May I have a stick with that therapy, please?

I've been so busy that I'm really not sure where I left off in my thoughts on here. I do know that when I last left you, I promised pictures of the sons' birthday gift, however, I just haven't had time to get them uploaded to my computer and all that. So, I'll just tell you about it. They got a Wii! They have been wanting one for a long time but finances being what they are, there was no way. They decided to pool their birthday money from their grandparents, aunts and parents and get one for both their birthdays. To say they have had fun is an understatement! Plus - their parents have had fun with it! :o) They got several fun games, including the sports pack, so you can find all of us bowling, playing golf, or baseball right in the middle of our family room! It's just amazing. I think the funnest game has been the Raving Rabbits game. It's ridiculously silly, but oh, so fun! We have never been into video games in our home. We found them to be colossal time wasters when the boys were young, but now, they have it in control and don't play all the time. I guess you could say they are ***gasp*** mature!! lol

You're probably wondering about that title for this post. Let me clue you in! I think I've shared that I've been in physical therapy. While it has been really good for me, there is definitely some pain involved! They have been doing some deep tissue massage on my ham string and other muscles that I have no idea the name for, and let me tell ya, it's painful! I told my therapist that they need to have sticks in there to bite down on like in the old Westerns. Remember, old Joe would be digging that bullet out of Billy and there would be Billy, biting down on that stick like no ones business. That's me. I need a stick. Or a dog bone. . . .

We are getting ready to do an Easter unit study in our homeschooling. We have several books we are going to read - of course, the Bible is the central book - as well as some really good movies on the life of Jesus. I'm really looking forward to this as it will be the last holiday study I do with my son. It's so hard for me to believe that he will be graduating in June and my career as a homeschool Mom will come to an end.

On an upnote, I have decided to continue in homeschooling by being a mentor to other moms. I have been asked to continue writing my article for the local newsletter (which I'm thrilled about) and I will start doing some speaking on a local level. I really feel that this is a good fit for me because God really did give me the gift of encouragement and I love to help others. I'm so happy to have this blessing of continuing in a community of people I love so much.

I've continued to swim every week day at the Y. My sons and I all go every morning. The lifeguards have taken a liking to my sons and have been helping them to improve their stroke. It's amazing how much they have improved since starting. My youngest son has become a proficient Pickle player! He was hanging out in the gymnasium shooting some hoops and some older people came in and asked him if he wanted to learn to play Pickle. He just loves it! It's great exercise and a fun game. My oldest has been working out with a trainer in the workout area and is very happy to have that one-on-one help. Being a part of the Y has been a real blessing for all of us. I don't do anything but swim, so while they are doing their other work-outs, I sit in the lobby sipping coffee and reading my Bible. I'm going to start taking my Bible study with me and work on that. It's really a nice time to sit and do something that is so important to me, yet can get put on the back burner if I don't work on it in the morning.

The wind has been ridiculous here. Today we've had 38 mile an hour winds! It's crazy! I wonder if I'm going to end up like Dorothy flying through the air in my house. There's no place like home. . .there's no place like home . . .there's no place like home . . . .

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I will be coming home straight from the Y and getting some things done that I haven't had time to do. I've had so many appointments or errands to do in the past 2 weeks, that I'm out longer than I'd like to be. It really will be nice to be home tomorrow.

God bless you - Julie