as well.

Finally, Kevin Spiddle spoke. Kevin and his wife Linda are our "Plan B" parents and have spent a lot of time with our kids over the past 10 years.

Greg summed it up, but he got choked up while trying to thank me for the hard work and commitment that helped Landon get to where he is. It was overwhelming since Greg is usually the jokester.

Finally, we asked the men in the room to join us as we prayed over Landon. Joe Lacognata was so gracious to pray, and it was a really incredible time!

We had a great time socializing after that.

These two boys (Marl and my #2 son, Gerren) were born on the same day when we were living across the street from each other.

These Lacognata girls are our favorites!

Carys always has a silly face!

I think she gets it from her sister. :)

Here's the happy graduate.

On the following Sunday, May 29th, Landon went through a formal graduation ceremony at the FPEA convention. I will do a post on that when I get the pictures back!

Congratulations, Landon!

2011-05-26T09:13:00.003-05:00

This is the slide show I made for Landon's graduation!

We had a reception/ceremony for him Monday, May 23, at the Hampton where Greg works. I started to type all about that, but I think I'll wait until I get the pictures uploaded. We are leaving tonight for the FPEA convention in Orlando, which starts tomorrow morning. We're all going as Landon will participate in the graduation ceremony Sunday morning. More info on all that later!

Blog Design Change

2011-05-14T17:52:00.002-05:00

I've changed my blog background in honor of Landon's upcoming graduation. I can hardly believe that we're here already. He could have graduated in the ceremony with our local community college on May 6. However, we didn't know he'd be eligible to walk (he applied late) until I'd already planned the Passport for Purity weekend for that same weekend. So, we skipped that. One ceremony a year is enough anyway, right?

On Monday, May 23, we will have a reception/ceremony for him at the Hampton where Greg works. Then, on Sunday, May 29, at 10:00am, he will participate in the graduation ceremony with our state homeschool group. We decided to do the reception separately from this because the ceremony is on a Sunday morning (I HATE that!) and is at the resort where the convention is held (which requires attendees to drive to Orlando and pay $10 to park at the resort). We hated to put anyone to that much trouble and expense, so we did it this way. We'll see how it goes and make changes when Gerren graduates.

Please pray for me to not be a sobbing mess at either of these events!

Happy Birthday, Chase!

2011-05-14T17:42:00.005-05:00

I'm finally getting Chase's birthday pictures posted. On Thursday, May 5, I became the mother of THREE teenagers! Thankfully, I still have Carys to keep me young. :)

Here's Chase with MOST of her presents.

Here are her two best girlfriends: Sarah and Carys.

Chase's surprise gift was a full-size guitar.

Here are the girls posing.

We always have Mexican food for dinner since Chase's birthday is on Cinco de Mayo. This year we tried a new restaurant: Pepe's. It was FABULOUS! Really authentic Mexican food and inexpensive as well!

We had to sit at two tables, so here's the girls' table.

Carys had to sit by Sarah at every opportunity. Poor Chase!

Carys always has to pose for the camera!

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T09:02:00.002-05:00

This blog is a family record, so I get to be brutally honest, right? My husband had the misfortune of marrying someone whose love language is gift giving. Unfortunately, his main character "flaw" (if you would call it that) is procrastination. The two do not go well together!

Chase and I were gone this weekend doing the Passport to Purity program while the boys stayed at home and went through Mark Gungor's Sex, Dating & Relating Teen Edition. Chase tends to have giving as her love language as well, but she wasn't home to do anything about it, I guess. So, Mother's Day consisted of the rest of the family stopping at Kohl's on the way home and buying a gift card and a Hoops and YoYo talking card (which THEY like) and coming home to find Chase and me already home from our weekend. So, no one tells me Happy Mother's Day because they have to sneak in Landon's bedroom to sign the card they just bought. No one writes anything special on it; they just sign their names. I start complaining about the lack of love the kids have for me, so they go and get the card and hand it to me. That's it. Whoohoo! What a great Mother's Day! I think I'll quit. Let them all mother themselves!

Crazy Busy!

2011-04-27T09:15:00.004-05:00

I've been furiously busy over the past month or so trying to get everything ready for Landon to graduate as well as go off to college next year. When you're the parent, the teacher, the principal, and the guidance counselor, there is a lot to do! We had Landon's senior pictures taken on April 1. They turned out so good other than fighting with the glare off his glasses!

This is my favorite!

We took a final trip to UCF in mid-April to meet with a physics professor. It clinched Landon's decision to go there next year. Although he loved MST, he can't pass up the opportunity to get a degree with no debt. There are lots of other great things about UCF as well, of course.

The weekend we had Landon's pictures done, he told me he wanted to go through the graduation ceremony at our state homeschool group's convention. That had me scrambling with two weeks to get everything sent in that they needed, but I did it! It's hard to invite people to that graduation, though, as: 1) it's on Sunday morning at 11:00am, 2) it's at the resort where the convention is located and costs $10 to park, 3) we're unavailable both before and after due to the convention and luncheon. So, we're having a reception/presentation for him on the Monday before the convention. Well, I wanted to make a slide show for the reception. However, all my film from his birth (1993) through 2004 was in negatives (pre-digital cameras). I had asked for and received an Epson V300 Photo Scanner for my birthday in order to transfer all my negatives and old pictures into digital, but I hadn't started the process yet. It took me two weeks to transfer the 12 years I needed! I worked every spare second. Instead of reading to the kids in the living room, we did it in the school room so I could switch out negative strips every 2-3 minutes. (I'm doing everything pre-1993 now, but at a much slower pace!)

I think we've turned in everything he needs for UCF now. Even though he won't owe them any money, we had to make deposits to reserve his space in the class and in the honors tower where he'll be living. We had to send his immunization records as well. I think I have to send a final transcript from our homeschool as well as from the College of Central Florida where he has managed to earn his AA at the same time! :)

Two weekends ago, the kids and I went to the Florida Wing Cadet Conference for Civil Air Patrol. Next weekend (May 6-8), Chase and I are headed to Orlando for our Passport for Purity weekend. Then, the last weekend in May is the convention. We're doing school through June 6 because of moving twice this year. Then, June 9-10 is orientation at UCF. On the 11th, I plan to collapse!

Reminded of Why I Homeschool

2011-04-10T15:28:00.002-05:00

Well, this weekend I've been reminded of one of the reasons we chose homeschooling--to pass on our values to our children. And I guess, I've determined that I am a total prude of a parent. Prom was this weekend for some of our local schools, and I've been looking at pictures on Facebook.

I honestly cannot believe the dresses Christian girls wear. Strapless, low-cut, sequence everywhere, beauty pageant dresses. I've seen girls wearing garters. Really? I think garters and limos should be for weddings. Why are we sexualizing our daughters and then expecting them to remain pure?

I'm a total prude. Sigh!

Dangers of Homeschool Conventions

2011-03-31T08:31:00.003-05:00

I am really loving a series "thatmom" is doing on the dangers of homeschool conventions right now. I've been reading her blog for over a year now and have found her to be thoughtful and discerning. Are those two words for the same thing? :)

She has discussed three dangers of homeschool conventions so far. The first was that conventions can be a threat to your sense of reality. Any homeschooling mom who's been to a convention knows the truth of that one! Every philosophy, every curriculum, every booth in the vendor hall looks so good that we often forget the reality of our own family situation.

The second danger is the threat of contentment with your husband (I think's it better called discontent with your husband). She writes:

One of my greatest concerns about homeschooling conventions is the remaking of dads that seems to be high on the agenda for many speakers within the homeschooling community. Just looking down the list of various upcoming conferences, nearly every convention has a workshop or two or even a keynote address that is geared to dads. One of the more popular themes this year at larger conferences is that of promoting multi-generational faithfulness, a wonderful concept that looses [sic] it wonder when examined under a brighter light and one that places many fathers in a role never intended to be held by anyone but God.

This particular blog post is a must-read in my book.

Today, she wrote that the third danger of homeschool conventions is a threat to your relationship with Jesus and others. She defines this threat as "...the temptation to align ourselves with one particular homeschooling speaker, author, or vendor to the exclusion of others and without examining the core teachings that are at the root of that person’s agenda. Rather than remaining simply a Christian homeschooling mom, we are tempted to identify with one particular branch of homeschooling, putting on the jersey, as it were, of one special group, which can often cause us to look at the world through a particular paradigm rather than looking at homeschooling from a purely Biblical perspective." Wow! I have found that to be true during the past 13 years that I've been officially homeschooling and have even given in to this temptation myself.

Moms, put on the full armor of God before you head off to your local homeschool convention this year so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes!

Happy Birthday, Gerren!

2011-03-10T07:06:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm only six days late getting this post about Gerren's birthday done! On Thursday, March 10, Gerren turned 16. Of course, that's not really a big deal in our family since we can't afford car insurance that would allow the kids to get their licenses. Gerren doesn't even have his restricted license yet, though he's studied for it.

Chase usually makes breakfast for the boys on their birthdays, but this morning Greg decided to make waffles. He went out to get pecans from the freezer in the garage and found the freezer door open. What a great start to the day!

One thing Gerren got that he actually asked for was a new pair of running shoes.

He had asked for a game for the Wii, but I couldn't find a good price on it. Landon got a new game for his birthday which Gerren plays more than he does anyway!

Greg found this awesome remote control helicopter in the mall in Illinois when we were on our little trip. Gerren LOVED that and never expected it because I said I would never buy another remote control anything. They seem to break the first time you use them. This one if made of metal, however.

Gerren had been saving his money to buy a refurbished 5th generation 8gb iPod. He was SHOCKED when we gave him one!

He looks happy, though, doesn't he?

Carys always has to give her gift last, which is always a drawing of a dinosaur. :)

We had dinner out at Beef O'Brady's--hadn't been there in a long time. It was great. We came home for Gerren's requested dessert, peach cobbler. Yum!

Of course, the cobbler overflowed in the oven and made another huge mess. Seems to be the theme of the day!

Fast Trip to the Midwest

2011-03-09T19:50:00.002-05:00

We left Wednesday evening, March 2, for a quick visit to the Missouri University of Science & Technology (MST) where Landon is interested in going to school. We spent Wednesday night north of Atlanta and drove the rest of the way on Thursday. Friday was spent touring MST. Landon LOVED the small school atmosphere (8500 students) and both of the professors with whom he had a chance to speak. However, he would have to piece together about $17000 in scholarship money to attend this school. It would be stressful, and he would be VERY far from home as well. Decisions, decisions! We'll be visiting UCF again in a couple of weeks before making any decisions.

We left Rolla and headed for Belleville where we visited with my parents over the weekend. It was fabulous to see some old friends at Winstanley as well. Wow, I love those guys and really miss them! We threw in a ride on the Metro and a short walk over to the Arch on Sunday. Landon loves the Arch! On Monday, we left IL at 6:30am (CT) and managed to get home slightly before 10:00pm (ET). Ugh! Doing that drive in one day is tough.

The kids had to do some school while we were gone because of taking three weeks off to move twice this year. We're in the middle of Week 25 (out of 36 in Sonlight), so we're not doing too bad. We've done 2 more days this week, but we'll be taking tomorrow off for Gerren's birthday (the only one-day holidays we have around here). :)

Happy 18th Birthday, Landon!

2011-03-01T09:41:00.005-05:00

How is it possible that I am the mother of an adult? First, of all I'm not that old. Secondly, he was just born a few years ago!

Whatever the case, this young man is such a blessing to me. I thank God for him and pray that he will be an influence for Christ all his life. I'm so excited to see what God has for him as he goes off to college somewhere, but I'm so sad to think of not having daily contact with him as I have for the past 18 years. He's such a joy to be around!

Here we are eating at Chili's.

Goofy brothers!

The kids are really patient to wait until the evening when Greg is home to open their presents. Even Carys waited on her birthday!

This face is so beautiful to me!

For his birthday, Landon received razor heads, minutes for his Tracphone, a t-shirt, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II for the Wii,

and finally a Garmin nuvi GPS.

For both Christmas and his birthday, we tried to get gifts that we thought he would need going off to college. He got a nice set of luggage for Christmas, and then this GPS. I joked with him the the luggage meant "get out". So, when he opened the GPS, he said, "You're making fun of me, aren't you? You gave this to me so I can find my way in a parking lot, right?"

We were all laughing so hard. He IS directionally challenged!

Carys said, "Mom, take a picture of me." Who can resist?

Carys drew a picture of a dinosaur for Landon, and Chase made him breakfast.

A Young Man of God

2011-02-17T08:34:00.004-05:00

Landon is a senior in high school but is taking all his classes via dual enrollment at our local community college. There's a club there called PANTS which stands for Pantheists, Atheists, Nontheist Society (or something like that - you get the picture). Every year they put on this event called Faith-A-Palooza. Our church meets at the college, so they've been invited to have a booth for the past 5 years. Usually, we're the only ones (according to the administrative pastor), but this year there were 4 churches (the chairman of the club told Landon that they'd asked 46 churches and only 4 accepted!). Anyway, Scott (the administrative pastor who's also in charge of the youth and children - we're a small church) asked Landon if he'd be at school that day and help him man the booth. Landon said sure. Well, I just have to share this message I just got from Scott:

Hey,
I wanted to brag on your son really quickly. He met us at the Faith-A-Palooza table, and it's definitely not an easy crowd. Most of the people who come by the table are skeptics. I was interviewed by a student who was apparently trying to trip me up on some sort of church/state/gay marriage issue of some sort. Landon and I were the main talkers at our table, as the three international students were more of the setup/cleanup kids (but were awesome nonetheless!)

The cool moment came when a reporter for the Patriot Press came and asked Landon what his table was all about. Linda, I tell you what, this 17-year-old kid made a full-fledged defense of the gospel of Jesus to a newpaper reporter. Landon talked about the supremacy of Christ, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, being His hands and feet in our world, and on and on. I think the reporter was a bit shell-shocked. It was incredible. The reporter got Landon's name, age, and major, so it's possible Landon's quote may even make the newspaper. I told him how incredible of a job he did, but I think his mom and dad should know as well.

It was just awesome to see a young person stand up and unashamedly state Truth to a journalist - and to do it in such an articulate manner as well. I know you and Greg are proud of Landon's academic accomplishments - you should be even prouder of the young man of God you have raised. If he ever needs any type of reference for anything, please let me know!

See you on Sunday!

Grace and peace,

SEC

Totally blew me away! What do you say to that? I answered back, "I'm speechless. Thanks for sharing that with us." As a Christian parent, especially a homeschool mom, the most important thing to me is to raise a young man or woman of character. And it blessed me to hear this from someone. Thank you, Jesus!

Carys is 5!

2011-02-05T12:45:00.005-05:00

Well, on January 17, Carys turned 5. However, we moved the following weekend, so I am just getting around to posting pictures from her birthday. Sigh!

5 is a big birthday at our house. When you're 5 you no longer have to take a nap, and you finally get to chew gum! Carys could hardly wait. Of course, she hadn't been napping since we moved in September. I just couldn't get her back into the routine. I figured that it wasn't worth fighting for 4 months.

But the gum was a big deal! Chase gave her a piece as soon as she got up.

We waited to open presents until Greg got home from work around 3:45pm. He'd been going from work straight to the new house to lay the laminate flooring. So, this was early for him. And what patience for a 5-year-old with a pile of present on the table!

Gerren gave Carys glow-stick bracelets.

Landon gave her the black Color Wonder paper.

Chase gave Carys a box of Bazooka bubble gum all her own...

and a bag of gummy worms. Thank the Lord for the Dollar Tree!

Finally, we got the presents from Mom and Dad. Gerren read the card to her.

Her first gift was a kid-sized Wii remote. She wants to play Wii with everyone so badly but gets frustrated when she doesn't do well.

We also gave her this Nickelodeon Wii Fit game.

She also got this new Veggie Tales movie, Sweetpea Beauty.

Her final gift was this supersized box of Playdoh, which I got at Walmart's Black Friday sale.

I put the Playdoh up right away since we were moving in five days. She was asking to play with it immediately when we were in the new house. I told her she had to wait until the boxes were unpacked. She asked every single day, and I would say, "Look around. Do you see any boxes?" The boxes in the house are now unpacked. The only boxes you can see are the ceiling fans which Greg needs to install. However, there is only one very narrow walkway through the garage. She's stopped asking to play with it, though, so I guess I'll have to give in and suggest it one day this week. :)

Yesterday, 12 days after we spent our first night here, I finally felt like at least the top of my head was above water. Ugh! It's great to be able to have a brand new house, but it comes with its own set of difficulties - like no window treatments or fans in the house. We had trouble with appliances we ordered from Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center in CA. Don't ever order from them!!! Pay a little extra and get them locally. We also sold all our bookcases with our house, so we had to buy new ones at IKEA. The school room in the house is much smaller than the house we designed, so I posted probably 100 books on Paperback Swap. It's good for me to get rid of stuff, but also hard with Carys just starting school. In the future, I will be relentless about getting rid of stuff she has grown out of (except the Sonlight books, I think I'll save those for the grandkids)! :)

There is still so much to do here, but most of that is stuff Greg has to do. Ugh! Ceiling fans installed, transition strips between the tile/carpet and laminate finished, board put on attic floor so some stuff in the garage can go up there, garage door opener installed, garage cabinets purchased and Greg's tools and junk sorted through and stored, garage floor sealed and painted, garage set up as music/weight lifting/toy room, front door painted, blinds for 2 front rooms purchased and installed (we were debating between blinds and shutters in those rooms, so we didn't do them when we did the bedrooms). We also have to decide what to do with window treatments for the sliding glass doors. Those are the major things he has to do. We need one more bookcase from IKEA. The builder has to do the landscaping. We have sod but no plants around the house. He is responsible for that.

It seems overwhelming to list it all, but we're so much farther along than we were 2 weeks ago. My house is neat enough that I can function. We managed to only miss one week of school -- a miracle! So, I'm getting back into a school, cleaning, cooking routine, and that makes life seem more manageable to me.

Greg STILL needs a new job. He needs to make more than poverty wages. And if he doesn't find a better-paying job in the next month, he's going to have to get a second job. We all HATE the idea of that. Please pray for us.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T18:25:00.003-05:00

While reading blogs today, I read these four questions to ask ourselves when approaching a new year:

What do I need to Celebrate?
What do I need to Change?
What do I need to Conclude?
What do I need to Contend for? (In other words, whose interests will I look out for?)

I intend to contemplate those four questions over the next week while I pray about a Word for the year as well. I didn't choose a word last year, but I have new inspiration from my friend, Becky.

And let me just say, everyone needs a real woman of God who's a little ahead of her on the road of life to look up to. I've been blessed to have several of these women come into my life throughout the years, and Becky Moews is one of them! Lord, may my life be such a reflection of you that you will be able to use me in such a way as well.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T11:46:00.011-05:00

I wrote this post Christmas day but just managed to get the photos uploaded. Yikes!

Things have been so crazy around here trying to find and purchase a house and pack, etc., that I haven't recorded all our Advent doings. This year we read through A Family Advent: Keeping the Savior in the Season each night as well as watching Advent Calendar on DVD 2.

We also gave our traditional family gifts each Sunday in Advent. The first Sunday's gift was Tim Hawkins' new DVD, Insanitized. The second Sunday's gift was the new Veggie Tales DVD It's a Meaningful Life. The third Sunday's gift was a 15-in-1 Family Pack for the Wii. Finally, for the 4th Sunday in Advent, the kids received the Wii Party game. They've had a blast playing with this game.

The girls made a gingerbread house again this year. Can you tell that Carys really helped this time?

On Christmas Eve, we went to candlelight service on the square in Ocala hosted by our church, Cross Pointe Ocala. Afterwards, we had Chinese, as usual. Sometimes we have take-out, but this year we ate at the buffet in Ocala as it would have been too late to have take-out at home. We had our devotion, then the kids opened their Christmas Eve gift, which was two long-sleeved shirts each.

On Christmas morning, Greg had to wake everyone up at 9:11a.m. when the cinnamon rolls came out of the oven since they were all still sleeping.

Finally, we had Christmas morning devotions, took the annual picture in front of the tree, and opened gifts.

The kids drew names again this year. Gerren got Chase the Pride and Prejudice DVD.

Landon got Carys a Furr Friends puppy.

Chase got Landon a new wallet.

Carys got Gerren a thermal shirt.

Since this blog is a family record, I like to list everyone's gifts so we can check back if we need to. So, skip this part if it bores you. The following gifts were all from Mom and Dad.

Landon: luggage set, My Utmost for His Highest leather bound book, shaving kit, jacket, watch

Gerren: CAP boots, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (5-book set), Mustang calendar, $50 iTunes gift card, Axe gift set

Chase: arrows, black purse, leather gloves, Nancy Drew book The Twin Dilemma, the new Tinkerbell DVD, a dress for Liberty, a skin for her iTouch (which doesn't fit and has to be returned)

Carys: easel, beads, string and pattern cards set, Toy Story 3 DVD, Tiana costume from Princess and the Frog, bath robe

Greg: 2 new belts (from the kids), TNIV Study Bible, John Grisham's new book The Confession, 300-lb Olympic weight set (hidden in Landon's closet all month)

Linda: Presto popcorn popper (from the kids), toaster, gold watch (mine died), gold earrings (I lost one gold hoop of the set I wore constantly!), Yoshi knife (I've been wanting one of these!)

We went to Greg's brother's family's house for dinner which was a fabulous prime rib, baked potatoes, Caesar salad, and crescent rolls followed by my famous chocolate cheesecake and Kay's chocolate chip pecan pie. After dinner, we headed to the movies to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Our niece/cousin Rebekah hadn't seen it, so she went with us. We loved it.

After we got home around 6:30pm, we opened our stockings. This has become a tradition by default even though it's probably backwards from the way most people do it. It makes for a nice evening, though.

Landon said that the stocking stuffers just keep getting better and better.

Gerren wasn't too thrilled with his stocking stuffers.

Chase put in specific requests for her stocking (lotion, body spray, perfume, etc.)

Carys' stocking is harder to stuff for me. The big kids always get gum and a $10 iTunes gift card. So, I have to think of other things for Carys. She liked this Little Mermaid polly-pocket-type doll.

Even Dad got a stocking filled with goodies.

As you can see, I wasn't even home that day. Just kidding! I guess I was the one taking all the pictures!

The day after Christmas, Chase and Landon headed to Tyndall AFB in Panama City for Winter Encampment. I told them that this is the last year any Meahls are going to Winter Encampment. It just cuts our vacation too short!

Thanksgiving Pictures at Last!

2010-12-15T09:10:00.008-05:00

The Miskiewicz family hosted Thanksgiving this year at their home in Raleigh, NC. They have this fabulous enclosed back porch with a gas fireplace where we spent a lot of time.

There's a great table to eat at...

...and a lot of other cozy seating.

I perused the Black Friday ads first thing Thanksgiving morning.

While we sat on the porch, Carys played with Abby in the back yard.

Little did we know that she was systematically destroying some of Kim's garden (pulling up little stakes that said what was planted where, etc.)!

The kids played tons of games over the three days we were there.

Risk and Apples to Apples and games I'd never seen or heard of before!

Everyone had to have a ride in Matt's new Miata.

Kim's nephew (son of her twin sister) Jeremiah, his wife Meredith, and his dad Tom joined us for dinner. Jeremiah did a lot of the dishes before we even ate.

Why is there always a picture of Greg filling his plate?

Some pictures around the table. "Uncle" Tom, Landon, and Gerren

Jeremiah and Meredith

Erin Miskiewicz and her boyfriend Jeremy Phillips

Greg and me

Kim and Carys

At lot of time was spent on the various laptops...

...and jamming upstairs as well.

Dave plays the guitar as does Chase.

Jeremy is studying at Liberty and hopes to be a worship leader someday. He plays many instruments.

The adults went out to eat by themselves Saturday night to The Mellow Mushroom (we'd never been there before).

Carys ADORED Abby and was so sad to leave her.

These are the beautiful faces of the people I love most in the world!

Carys:

Chase:

Gerren:

Landon:

Greg:

Thanks for the great time, Kim, Dave, Matt and Erin. But all good things come to end, so we headed home on Sunday morning.

The Opposition of the Natural

2010-12-09T07:54:00.002-05:00

December 9th's reading in My Utmost for His Highest was based on Galatians 5:24. I always begin reading the section the verse is in wherever it starts, so I was reading Galatians 5:19-21 which says:

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (NLT)

I found it SO interesting that "the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group" was included in that list! I'm not sure I ever "saw" that before. In the NIV, this phrase is replaced by the word "factions". That's probably why I'd skipped over it before. I have certainly had experience with this kind of legalism lately. Why do people think that just because they are convicted of something that everyone else should be as well? Someone I love very much is under the influence of a person/group like this.

Chambers writes:

The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God's best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good. It is the good that opposes the best. The higher up the scale of moral excellence a person goes, the more intense the opposition to Jesus Christ. 'Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh...' [Gal. 5:24a]

I just love that! Dear God, keep me from imposing my idea of natural moral excellence on myself or anyone else.

Poor Neglected Blog

2010-12-06T08:52:00.002-05:00

I really needed to change the background of this poor blog from the fall motif to Christmas! Lots has been happening here. Things are always busy in December.

We went to Raleigh, NC, for Thanksgiving with our friends the Miskiewicz's. I didn't take many pictures. Kim did, and I'll get them from her eventually. But Dave's dad passed away last Monday, so life has been more hectic than usual for them.

Also last Monday, we found out that the house we've been living in has sold. Cloosing will be January 28, so we have to be out by then. We've been looking at houses in Ocala. However, Greg has a very slight possibility of a job in Illinois. We are praying that we don't buy a house in Ocala just to find out he has a job in Illinois. He also has a job possibility in Ocala. Although I have really wanted to move closer to my parents, if Landon ends up going to school at UCF, I'd prefer to stay in Florida. I just don't want him to live 1000 miles away from home.

We'd appreciate any prayers you can send up on our behalf, for direction and wisdom and clarity of God's perfect plan for us.

The Fast Pace of Fall

2010-11-15T13:38:00.007-05:00

The pace of life started to pick up last week, and it promises to continue through Christmas. Last Thursday, the kids marched in the Inverness Veteran's Day Parade with their CAP squadron, the West Citrus Cadet Squadron, SER-FL-445.

Cadet Commander C/Maj Landon Meahl led the squadron behind the color guard and to the right (left in the picture) of the guidon bearer.

C/CMSgt Gerren Meahl is actually the squadron's First Sergeant. He led the Alpha Flight, however, because the Alpha Flight Sergeant was part of the Color Guard (saluting in the picture).

C/AB Chase Meahl marched in her BDUs as she doesn't have her blues yet (front row, closest to the camera).

Tomorrow, we are going on a field trip with our homeschool group to a local hydroponic farm. Saturday, we're helping our church deliver Thanksgiving baskets, then having some friends over for dinner.

We'll have one day of school next week to make up for the day we're taking off tomorrow for the field trip, then we'll take the rest of the week off. We'll leave as soon as Landon finishes his Physics test on Wednesday for North Carolina to spend Thanksgiving with our friends, Dave, Kim, Matt, and Erin Miskiewicz. We can't wait!

November Already?

2010-11-01T19:00:00.004-05:00

Why do the years seem to go by faster and faster? I can't believe it's already November. We had the 10th Annual Meahl Family Scavenger Hunt last night. This is the 3rd house we've had the hunt in. We had pizza out with our friends the Pillsburys first. We've done several years (unless we've been out of town or helping at a carnival or something). It was so fun this year because we hadn't had much of a chance to visit with them in awhile! Here are some pictures from the hunt.

Gerren looks up a Bible verse (the clues).

Chase found a clue taped to the sword in Landon's room.

This clue was "teeth".

This was what Carys did during the hunt (this and ask "When do we get the pumpkins?").

This is what Landon did during the hunt (he's on a Skype conference call for Winter Encampment).

They were required to tell Carys the answer to the last clue so she could find the pumpkins.

You had to take them out of the washing machine VERY carefully or everything would roll!

The girls get their terrible sweet teeth from their mother!

It was worth all the trouble in the end.

Nothing New Under the Sun

2010-10-17T13:24:00.002-05:00

Well, that's not completely true, except that I have ignored this blog for the past 2-3 weeks. We've basically been doing normal life stuff during that time.

This past week was crazier than usual, though. Greg and I went out for a date night (of hanging out at Lowe's then getting coffee) last Sunday night, when we received a call that his mom had fallen at church and couldn't get back up. We were in the ER until 12:30am to find out she had a compression fracture of her L1 vertebrae. We brought her home with us, after getting a prescription filled, and managed to get to bed by 2:00am. I had to wake up Landon so he could go sleep in Gerren's room and give Gran his bed. He thought it was time to go to school and was making his bed, etc. It was so funny! Poor kid! He and Greg had to get back up at 6:30am.

The next morning, the ER called and wanted to do another CT scan. So, back we went. After 2 more hours in the ER, there was no change of treatment (follow-up with your GP). It was simply the T12 vertebrae that was fractured rather than the L1. Gran spent another night with us and hung out with Gerren, Chase, and Carys while Greg and I accompanied Landon on a tour of UCF Tuesday.

UCF has a very nice package for National Merit Finalists. Between their scholarship and Florida's Bright Futures Scholarship, Landon will have everything paid for and then some if he decides to go there next year. We were extremely impressed with their Engineering College as well as the Honors College. There are great opportunities for study aboard, internships, accelerated master's programs, etc. We have a lot of praying and thinking to do. :)

Hopefully, this week will be a little more normal!

Three Meahls a Day

2010-09-27T17:57:00.002-05:00

You can now get a full day's worth of Meahl cadets at the West Citrus Cadet Squadron, part of the Florida Wing's Civil Air Patrol program.

Yes, Chase decided out of the blue last week to join her brothers in CAP. Fortunately, we were able to outfit her in BDUs without purchasing a single thing since Gerren has grown out of his original CAP uniform. We may need to get a new BDU blouse before long, but we can put it off for awhile. She will get a free blues uniform from the AF. We'll just have to purchase her shoes (the boys may have some of those as well) and the cap device (which is a pin that goes on the cap). Much less expensive than when the boys joined. :)

She decided to join CAP to become a meteorologist (I have no idea how those two things connect). Carys and I have the house to ourselves on Monday nights now. Ahhh!

Promised Moving Pictures

2010-09-26T17:50:00.002-05:00

These pictures are more of the packing than the moving, but I promised pictures so here they are.

We started piling boxes in the dining room since it really isn't used much.

We quickly outgrew that into the front hallway.

When we couldn't walk in the front hallway, we started moving boxes into the garage.

It took me an entire week to pack up the school room. I couldn't believe there was so much stuff in one room!

The closet in the master bedroom was probably the next worse place. Thankfully, we just threw our clothes in the back of the van and brought them over. What do people do who move across country? The last time I did that I owned next to nothing!

We're finally getting settled and actually accomplished a full week of school!