Turning 44..

  I turned 44 on Sunday! I definitely feel older. I've been trying not to think about that in 6 years I will be 50!  I guess that's not really a bad thing..but, I've always been the baby of the family..so it makes it a little harder for me to think about.  Turning 30 was hard for me too.  It seems to me that the older I get, the faster time flies. Is that just me..or is it that way for everyone?  At first I thought it was just the year, then it was also the week..and now lately it seems that even the days fly by.  I remember being a child and it seemed like time almost stood still.  I think the hardest part of seeing the time fly by as it does for me, is seeing my kids also seeming to growing older so quickly too.  It has also seemed to give me an urgency to make the most of my time here on earth..as if I want to be sure and do everything that God wants me to do. And, to also walk as closely as I can with him.
  2011 was a rough year, healthwise for me.  It was a huge reality check in getting older. I am doing ok though. The medicines that they have me on for the fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue and the arthritis/degenerative disc disease seem to be helping me some.  The ruptured disc still hurts me if I do certain things.  I have had to learn to work around it.  The medicines have also seemed to have numbed my brain somewhat..or that's how I feel sometimes. I think that they make me a little more tired than I already am... but I am pushing my way through the fog...and that's been a good thing. I am trying to keep myself busy so that I don't have time to feel sorry for myself,  and to keep my mind going strong too:)  Last fall I started teaching  at Sam's homeschool co-op.  I am the new strings teacher...and I love it!  I feel so blessed and honored that they asked me to do it.  It's such a great way to put the gift of music that the Lord blessed me with to work for the Lord. They are such great kids too! It's only on Fridays during the months of September through the first week of December.  Then they come back in Jan. and go through to the end of March.  We have a concert the first week of December and then a final spring concert at the end of March.  It's been such a good thing for me.  I am loving putting the music together and watching the kids learn new things, and then me learning to conduct..which I had never done before..was amazing!!  I just praise Yahweh for all the good in my life!!

The picture is of me directing the strings ensemble class in the December concert. Both classes did a wonderful job!!  I was so pleased that they asked me if I would be the teacher next year too..How awesome is that!! :)

I really want to try to start blogging regularly again.  I just seem to stay so tired.  That and the migraines that I have quite often really cause me difficulty when I try to sit down and type. The scrolling of the screen really does bother me.  I have also been staying busy knitting and doing lots of interesting learning with Sam. That's one of the really nice things about homeschooling.  I love that I am always learning right beside him.  It's funny how there are so many things that I've forgotten and am now learning over.  That and lots of new things too!  The 12 chicken girlies..:) keep me busy too.  We have had such a mild winter here that it hasn't seemed to slow their egg laying down much, if at all.  On average I usually get anywhere from 9-10 eggs a day. I think there may have been one or two days when I only got 6 eggs..and some days where I got a whole dozen!!

There are also some days when you get the nicest and sweetest of surprises.  Like this!!

As I end this post.. I am hoping and praying that this is just the beginning of many more.  A verse that we read in Sam's history lesson today comes to mind.  We were reading about John James Audubon.  The verse was Matthew 6:26.   "Look at the birds of the shamayim(Heavens) for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into storehouses, yet your Father of the shamayim(Heavens) feeds them. Are you not worth more than they?"   I had the privilege of having a dear friend that often calls me to talk and pray together; call me tonight.  I am so thankful for her calling, because I really needed prayer tonight.  Our prayers brought me back to this verse.  I went and got Sam's notebook and looked at his copywork of this verse.  It made me smile.:)  This verse means so much to me..I often worry and worry.  I really needed to hear it today and the Lord led me to it through Sam's lessons:) I am always thinking of my on-line friends. I can't wait until the day when we all meet in person together with the Lord. I keep all of you in my prayers. Please keep me and my family in yours.         I am praying that it won't be long until he comes back for all of us!

With Love and Hugs,      Jerelene