Back to Blogging?

Here is the thing. I like to write. I always have. It feels easier to convey thoughts through writing. And I have so many thoughts. I may be drowning in thoughts right now. So, I'm going to try blogging again. I miss it. I used to blog several times a week plus almost daily for Superkids. Not writing at all doesn't feel right. I may drop it again, I may blog forever. It all remains to be seen.

I guess a little update is in order. Kind of like the Christmas letter, to get everyone caught up on the Martin crew.

We are now 20 months into owning Ebenezer Groceries (I guess business ownership is like a new baby, you count months for the first 2 years) it has been a huge growing experience for us, but it's going well and we are happy to be doing what we are doing. We have built a management team we love, which makes a huge difference in how busy we are on any given day.

Now for the kid updates. Everyone is healthy and doing well if you want to skip the mom brag that is coming.

Douglas & Kayla have been married since the end of July. They are super busy with both of them being in their final semester of nursing school. We are so proud of their dedication and hard work! Not only are they in school, but they both are working. And... (drumroll please!!) they are expecting their first baby in about 4 weeks! Meaning we are going to be PaPa and Nan-Naw Just expect this blog to be over-run with grand baby pictures in about a month.

Freeland is 19 and lives in an apartment in Schaefferstown. He is working with a landscaping crew. I am so happy to see him able to be more active again after his back problems and eventual surgery a year ago. He works out and has worked hard to get his core strength built back up after that set-back. He has always been our active outdoorsman, so it does my heart good to see him back at it.

Casper is 16 and is a junior in high school. He is a sweet kid who loves his dogs and cares for them tirelessly. School work has always come pretty easily for him. He is hoping to go to flight school to become a commercial pilot after he graduates.

Annika is turning 14 next week. She is finishing 8th grade online at home. I enjoy the extra one on one time I have with her while the other kids are at school. She got an early birthday gift this year. His name is Olaf and he is a chinchilla rabbit. We got him from the local animal shelter and he is 5 years old. He is so soft and already pretty snuggly considering that she has only had him for 2 days.

Eliana doesn't love when I call her the baby of the family, but my baby she is and will always be. She is 12 and in 5th grade. She is back to going to school full time and I miss her so much on the days she used to spend at home! She had a hybrid schedule until fairly recently, so we got a bit spoiled. She is still my little cuddle bug most of the time, though she occasionally reminds me that she is 12 and has more important things to do than watching cooking shows with me.

And Keith and I are, let's say mid-40's. He is the one who does most of the buying and numbers stuff for the store while I do the marketing. We make a pretty good team, if I do say so myself. 

And I can't close without telling you about the dogs. 

Bubba is our adorable, spoiled little cockapoo. He has his favorite place on the sofa and whines if someone dares to sit there or put something there. He loves snuggle times and will go part way back the hall then whine for me to come back to snuggle with him and rub his belly on the bed. He recently went to obedience school and is a very good little boy even if he does pout a little at times when he has to do something he doesn't want to.

Thor is our big, goofy Rottweiler. He is absolutely the sweetest, most laid back dog. He loves to be snuggled too and will often push his way in when we are giving Bubba attention. He has a big, mean sounding bark, but would pretty much welcome anyone in and serve tea if he could. He also went to obedience school and is such an obedient good boy. 

So that is about it. The update. And bless you if you made it this far. Anyone who followed my blog in the past knows this is not my normal style. I just had to have a base-line to work off of. 

I'm excited to be back!! <3

P.S. Photos of Casper and Annika coming soon. 

I Want More { A Letter to my Sons }

Today I have the privilege of guest posting over at Don't Let Life Pass You By, a fellow adoptive mom's blog.

Head on over here to read about {some of } my desires for my sons.

 

Homeschooling- How Do We Love Thee? #7 { a guest post by Freeland }

The following post was written by Freeland. I did give him a few ideas before he started writing but the post was written by him and is unedited.  These are his opinions put into his words.

My name is Freeland Martin. I'm in 5th grade.  Up to this point I have gone to Hamlin Mennonite School.  It was a pretty good school.  I just grew up there so I kind of liked it.

This is the first year we are homeschooling.  There are some negative and positive things about homeschooling. One of the positive things about homeschooling is that it is more flexible.  For example on Friday morning we took Daddy out for breakfast on his birthday, we could not have done that if we had to leave for school at a certain time.  Another good thing is that it doesn't take as long.  Another good thing is that my dog can be right with me all day.  I like that!

A negative thing is that the schoolwork is harder.  Some of the stuff I didn't learn before but it is review for A Beka students.  When I went to school if my morning jobs weren't finished by time to leave I had to go anyway but now I always have to finish my jobs before I start school and sometimes I have to do a job during school time.  That isn't so nice! 

My favorite subjects are History and Math.  In History I am studying about India.  It is pretty good I think.

On Monday we had a Tropical Storm come through.  We thought it would be worse but it wasn't that terribly bad.  We did our school downstairs so that if a tree fell on our house we wouldn't be hurt.

I have been in the house for two days and I have a lot of energy, so Mommy said I should go run on the treadmill now.

Thank you for reading my blog post!

A Perfect Day

The weather is just amazing in my little corner of the world! So what does any sensible mommy of four who is babysitting three more do? Well, she takes the whole crew fishing, of course! Actually only the boys went fishing. The rest of us blew bubbles and chased them and played with water and buckets and stones. It was glorious!

Then we ate lunch. And while we were eating, a bald eagle soared over the lake we were sitting beside! Absolutely awesome!

I never want to forget these simple joys. These days when all of my kiddos are right here and we can load up and go on a picnic on a whim just because the day is too beautiful to NOT go. And when catching a tiny fish is reason enough to celebrate loudly.