Praise the Lord for Our Brianna!!!

I'm not sure what the Lord is doing with our Brianna but it is amazing as a parent of this little spit fire of a teenager to watch Him do work in her and with her.
The Lord has laid upon my heart these past few months to sit back and let Brianna make choices in her life without my opinion all of the time. I am trying soo very hard to be supportive when the choices appear to come from a good place in her and bite my lip a little when it isn't and give guidance and direction with parables if you will, sharing life lessons learned to give influence to her instead of my old more direct approach. I have seen a huge difference in her heart for me. Praise the Lord, her heart has softened greatly for me and in some ways I feel I have my little girl back. Hugs and kisses and all. The teen years are so hard, they can be rude and edgey which truth be told brings out a little rude and edgey in me. They can be inconsiderate and seem to be mostly interested in self. That being said I have also had some of the most heart warming and special conversations with this person who is not even close to a little girl anymore. She is a young woman. A young woman who I am so proud to say has value in herself before the Lord. I'd like to share a piece of a conversation we had today.
A close friend of hers who is also a freshman has been dating a senior boy. This relationship has been very hard for Bri to watch. She sees her friend acting in a way that really bothers her, she feels this boy is too old for her friend and says her friend is too wrapped up in one person at this age. Today things came to a head between Bri and her friend. She said at the lunch today the boy was not being very nice to her or her friend. Then she witnessed them in Bri's words "kissing on the mouth and it was soooo gross". Bri told me about it when she got home from school and said they left school mad at each other. Soon the phone rang and it was her friend.
It was sort of amusing to listen to her tell me how she shared the word of God from a teen stand point. Bri said to her friend "Hey I know you don't want to hear this but I'm going to get all Biblical on you. You shouldn't be acting the way you did today with a boy. God intended for your first kiss to be with the man you are going to marry but today you ruined that. You can't ever get that back. I wonder how you husband will feel about it. It is wrong to be acting this way with any boy let alone one who is way to old for you and wants you to do older things with you, it goes against God. Then she told her she would always be her friend but that she should not be ok with a boy treating herself or any of her friends in the manner he chose to treat everyone today." Her friend told her that she was right and she was going to talk to her boyfriend about it.
I ask you could any mother imagine to hear those words come from their teenage daughter? I am so proud of her for not sitting quiet, not allowing behavior she knows is wrong to go without saying something. I'm proud of her for being a good friend. I am proud of her for walking with Jesus and allowing him to use her. I am in awe of her strength I am excited watching God use her and wonder how he will next. He is using her in ways I could have never imagined to minister to girls in her class. We have had a few similar conversations lately about two other girls who have asked her questions about heaven and why God put us here. It is fantastic listening to her share these conversations with me.
She recently decided that she wanted to give up 4-H and soccer. She had mentioned 4-H a few months ago then soccer almost as soon as it was over. I told her these where her decisions but I felt she should be very prayerful with any decision made as to make sure it is God's direction and ask Him to bring clarity and peace in the decision. Chris really likes her doing both so the day she announced that she was ready to quit both he was a little irritated and asked her why, and he wanted some good reasons. She said this "I really feel like I have fallen away from being a part of Youth Group at church. I learn a lot there about God and don't feel like I have any time for it anymore because I'm always busy doing other stuff. I think the things I learn about there will be with me forever and it's way more important. She also went on to explain that the friends there like her for who she is and she likes being around them and feels more comfortable. " Umm, I thought those were some pretty good reasons and I guess he thought so too because he didn't challenge it anymore and looked a little awestruck of her answer.
Praise God for showing me how to trust in Him with all things. Praise God for being faithful with my children and praise Him for giving me the eyes to see it and the heart to love Him for it. Praise Him for allowing me the honor of being Brianna's mom.

Hope you are all enjoying this Holiday season!!!
Merry Christmas!!!
Chelle

A KCMA Student!!!

As of today I am a student of Kettering College of Medical Arts. I will be taking pre-requisite classes for a year beginning Jan. 11th, then I will apply to the Ultra-sound program. Upon completion, I will have a Bachelor's degree and will be certified in all four areas of ultra-sound; heart, ob, vascular and abdomin. KCMA is one of only two schools in Ohio that offer all four areas and ranked 10th in the nation for this program. It is also a Christian college. Healthcare is being taught from a biblical perspective and I will get to have religion classes along side my medical courses. God blessed me with a schedule that will allow me to be in school when the kids are on MWF and be home when they are. They will not notice much change this semester. That is my goal for every semester, to keep their lives the same with me there for them as normal as possible. I will get to have a job that helps people but also allows me the flexibility to continue to be the Mom I love being. The kids think it is cool that Mommy will go to school too but mostly they think it is funny that I will have homework.
Below is the Student Personal Statement essay that I wrote and attached with my application.
The question was. How do you measure success? What have you specifically done to try to reach your own measure of success?
My answer:
I measure success by what God's best would be from me and for me. It comes from whether or not I feel He would be pleased with the goal, endeavor or task. Winning or being the most sought after is not as important as how the goal is achieved. Working hard while keeping the importance of honesty, integrity and treating others with the honor God has asked me to is the scale.
In order to succeed, first I pray. God's guidance brings direction and peace over paths chosen. Bible study is also key. Professionally its wisdom has molded me into a person who is dependable, responsible and puts others first. Personally it has taught me to be a wife my husband needs as a helper to him and has trained me to build character, love and direction in my children. God in the center is the key to all success.

Next question was: In what ways, if any, does your relationship with God influence how you think about the following statement; "Kettering College of Medical Arts desires that its graduates understand their profession as a call to serve others, not just a livelihood".
My answer:
I consider an education at KCMA and my future profession to be an answer to prayer. I have spent a large amount of time asking God if it would so delight him to delight me in filling my days with work that would be helpful to others while challenging my mind on a daily basis. I found confirmation to the call of becoming a sonographer when I found KCMA. I could have never imagined to find a school that would teach health care from a biblical perspective but God has led me to it. I am excited and anticipate looking for the opportunities God will put before me each day to do his work serving patients and my co-workers in a manner which would bring glory to Him.

My Christopher, I love you and am grateful to be called yours. Thank you for working your tail feathers to the bone for us always. Thank you for not only giving me permission to do this but also being my biggest cheering section and for trusting God and believing in the abilities God has placed in me more than I do myself. Mostly thank you for your strength as my husband and father to our children, the cornerstone that never breaks and continues to give even though you are so exhausted. You never complain and just envelope all of us in your love and protection. You are my hero.

Hope everyone has a great week!!! Chelle

True Love with Choices

Our pastor delivered a truly awesome sermon this morning about God's love through choice. I have thought a lot about this truth these past few years. True love only comes from choice. I completely get this from the standpoint of God and how he loves us and how we love Him. I know He is jealous for my heart and I love knowing that he is.
Chris is jealous for my heart too. Secretly I love knowing that he is. I once heard a woman say that her husband was so jealous and it just drove her nuts. I thought really? I know my husband is jealous too, he shows it whenever any man gets within a 5 mile radious of me, here it comes with the questions and his chest get all puffed up and he gets a stern look and I think praise the Lord. It doesn't happen often and I in no way shape or form put myself in situations to make my husband jealous but when a situation does come up I know under no uncertain terms that I belong to Chris Beck!! That doesn't make me nuts at all because I do belong to him and I love that he wants me to belong to him. So I think that is how God must feel when I read in the Bible that He is jealous for my heart...He wants to protect me and wants me to belong to Him.
Our marriage has gone to heights I would have never thought possible out of our love for wanting to choose to help each other. It is so much sweeter to come home to a cleaned up kitchen or clean laundry that has been taken care of when my husband chose only to want to please me without me having to ask for the help. In turn I see the look of sheer appreciation on his face when a customer called in and I chose to go to the site to give the customer estimate without him having to touch until the actual work is scheduled. Words are much more kind when you are choosing to build up each other rather than concentrate on whose fault and just pitch in to make it all work out. I see this choosing Love and I unmistakably know that that is the kind of love God wants from us.
As I look at our children, especially our now 15 year old daughter, I think is this so for them. Bri is wanting to make so many of her own choices and as her mother wanting to protect her it is so hard. I want her to make good choices. But the only way to really know whether she will or not is to actually let her make them on her own. I think in just 3 1/2 short...SHORT years I will be standing at a place in life where hope will exceed the mourn of a grown child spreading her wings and I think I want the choices to be hers. I can see how it must be so hard for God to know we are going to fall and just let us so we can learn how to change and do what is right while standing right beside us every step of the way. As a parent of a teen who is getting ready to start driving soon and looking at colleges and talking about what her life might hold I think teach me Lord. Teach me to parent the way you do. Help me to be ready to watch her fall and let her figure out how to get up all the while standing right beside her every step of the way. Let me be the one who is her loudest cheer leader when she does choose right and the quiet one in the corner with arms open wide when her choice was wrong. I faithfully keep her in your hands Lord looking over her at all times. I choose to pray your guidance in her Lord, I choose to trust in you on her behalf and I know you are Lord.

This week is crazy with one kid at the hospital today getting a knee x-ray, five soccer games between two kids, soccer practice, church hand-in-hand Wed. night, a field trip Fri. for Natty and a big Tinkerbell Tea Party birthday for Natty on Sunday afternoon, oh yes and if we can make it a Pumpkin Show parade with Papaw on Sat. evening. What you may ask would keep a mother sane trying to keep up with all of this and work......prayer, prayer, prayer. I find myself in such a minute by minute relationship with the Lord. I need it, He requires it, and with Him it all gets done and Mom is at peace. Chris downloaded the Bible on my MP3 and I have been listening to it each day that I work. I love it. His word is in my ears, my mind and my heart continually and it has been such joy. One would think you could not listen to thine word for thou might think thee would get somewhat tired from 6 hours of thine and thou but I find at the end of the day I'm trying to find a good place to stop as not to miss anything. I pray on each day asking Him to open my heart to what He would have me learn. Such a submission has spilled over to the rest of my day. I find myself praying continually each time an issue comes to my mind I ask His guidance, His blessing, His wisdom, His peace and it comes. With prayer Bri's knee is a minor swollen tendon, I find joy in watching my children play their hearts out at soccer, my heart warms over a child thanking me for teaching her about Jesus, I feel honored that I am a Mother who gets to take the time to go on the field trip, I look forward to the delight in my 5 yr. olds face as she serves all of her friends even though she is the guest of honor, my heart sings as my son explains how he prays at school at lunchtime even though nobody else does and with prayer, I feel the blessing of a husband who goes out of his way to make my life easier in any way he can and never complains about the many hours he puts in to keep our family going and loves me even when I'm not lovable and with prayer I can feel the treasure of having our parents and siblings close enough to share it all. Like a bruised, bumpy peach is such that makes the sweetest jam. That is what I am or maybe I'm still just in the processor, either way it is sweet with the Lord as the maker.

Joseph in "Awe" of his Family

This warmed my heart so, I had to share it.
We were in full swing of our Tues. after school routine. Me making supper, Bri in her room doing homework, Natty sitting on the deep freeze coloring and Joe who had just finished his homework had moved on to working on his Mapbook. Our church has a Wed. night program we are involved in called "Hand - In - Hand". Supper at the church at 6:00 then at 6:45 kids and adults go to their age appropriate Bible Study classes. The older kids such in Joe's class bring home a paper or worksheet "Mapbook" to work on through the week then they take it back the following week and whoever brings it back gets candy. You can imagine our 7yr. old son is all over this. He gets
CANDY right!!!
Anyway we were going through the point which was how big God is and how Him being so big loves little old you. They were talking about galaxies, the sun, the moon and the earth, how God created this in all His glory and that same God loves Joseph. The next part of the book says to draw something you are just in Awe of and think about the fact that the God that made that thing you think is soooo Awesome loves Joseph. He began drawing and as I looked over I was surprised he had drawn our family.Jose, "I think you are supposed to draw something like the sun or you know something big." He says, "no Mom it says to draw something you think is awesome and I think our family is really awesome and I think how much I love you and Daddy and Sissy and Natty I think no way God could love me more than that but he just does."

How blessed am I to have such a family as this, with such awesome kids and such an awesome husband.

Hope you are both having a great week.
Love, Chelle

Aaaah Fall

There is a crisp in the air in the evening and it is beginning to feel like Fall. I love Fall. I love the falling leaves with so many warm colors. I love the smell of burning wood and the apple, cinnamon that fills the air at our house with all the goodies we seem to have to make when the air is cool again. I enjoy the routine of school and the ball games. The pumpkins, hay rides and all the other glorious changes the world makes to prepare for winter. I enjoy the changing of the seasons. I suppose if I lived in a climate where the weather was somewhat the same all year long I would appreciate it too, not having the yuck in the winter would be at the top of my list but for now I am going to enjoy it. We are home this weekend for the first time in I think Chris and I counted 6 weeks. I cleaned the house, got mostly caught up on laundry, painted on the house some more, mowed some of the grass and have loved every minute of it. Everything beginning to go back into order after the craze that August brought.
Brianna and Joseph started school last week and Natalie will begin on Wed. The two older ones are riding the bus this year. It is about a ten minute ride for them each way. Joseph loved it and Brianna could leave it but it is working out for our family as a whole. Natalie won't ride until next year but she can't wait. I was not quite ready for them to go back, I cried like a baby the first day of school but they both had a great first week.
Brianna really likes her classes in high school. There are a variety of different classes and it has mixed the kids up more which has been a great benefit to her. She doesn't have many classes with those two that really bullied her last year. She is also playing soccer for the Tri-Village varsity team. I have to give her credit she is 1 of 4 girls on the team and she still shows up and gives it her all. This is a great team of kids with a real positive outlook that begins with the coach on down. It has been a great experience for her and has given her sort of a new place at school to fit in. Joseph is enjoying his new first grade class. He likes his teacher and is getting all kinds of prizes for doing a great job. He will start soccer in a few weeks as well. Natalie has had a great time this last week spending time with grandparents who are taking turns watching her while we are at work and spending some extra time with us on the days we are home. I can't believe next year she will be in Kindergarten and my baby will no longer be a baby. I will be volunteering at pre-school and soaking up every last minute I can with her this year.
Chris and I are busy with our business. It is a struggle each week to keep our lives in a balance. Our business is growing but so far we have been able to take care of all of it between the two of us. Some weeks it is very difficult and some weeks it is a breeze just like everybody else.
Hope you all are enjoying your Labor Day weekend as much as we are.
Love you!!
Michelle

Summer Picture Post

Joseph and Natalie enjoying a day of slip and slide in the front yard.

Natalie getting ready for her date with Daddy.

Children's Museum in Indianapolis.

Camp-out, roasting marshmallows.

The beach at Hueston Woods State Park.

Chris and Bri getting ready for their mountain biking experience.

Joe's Kindergarten Graduation

I have all of these thoughts running around in my head and I thought perhaps it would make sense for me to write these thoughts down and then maybe the peace I've been asking God to bring will come into my heart and my silly head.
My Mom got married this past Saturday. We have gotten to know Tom her husband over the past two years spending time together over a handful of holidays, birthdays and events the kids have participated in. He seems to be an absolutely wonderful man. I could not have picked a better guy for her. He is very kind, loving and has a great sense of humor and puts up with my mama bossing him around in such a way that amazes me. He says, "hey I'm a peach now, remember I'm a peach." I love it, she smiles even chuckles and whatever it was making her crazy melts away.

That being said. Why was it so weird for me. I felt so selfish all weekend but could not make my feelings go away. I felt like a child. I think he is so great for her but kept thinking I don't want a stepdad. I really had not even thought about that part until Mom had asked me to call Tom on Father's Day since his own two daughters don't call him. I thought, that isn't my place, I don't have a clue as to what their relationship is and it quite frankly is none of my business the things that have happend between them. As for me I had never thought of him as a father figure just a friend. I have a Dad I love and go see on Father's Day. The only other person I have ever called Dad is my Father-In-Law whom I adore and have loved for the 15 years I've been married to his son and even then I have only said it on ocassion when I have felt especially close to him. Then I got to thinking I now have stepsisters. This came on the tail of Mom insisting we all spend the weekend together after the wedding at their home in Springfield. Both of his kids and her kids. I thought I don't want stepsisters, I'm perfectly happy with the two great sisters God blessed me with, I don't have room for anymore.
Is this possible that I would feel this way as a grown adult. Shouldn't I be able to embrace this a bit more maturely. All I can think is she is myyyyyyyyyy Mom. When I heard one of his daughters call her Mom I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. What is wrong with me. I kept thinking this is not how I am supposed to feel, I am supposed to be happy and supportive and the person Mom can lean on if she is nervous but I just wasn't. I didn't talk much. I was thankful for my sweet husband who held his arm around me tight through the ceremony. Actually he was awesome the entire weekend. He seemed to be right beside me at every moment I needed him to be and left me alone when I needed to be left alone.
I kept thinking this is why God says one man and one woman and why he despises divorce, the pain is so great and changes lives in such a way that nobody is ever really the same. I walked around with this fake smile all the while re-visiting this gaping wound left in my heart from 13 years ago when my parents of 25 years decided our family wasn't worth fighting for and gave up. I know that sounds harsh but it really is harsh and here I am 13 years later still trying to get over it.
Again, I feel like a child that I have these feelings and through prayer and understanding God will heal me up once again and put peace back where I feel sorrow. I trust this as he has done it so many times before.
I do love seeing my Mom so happy for her smile could have been the guide light to heaven on Saturday. I just needed to get these horribly, selfish feelings out of my head.
I WILL GET OVER IT!!!
Michelle

Beautiful Day

The weather here was absolutely gorgeous today!!! Sunny 79 and very low humidity, my favorite.
I got up at 6:30, took a shower, made some coffee and dove into the book of Samuel 1. I have never read this book in the Bible and so far I find it very interesting. I thought long about the part where Samuel hears the Lord call his name but thinks it is Eli. Eli then instructs Samuel that it is the Lord calling and listen to what he has to say. I know there are times I hear him call my name but answer to something else before Him. I need reminded that I should listen to Him first in all things. Thank you Lord for speaking to me please give me ears to hear you and follow your ways before my own.
I went off with my day remembering the sweetness of the weekend. Thursday was our 15th wedding anniversary. I was a little hurt that the festivities for such an occasion amounted to a card and a romantic evening cd from the dollar tree but I got over it. I think I did, what can I tell you girls, my man is not a romantic fan. Friday night Chris took the kids to the Father-Kids camp-out with our church. The kids had a blast with Dad while I went to a quaint little town called Tipp City with friends for supper and a stroll through a lovely antique shop. Saturday we caught up on chores then Chris and I went out with friends for supper. Chris' buddy was in from Utah so we always make time to go out with him and his parents to catch up. We had a great time as we always do with them, lots of laughs, lots of hugs, lots of remembering the old days when we were teens.
Sunday brought rest which was much needed.
Ohioans enjoy the temperature this week, hope it stays like this for the 4th. Not sure what it is like in Arkansas M but I hope you are getting the same wave, I know you like the mild but sunny too. Love you both!! Chelle

Strange Weekend

Our weekend started off with lots of fun. Friday we finished up VBS and took my nieces to the pool for the afternoon. Saturday was a birthday pool party for my niece Kelsy who just turned 10. It was a great day, our family had so much fun. We put water wings on Natty and she was swimming like a fish to my mom for about 10' lengths at a time. My Dad even came to the party and we enjoyed some of his old Navy stories. Chris and I soaked up the family fun, we laughed much and were sad to see the party end.
Just after we had gotten home, everyone showered and into beds the phone rang. A good friend from church calling to let me know that a close family member had committed suicide hours earlier. She called me hoping I could direct her as to who could do the clean up. I am not going to go into details except to say a gun was used and you can imagine the rest. This is a very private matter but I wanted to ask for prayer for Chris. You see I did just what she asked I instructed her as to who to call. I got off the phone and told Chris all about it and began praying for them. Chris said to me "Call her back and tell her because it is her family I'll do the clean-up". When we were first married Chris worked for a cleaning co. that did this kind of work so I knew he was trained and he is very careful about regulations but the heart of the matter was that I really didn't want him to go. I asked many times "are you sure" before I called her back. He seemed to feel better knowing he could to this to help the situation and thought that at least the details of the matter would be contained instead of a co. not knowing the family doing then perhaps sharing what they had seen not to mention the cost they would be charged for such a job. No there was no changing his mind. My heart flew into panic a bit after calling my friend to tell her Chris would do it. I was thinking of his mind and how he could never erase it. I was in awe of the grace my husband could bestowe upon another and a part of me felt like he was some kind of super hero. No I would depend on the Lord for this and peacefully let him carry out what the Lord had so apparently asked him to do. I prayed, I prayed a lot. Finally, yesterday as he was pulling out of the drive I felt God's hands over the situation and peace came to me. He came home and seemed ok. He shared some unexpected details but for the most part he said it wasn't so bad and he was glad he could do this for my friend. My husband the "solid rock". God knew he could handle it even though it frightened me to my core. Please be in prayer that the details of this fade and God keep him strong over the situation. Please be in prayer for this family who lost this Christian man who was a husband, father, grandfather and brother.

Love to you all.
Chelle

My mood is rather heavy this evening. We have been enjoying the business of summer. We enjoyed our camp trip with the kids so much. We all had a great time swimming, biking, hiking, fishing you name it we had a blast. We came back to a busy, busy week of playing catch up on our business and making decorations for VBS and then putting up the decorations for VBS. This week of course was VBS. My job was to give the Bible Lesson for the Pre-schoolers. We did Crocodile Dock so I was a southern woman character Miss Sylvie Sugar and talked with a southern accent all week. Fun, Fun, I love seeing the lights come on in their little minds when they begin to understand. My sweet young nieces Kayla 13 and Kelsy 10 stayed with us the entire week and served at VBS with us. This was the first time in two summers we have been able to have them for a week like this and I savored it, we all did I think. Cherished memories.
But this week a tragedy hit our community that has me really shaken.
Yesterday when I was checking in to begin the morning routine with the director for the Pre-school ministry she took me aside and gave me the news that a child that had been attending our VBS had drowned at a pool party the night before. It is a small community so news traveled fast and we soon came to know it was a 4-H pool party and several families from our church were there and new this poor little boy. We had been visiting with my neighbor, swimming in her pond as her son was getting ready to go to this very party that evening. The boy was Jonathan Kinnison 10 yrs. old. The boy was not a good swimmer and had gotten caught under a bunch of other kids when a group of them jumped into the pool all at the same time. All of these children watched as he was hoisted out of the pool, cpr performed and the rescue squad called in. All children watched as this little boy was taken to Jesus including his little 8yr. old sister. Tears well up in me watching the news coverage of our Elementary principal give an account of what a special boy he was and what a blow it has been to our community. My heart hurts for his parents who were not present at the pool party, the boy had gone with friends to enjoy and evening of fun. A picture of him at our VBS is being prepared for the family as it was the very last picture taken of him Wed. afternoon just hours before this tragedy had taken place. My heart aches thinking of my friend having to counsel her children one of whom saw this all take place and one who was classmates with this boy. I truly cannot imagine the kind of pain this brings to those involved, I offer up prayer and nothing else seems like enough.
It was a very real reminder of the big picture of why we are here and how important it is to continue planting seeds for we do not know His plan for our lives and the timing at which He chooses for us to be with Him. So my mood and my heart are heavy thinking of the work ahead that these families will have to endure knowing that he is in a better place but dealing with the harshness of the feeling of loss here and the shocking way in which he left. Please pray for the Kinnison family and for all those families that have been affected by this horrific accident.

Love to you all.
Michelle

Quiet of the Morning

I am the one and only in our family that loves the quiet of the morning. For the most part I always have. Sure the morning never seemed a pleasure when the kids were babies and we were up half the night or they just plain wore me out during the day. But now, here in this place, today, everyone is asleep and the day is just beginning. The birds are chirping, there is a chill in the air and God's world is beginning to come alive. Even as a kid I was always the first one out of bed. In college I annoyed my cousin who shared my room when I would get up at the crack of dawn to study or just drink coffee and grab the news. Then it was the one thing I could count on, no matter what the night was like I knew a new fresh morning was just around the corner. Now it is the one part of the day where I completely feel the peace of the Lord, I can connect with Him without interruption and pray over our day before it begins.
Today I am praying over our camp trip. I pray for good weather, I pray for God's blessing over our vehicles and safety for everyone, I pray our business stays in tact and no emergencies pop up that just have to be taken care of, I pray customers understand when we say we can't get to them until next week and stay our customers anyway, I pray nobody gets sick and everyone gets along and most of all I pray for that re-connection where our sentences run into each other and we laugh until it hurts. Oh Lord I pray your blessings over this trip my children so deserve it. We have planned this much anticipated camp trip in "The Big Red Bus for months. Whenever the kids were tired of school or just bored I would encourage them to plan some more crafts, games, activities, meals you name it, it has been planned. The kids have it all in their little minds and we need to have some Family Fun. School is out for the summer and their reward for this crazy year has finally arrived. We made it. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, all were seen this year with all of the changes in our household but we made it with everyone Happy, Healthy and Emotionally in tact. Praise the Lord.
I'll try to post pictures. Hope everyone in enjoying the beginning of a wonderful summer.
Off the Hueston Woods State Park we go.

Love,Chelle.

I Dreamed About Princesses

When Natalie woke yesterday morning, she quietly came down the stairs to find me on the sofa. She wrapped her little arms around me so tight and said "I dweamed about pwincesses wast night and it was so bewtiful". I scooped her up and gave her many kisses while looking into her big brown eyes that were just glowing and told her she was my little princess. Oh how I love this age with her, every moment seems so special.
It was Grandparent's Day at her pre-school and she was so excited. My mom came to get her at about 9:00 to take her to the school. I had to stay home with Joe who was up all night with a stomach flu. Chris' Dad, Stepmom and Mom were meeting them at the school at 9:30. They had a great morning of crafts and fun. Mom took us to get lunch to bring back home and we enjoyed visiting with her the afternoon on the front porch.
After I picked up Brianna from school I took her to meet my sister. They invited her to go camping with them for the Memorial weekend.
Chris is working today so the little kids are playing outside in their new pool and slip -n- slide while I'm cleaning the house and doing laundry.
We have been so busy, most of this weekend will be spent just catching up but it feels good to be home. We are going to make a campfire one night to roast hot dogs and smores. The bus came with a fire pit that we have fixed by the picnic table at our house since most places we would camp already come with a fire ring so we look forward to just having a little campfire at home in the evenings this summer.

Hope you all enjoy this lovely weather and have some Memorial weekend fun!!
Love ya-Chelle

Poems by: Brianna Beck

I AM

I am caring and a servant of God.

I wonder how animals are built.

I hear a whistle.

I see a unicorn.

I am caring and a servant of God.

I pretend to be a vet.

I feel happy about unicorns.

I touch zebras.

I worry about when I die.

I cry when I think about my dogs, which had died a long time ago.

I am caring and a servant of God.

I understand that I can't own a zebra or a horse.

I say that I trust in God.

I dream about horses.

I try to take good care of animals.

I hope to become a vet someday.

I am caring and a servant of God.

Brianna

Kind, horse rider, helpful and loving

Daughter of Chris and Michelle Beck

Lover of horses, friends and family

Who feels loved, happiness and energetic

Who feers spiders, sharks, and snakes

Who would like to meet Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Toby Mac

Resident of New Madison, on Preble Co. Butler TWNP Rd.

Beck

Happy Mother's Day

Today Chris and I went to Wal-Mart to look at paint colors for the exterior of our house. I can't wait. Finally after four long years we are able to revive the look of our old place. Our house is over 100 years old and still has the old wood siding, not sure if it is original but it sure looks it. Painted I think it will look quaint and charming. Currently, the yellow paint is peeling and cracking and much of the largest side of the house is completely bare of any paint at all. Yes indeed it will do my heart good to pull up to a freshly painted house. We can't afford to put new siding on it and I kept thinking it was a waste of money to paint it but I just can't take it anymore. I'm sure that sounds so silly and maybe even selfish but I just need to like the way my house looks. Don't get me wrong every year I love where we live even more and so do our kids. But here I am with a former career in design and I can think of one million and one things each day that would make our old farmhouse look just darling until the reality of little money and often even less time creeps in. So excited to have one idea come into view. We are thinking burgundy house with white trim. We need something dark to cover all the crack and hole fills and areas where new windows have been put in but you can still see where the old 10'H windows were. I'll be sure to post before and after pictures so you can share in the experience with us.

Tomorrow I am heading to church for a Mother's day seminar called "Taking Care of your Mother's Heart". A heart surgeon is coming in to talk to us about heart health and then they are going to be talking about our spiritual hearts. After that we are off to my Mom's to celebrate with her.

Sunday I am actually going to be home for the first time ever on Mother's day. What a treat. After church the kids and I are planning to plant flower boxes and perhaps work on our garden.

Happy Mother's Day I hope you get to enjoy it because each one of you deserve it!!!!
Chelle

Silly Old Snake Hunter

I killed a snake on our property this week. Chris and I were taking our spring tour of the place with the kids looking at all the beautiful flowers God has sent. Joseph and Natalie were playing in an area where there are trees and a little brush. Jose starts running yelling " Run Natalie, SNAKE, SNAKE"! Chris is deathly afraid of them so I asked him to go get a shovel. I told Joseph to show me where he saw it. I was stepping around, not seeing anything, then I looked down at my feet and noticed a hold close to my foot and realized I might be standing on the nest. Sure enough a few seconds later I saw a brown snake standing up at me with it's red tough going nuts. I jumped off the nest and got to Chris with the shovel. I started chasing after it and caught it with the edge of the shovel enough to get in there to finish the job. I've never seen any this long here before, it was about 3' by the time it all came out of that hole. Par for course of where we live but the funny thing is, I pulled a muscle in my arm killing it and I'm still taking ibuprofen. Guess I'm a silly old snake hunter or perhaps one that is just really out of shape.

Last night Chris was in Col. working so the kids and I finished up most of the spring cleaning I wanted to get done this week. After supper we got out all of the camping books we got from the library. We had so much fun. We are planning lots of different games, crafts, cooking over the fire, hiking with the purpose of teaching how to leave a trail to find your way back and recognizing animal foot prints and dare I say "scat trails". Yes they are fascinated by the pictures of the different scat which is a nice way of saying poop in the books. They want me to be sure to print off the poop pictures of different animals so they can recognize it on the trails. Funny the things kids get interested in. Anyway we had a great time planning all of the fun. We are all so excited for our first official "School's Out" camp trip in the bus. Perhaps a new tradition for the Beck family. I'm going to go to Richmond this week to see about finding some fabric to make new curtains for the "Big Red Bus". Can't wait for all the fun.

Hope you are all having a great weekend!!
Chelle

Family Update

This week I only had one cleaning job scheduled which was yesterday and I don't have another scheduled until next Tues. soooo, I am taking this week to get everything spring cleaned and in order around here. I am excited. I started Monday cleaning out the laundry room. I like getting paid to do others but I love it when it is my house getting cleaned.

Soccer has started for Joseph so we have been enjoying getting to the field practices and games.

Brianna had her last choir concert on Monday but will go to a choir contest in a couple of weeks. We have been taking a look at what she will take next year as a freshman. She signed up to take FFA (Future Farmers of America). She is very interested in becoming a veterinarian and was interested in getting more experience being around and learning about livestock. She's also decided to play high school soccer in addition to her choir stuff so we should be very busy next fall.

Chris and I took Natalie to a wedding reception last Saturday. The entire night she just wanted to dance with her DaDa as she affectionately calls him. He held her while they danced and those big brown eyes were fixed on his. She is a big Daddy's girl.

We are taking the kids camping in the big red bus for five days the first week they are out of school. They have been looking forward to that all year long. I have reserved some fun books from the library about camping games, crafts, songs and campfire food for kids. I want to make is the best camp trip ever for them. They have had a long year and they deserve it, can't wait!!

Hope you are all having a good week!!
Love, Chelle

Wonderful Easter

We had a lovely day of celebration. Hope you all had a great Easter too. Here are some recent pictures of the kids. Enjoy.

Love, Chelle.

Interviewing Your Daughter's Date

Praise Melissa and Keith Hutsell for giving us this wonderful resource-
How to Interview Your Daughter's Date by Dennis Rainey.

I know I have mentioned before how often the issue of the opposite sex comes up in our home lately. Again we knew this would be a part of public school. It has been a big issue the past few weeks for our oldest daughter. A boy was wanting her to "go with him" I'm terrible I say, "go where? you aren't of the age that it is appropriate to go anywhere with a boy." She will say "Mom!!! you know what I mean." I'll be honest this boy had me a little concerned, he didn't seem to obey boundaries and enjoyed the thought of challenging us. A small example is we said it isn't appropriate to talk on the phone to boys so we had told Brianna to let him know that if he calls, she would not be permitted under any circumstances to talk to him. He called anyway, he had said he was going to talk to me then if he couldn't talk to her. Just so happens that after school one of us Chris or I are always home with the kids. I'm guessing from his reactions he's not used to hands-on parents. It did however, put a red flag up to us about the character of this young man. In time Brianna came to see this for herself and made good choices but oh how tough the past few weeks have been.

I won't go into any more detail accept to say that book was so wonderful. It made us realize we have more power than we were feeling. We told Bri that she was a precious jewell to our family and that we would not just hand her over lightly to anyone. We explained that any boy that would like to spend time with her "at an appropriate age" or any boy that was thinking of calling her a girlfriend would most definately have to meet up with Chris for him to be able to get to know the young man and let him know of our expectations and make sure his character is honorable. After that we would both have to have time to get to know him in our home. I was amazed at her reaction. I expected great resistance but instead I could see in her that she felt so loved and protected. She beamed saying "she would feel better if Daddy did that." I could see the love in her eyes for her Daddy, The idea of him doing this opened her heart to him in a really deep way. This has opened the door for many good conversations about being evenly yoked and what to look for when choosing a date and not just wanting to go on a date with someone because she is asked but taking a look at the character of the person first and their possible intentions. This is hard stuff. She will be in high school next year. Anyway the book brings a great perspective that empowered us and with it and prayer we were able to quickly gain control over the situation. God is so good. I kept thinking God will use this for His glory or we wouldn't be going through it now. I can see how he is using it in her. Chris and I particularly like the part of the book that tells Dennis has a baseball bat in his office with the words "The Respect Her" lasered on the bat. We might need to get one of those. Just wanted to share that.

Easter preparations are in full swing. It is great to have the kids home today. Joseph and Natalie are getting ready to paint eggs. Brianna and I are going to make 4 dozen muffins today to donate for the Sunday morning breakfast at church. The Jr. High kids will be preparing the entire meal tomorrow morning. During that time Jose has meet the team for soccer then he and I will go off to the grocery and I will spend some time tomorrow making food to take to my Mother's. However, we are looking forward to a relaxing family night tomorrow night and will enjoy Chris being home for the weekend for a change. After church on Sunday we will go to Mom's house to celebrate for the rest of the day.

Hope you all have a great Easter!!!!

Love,
Michelle

The Way to Heaven

Natalie has been home from school all week with an upper respiratory virus. Chris took her to the doctor yesterday and they said it would pass in a few days. Her poor little cough has been relentless and many sleepless nights for all of us.

On Wed. evening I dropped Bri and Joe off at church and came back home with Nat since Chris is always in Col. on that night. Bri was to help my friend with the pre-schoolers and practice singing her part for Easter. Joseph loves going to his class and has been learning so much lately.
My friend called me yesterday to let me know how great they did without me there. Music to a mother's ears. She said, " if my kids were that good I'd want someone to tell me." She went on to say they were servants of the church. Bri was patient and good with the children and did everything asked of her. She said instead of playing when it was over Joe came to her and said, "Miss Robin I will sweep this whole floor for you if you would just put up the chairs." She said she so delighted with them and wanted to let me know how great they were. I hope it is ok I am bragging on them, it made my heart sing.

When they got home Wed. night, Joseph was all about telling me what he had learned in his class. Little sister who is going through quite a rebellious phase was listening in. Natalie says to me, "Mama I don't believe in your Jesus." (Joe went through a short phase like this at her age too, I panicked then but have not with her.) Anyway, Joseph gets very agitated when she hears her talk like this. All of the sudden her blurts out to her, "Well Natalie if you want to go to heaven you have to believe in Jesus. Mom and Dad will be in heaven , Brianna and I will be in heaven and where will you be? Jesus died on the cross for our sins so when we die we can go to heaven and be with God and if you don't believe in Jesus then you don't get to go!!" This was not said gently but rather abrupt, so quickly Natalie burst into tears. I comforted her but then confirmed all her brother had said. So black and white in his little mind, I do so hope it stays that way for him. Grown-ups tend to muddy the waters a bit. It was desperation I heard in his little voice for her to believe what he was saying, he loves her so much. It made me think of God and how he must feel each time we turn away from Him. Desperate for us to come back so we can be with Him.

I just wanted to share that.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

Love-Chelle

28 Lights on the Church Ceiling

Castine Church of the Brethren has 28 lights on the ceiling in the sanctuary. At least this is what Joseph told me Sunday as he was squirming in his seat since Kids Worship was cancelled. Every few minutes he would tug on my dress in a whisper "Mom there are 28 lights on the ceiling" then another tug and "Mom I have 10 bumps on the bottom of my shoe". SSSSHH Others around us thought it was a hoot. I miss Chris in church. He has been in Col. every weekend for a month. I miss the order he seems to bring to the children. Joseph is the quiet one. At one point he tugged on my dress while we were all singing to show me that little sister was jumping across chairs like they were stones on the creek. Uhhgg. Ready for children's church I was.

This weekend Chris will wrap up this blessing of a job that he has been working on since the middle of Feb. in Col. We love the income from the job and praise God for it but it will be nice to have him home again on the weekends and get back to a more regular routine. Business around our home town is good too. Things are really picking up and people seem to notice our name more around town. Word of mouth recognition seems to be the key here.

We are ready for Easter. We baked some Easter cookies last weekend. This weekend is our church Easter Egg hunt and the kids are beyond excited for that. They jump up and down each time it is mentioned. Natalie is playing with 7 other kids in a bell choir for the Sunrise Service and Brianna is singing Jesus Loves Me by herself. It is my favorite holiday. So much less chaos and so much more peace I feel. I love sitting in church as the sun begins to shine and imagining the surprise that was. I can't wait.

This evening I took Bri to get her hair cut, then on to Penny's to find her something new to wear for Easter. She would come out of the dressing room to show me and all of the sudden I could see her as a woman. She's just so beautiful. She was wearing a white capri suit and she just looked like she could set the world on fire with the smile she had on her face. I am so blessed to be her mother.
Speaking of beautiful, I love the way Natty says it right now. When she says that word, the way she says it, it just sounds like a song. I ask her to say it sometimes, so she can put a smile on my heart.


Drippy, I know.

Hope all is well with everyone.
Love-Chelle

Family Update

I have a few minutes today and decided to check in and couldn't believe how long it had been since I had blogged. Sorry, time has really been getting away from me lately.

Our family has been healthy finally for the past few weeks and we have been enjoying the warm days and the hopes of spring in the air.

I love that the kids have been able to get out to play outside. Seems to be good for everyone's soul. They have taken to playing everyday in the "Big Red Bus". Chris says for as little as we paid for it let them play in it all summer and build memories in their bus that will last a life time. Glad he feels that way because they have so much fun in it. Even Brianna played out there with them one day for hours.

Chris has started spring tree cutting. He cuts trees down in spring so they have enough time to dry out and season to burn all winter. We have quite a few trees that are growning into other trees and trees that are already dead, that will be a good start. God always provides the source. This year we only had to buy two cords of wood. So we were able to heat our house all winter for two hundred dollars plus the electric to run the blower. Wow! I bought green bean, spinach, and cucumber seeds on sale at K-Mart yesterday. So excited and ready to plant my garden. I love to garden and the thought and planning of it has gotten me through many a dreary day this winter. I'm going to try planting Lavender this year too. It is a perennial and is supposed to smell so good. A friend of mine and I try to think of things we can make for Christmas gifts and I thought Lavender dried and put in sachets sounds like fun or maybe lavender soap, who knows.

School is going well for all of the kids. Brianna has been hard at work bringing up a few grades that had fallen over the holidays. I call in to talk to the teachers and meet with them when she is not on target. They say to her "tell your Mom this and tell your Mom that" perhaps to let me know what is going on before it gets to a call, not sure if they like the calls or not. I have learned that if you are in charge of your child and you are kindly interested, things that are not right will change. Not sure if it is because of the feedback or preventative maitenance, I don't really care what the reason as long as it turns out to benefit my kid. I'm sure that sounds selfish but I'm postitive that nobody there has her personal interest at heart as much as I do.
Joseph is reading pretty well now and his writing is improving. He is a wiz with Math, praise the Lord for I am not. He got his first library card last week, he was so excited. He has a different air about him when he is there, picking books to read to me, then books for me to read to him. Makes my heart sing watching him. Natalie's teacher tells me she is so good everyday and that she just loves her. I know she does, she loves on her every morning. We will sure miss Mrs. Hollinger when Natalie moves on to Kindergarten, but that is still a year or so away. Natalie know most of her alphabet and can write her name. She has also been working on counting to
twenty.

Our business is great. We have been very busy, so far God brings it in a way that between Chris and I we have been able to handle it. We will have to hire some help for a job Chris is doing this weekend, then I will help him next weekend while the kids get to go for a vist to my Mom's. Chris brought in a job that is every weekend in Col. until the first weekend in April so once we get through that then we can take a breath and evaluate everything. For now we are in major work mode getting to all the jobs that need done. To be honest I do not know how full-time working moms do it. I am in envy of their organization skills. I am trying to get caught up on house cleaning and laundry today and feel quite overwhelmed.

Well better get to it.
I hope you are all well and miss all of you.
Love-Chelle

We Miss Daddy!

Chris comes home tomorrow morning....Yay!!!!

He has been working on a job in Col. since Tues. morning. I can't remember the last time I have been away from him for four days and I hope it doesn't come again anytime soon.
I miss the essence of him. He protects us and takes care of us just the way the Lord intended and I can't wait for him to be home, safe. My heart is always a little uneasy when he works to the wee hours of the morn with nobody around on Col. east side. I so appreciate you honey. I miss him settling many of the weekly challenges between me and the teenager, he's the buffer and ultimately the one who lays down the law in a way that she chooses not to challenge, he keeps me sane in this area. He loves us up daily, and we are starving for it now. Oh yes in the 4 degree weather he has all the tricks to keeping the wood furnace working just right that it is 70 or above and I can't seem to get it above 66, so I miss his warmth literally. That is just the tip of the iceberg on all that he does around here, mostly I just want his strong arms around me hugging me.
I have battled bronchitis all week, and it is finally starting to go away but was a lot to handle being the only one here with the kids. I had to be careful of the med. prescribed because of how tired it made me. One day I had gone to pick up Natty from school and fell asleep in the car waiting for her teacher to bring them out like she always does. I looked up and there she is taking Natalie back into the school because she thought I was late. I jumped out of the car parked 10 feet away from them and ran to the door, explained and swiftly collected my child.....how embarrassing.
I did manage to do some good business this week and the kids and I have had good days for the most part.
But tomorrow he comes home and I am soooooo thankful.

Hope everyone had a great week!!
Love, Chelle

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!!!

This morning the little ones woke me up at 7:00. By 8:30 we were out the door and headed to Eikenberry's grocery in Greenville. They make the best donuts in town and I had promised to take them for a treat since it is just the three of us home today. They were so wide-eyed seeing all of those donuts and getting to pick out the ones they wanted. They were very polite to one another and couldn't wait to get home to eat them.
Shortly after we got home Joseph wanted to work on his Collection 100 school project. We spent much of the day cutting tissue paper for his masterpiece. It was fun. They were so exhausted from getting to bed so late from our fun last night and getting up early this morning that they didn't want to go to the movie I had planned. Joe said we could wait for another time and then Brianna could go with us too. They fell asleep a little bit ago watching the Friends and Heroes show on TBN. I'm getting ready to make tacos for supper and set up the UNO game they wanted to play until it is time to go pick up Brianna at 7:30. I'm guessing she will be worn out from the 30-Hr. Famine event at our church last night.
Chris will be home at about 8:00 and I'm sure he will be tired too. He worked until 12:30 last night until he finally went to a motel for some rest and then back at the job today. Business is good, praise the Lord I am so thankful for it but I miss him just the same.

Mall of America and Monkey in the Middle

Today was an awesome day here. Sunny and fairly warm.
I helped out in Natalie's class for her Valentine Party. Her teacher was sharing the meaning of Valentine's Day of being a way to show God's love to everyone. It was fantastic listening to the preschoolers respond to her and how they turned it into prayers at prayer time.

Just before the kids got to share their Valentines they got to participate in a wonderful lesson with the rest of the school. The fifth graders have been hard at work learning about our fifty states, what makes each state unique in the sense of area, terrain, commerce, and tradition, etc.. Each team of kids were assigned a state with its own table. They made posterboards and descriptors about the state, each was also to come up with a way to make money at their state station. Put it all together in the cafeteria and it made the "Mall of America" where each student was given "$10" to spend any way they wanted. At the end of the lesson they will see which state made the most money. A great stimulus package if you ask me. I had a group of four 4 year old girls to take through the "Mall". Interestingly enough they had their nails painted in New York, their faces painted in Maryland and slushies in New Hampshire and they spent every last dime like any good woman in the mall would do. Great time spent with Natalie and her friends.

Two nights ago I just could not calm my children down from bickering with one another. I began to explain to them that family was kind of like glue, can be sticky and fun, sometimes messy, but in the end they always stick together and I said to them that is exactly what you three need to do stick together instead of picking each other apart. Jose with his little grin says "if us three stick together then I guess that makes me the monkey in the middle". Where does he come up with this stuff. I was explaining the practice of Lent to him tonight and he let me know very seriously that he had decided to give up handwriting for Lent and I had better let his teacher know because he wouldn't be allowed to write there either. We must follow the rules you know him being such a man after the Lord. I had to laugh because my son would do just about anything to get out of schoolwork. I had no idea to what level this was true.

Bri and I took in a Jr.High boys basketball game last night. Our team the Tri-Village Patriots was playing Arcanum which is where a lot of Bri's friends from church attend. It was a really good game. It was fun, ultimately we wanted our team to win which we did 46 to 27 but we also wanted to cheer for some of the kids on the other team and we did no matter who was watching. It was great to spend that time with just Bri. She is growing up so fast and I cherish those moments between us when their is no challenge to be met and can just pal with her. I know my years with her as a child are very numbered four to be exact and my heart grows weary of it so I know I must make the most of this time which can be difficult because this age brings many challenges.
Daddy is out of town until tomorrow, Bri is at a church overnight until tomorrow evening so the little ones and I have a date of going to a movie and McDonalds, I can't wait.

Hope all is well with everyone. Love, Chelle

Busy Weekend.

We had a great time with Papaw and Memaw last night. They are heading back to Florida for an entire month so we had them over for a proper send off. We made them a nice dinner in the new old dining room and had a great time serving them on our pretty china dishes. The kids and I enjoyed making a big deal for them, they do so much for us. The kids all made homemade Valentines and had put them on their plates before supper.

After supper the children put on a show. Joe had some cool dance moves to show off and a new little song to share he made up called "Follow the Light". Natalie also had a new song to sing about the snow. Brianna delighted all of us with her beautiful voice singing some of the songs she has been practicing for her upcoming choir show "Disney Magic".

Later we played the Apples to Apples game and laughed really hard. A nice evening with those we love so much. We'll miss you Memaw and Papaw.

Today has been a day of running around. Bri had to be at church at 9:00 to decorate and prepare food for the youth fundraiser Valentine Dance being held tomorrow night. I ran errands: bank, groc. etc. until she was ready to be picked up. As soon as I got home at 1:00 Chris left for work and should be home sometime early eve. I'll be glad when he gets home, I miss him today. I haven't felt like doing anything I should be doing today so I guess talking to him would just make me feel better.

Tomorrow evening is the Valentine Dance. The little kids are headed to my sister for some horse back riding while Chris wisks me away to another world of romance. I am very excited and the kids will have fun too.

Hope all is well with your families! Love, Chelle

Family Update.

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. It seems someone has been sick in our home every week for the past month. Between that and all of the bad weather and re-arranging schedules to meet the kids needs with days off for snow days I just haven't taken the time.

We have been dealing with the sicks, stuffy heads, coughs sore throats. Three weeks ago I thought that I had just gotten the same of what everyone else had and was taking over the counter stuff for a week, extremely exhausted, a sore throat like swallowing broken glass. Finally when I woke up one morning with my jaw swollen shut from infection and in so much pain I just cried and cried. I went to the doctor to find I had strep throat and I had let it go so long that it was in my lymph nodes. They shot a nice sized vial of antibiotics in my hip and gave me a 10-day prescription. I spent the following week getting over that. Last week Chris was down with Bronchitis and Joseph was out with an ear infection. We didn't wait to go to the doctor, learning from my experience and they both were put on antibiotics. Today Natty is home with a nasty cough that popped up over the weekend.
Oh, I pray and pray that my home be sick free, it is getting very frustrating. I pray, I clean, I spray lysol, I administer vitamins each day and still we are sick. Ugh. I am very sick of winter and we still have two months to go.

My husband is wonderful, he is steadfast with his help. He does whatever needs to be done to help out, runs kids who are well to school and home, washes floors, gives meds, washes sheets, whatever needs done he does with no complaining. We are both trying to stay in good spirits with our business. Jan. is always the slowest month of the year for us and because of the weather many of our regular jobs were cancelled leaving us with less than a string budget to work with this month. We continue faithful giving and somehow the bills get paid. We keep our hearts facing forward and our preparation to spring when our business really
bounces back. Chris was quoting Joel Osteen to me this morning, he watched his program last night after I went to bed. God was speaking to him through that program and I was so happy to hear the hope in his voice for both of us. I didn't realize until my husband gently showed me that my negative attitude towards the bus. at times really is not Godly and then gave me a new outlook on the situation. I sure needed that kick in the pants again gentle but needed.

We were very blessed to get to go on two dates this past weekend. Chris' Dad and stepmom wanted to have the kids overnight Fri. since they will be going back to Florida soon until the middle of March. How nice it was to have a break and get refreshed and recharged. We went to a Dayton Bombers hockey game with a group from church. Our friends have a nephew that plays for them and was able to get everyone tickets for $6. What a deal. It was a lot of fun and we laughed much. On Sat. we both slept in for a change. The kids were not due back until early evening so we went to Richmond, IN. to catch the matinee at the $1 movie. We finally got to see Fireproof. What a great movie. I left feeling so thankful for my marriage, and thankful for how God has brought us through the fires over the years. It reminded me of how important it is to honor my husband with all I say and do. Our married couples Sunday school class is now on this Fireproof series. I wish I would be able to finish it with Chris. I got to sit in on the first session and it was so good but it is now my month to teach Sunday school to the four year olds so I will miss the rest of it. I have decided that I will not teach next year and give my attention to my husband and growing our marriage through Sunday school together. This has been a very hard and prayerful decision for me. I really enjoy teaching and very much enjoy the children this age. This is my second year doing it and have come to know so many kids and their families because of it. I want to do my part, our children all take advantage of the programs at our church and I know those programs have to have volunteers to exist so that is why I feel a little selfish. I will continue to serve as a teacher for pre-school on Wed. nights and continue to serve with VBS. I am starting to feel peace over it. I feel God asking me to work on a new Mom's ministry idea but more on that when I see what he wants me to do with the idea. I want to know what it is like to be with Chris every Sunday learning about the Lord together in a class setting and not just during service. I love the conversations we have and the way we connect after the classes. It lasts in my mind all week long and I just want to know what that feels like every week because I miss it so much the months I teach. That does sound so selfish when I read my words that way.

Well I better go, I have some laundry to do and supper to start.

I hope all is well with everyone. I pray for safety on the roads and good health to all and I pray Melissa has that baby soon. Love ya sister.
Love to all of you, Chelle

Relaxing Weekend

For the most part this weekend has been a nice break coming off the crazy of the holidays and all. Friday night Chris worked night hours in Col. Bri had a friend over to stay all night and went to the Teen Night Out our church offers once a month to teens (Safe enviro. for games and then a devotions time). Bri's friend Dani went for the first time and another friend met them there. This left the little kids and I home alone for an evening of movies and sundaes. Sat. and Sun. Joseph has been miserable with a head cold. Chris took Bri to church this morning without the rest of us to stay home and doctor him and hope he feels better by tomorrow. Lots of laundry caught up and a little cleaning things are starting to feel more organized around here.

I wanted to share a funny story. We have been fielding the issue of the opposite sex with our children ever since we started public school. We knew this was a part of it and have prayed much for wisdom, understanding and Godly direction when speaking to them on any issue. We take each conversation very seriously and give it our immediate attention. So far I have felt pretty great about the way we have handled all instances. I'll admit however, that sometimes the men in our family have another way of dealing with these situations. There is a boy at school that "picks" on Bri. I say it that way because as she is telling us about him she acts upset all the while smiling at each little detail. Uh-huh, not so upset, if you catch my drift. That being said her brother isn't too kind about it. He overheard us in a conversation about this kid and in his John Wayne kinda slow smile he says to Bri, "well you tell that boy tomorrow at school that if he doesn't stop pickin on you that your brother is going to break his fingers". The baby is sitting on the floor sayin "you a good bruder Joe you a good bruder". Then he says, "you too Natalie, any boys messing with you...you tell em that your big brother will cruuuussshhhh em." Brianna often tells us that she refers to her Daddy a lot when dealing with these boys. "My Dad is really protective over me, he wouldn't like hearing you talk to me like that," she'll say. One boy said, "I'm not afraid of your Dad". Chris says to her "You tell him to come ooon oover." Funny listening to him re-tell this stuff to his brothers over Christmas. Not to worry Chris is very serious at just the right moments. At all the moments he makes no mistake in letting them know he Loves them and he Will protect them. Between the Beck men and the protection of the good Lord above I feel pretty good about it.

Just wanted to share that. Hope you all had a great weekend.

Love Ya, Chelle.

No School Today!!!

School was cancelled today because of all the ice. Yayyyy! I am trying not to be sooo sooo happy about it because the reality of it is that when I have to rearrange jobs sometimes the customer will just cancel which is what happend today. I had a job cancel and I feel bad about it because I probably could have worked it out so that Chris was home part of the day and then go to work tonight, I did hate the thought of him out on the icy roads late. I also had to not make excuses and be very honest with Chris in explaining my feeling like I just wanted to be the one home with them . Choices made, I just love that I get to be home with them today.

I'm getting lots done too. It seemed over the holidays we were either on the run, exhausted or sick so things got piled up. I've already got three loads of laundry done and have started preparing meals ahead for the rest of our busy week. Brianna and I had a wonderful conversation about boys over breakfast this morning and the little kids are perfectly happy playing with their dolls and action figures. I also had a lovely conversation with a good friend and planned a girls overnight for Feb. at her home for our daughters and ourselves. We had great fun talking about homemade facials and all the fun we will have in store for the girls.
Thank you Lord for easing me into the new year. Thank you my sweet Christopher for loving me enough to give me grace and understanding even when it affects our bottom line.

Well, gotta go...I promised huge bubble baths to all the kids with the spa attachment for the tub.

Hope everyone is having a great day! Love-Chelle

Back to the Routine.

I don't like today. I drove my children all to school this morning. Now, here I sit, getting ready to do paperwork all day feeling really sorry for myself. My eyes and heart are full of tears thinking about my children in their classrooms going about their day and here I sit doing paperwork. Don't get me wrong the paperwork needs to get done, it's very important that it gets done and I am happy to do the work. It does not get done when they are home and I know that but still my heart is heavy. It is so quiet and I have grown to hate quiet, I feel so selfish for that because I know my good friends would love just one day of quiet and I have three this week to get through. I know this soon will pass it is just getting back into the routine of it all but again I don't like today. I keep thinking about the day the Jose and I spent three hours putting together a lego house and the night we all played Apples to Apples or all the conversations I got to have with them. They were so happy most of this time off and I really got to enjoy them but back to the routine.
I do hope all that are starting back to school today are having a great day and enjoying getting back to the routine more than I am.
Love to you all-Chelle

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our New Year's night was a bit blah. Chris had to work and didn't make it home until about 8:30. He would have been home sooner but somebody I guess puked all over a pew at church the night before and didn't tell anyone. Someone in the office found it yesterday and didn't know what to do so they called Chris and well what should have been home at about 6:30 took him out later. He didn't seem to mind though so I guess I shouldn't either but seriously I can't imagine puking all over and leaving it let alone not telling someone you were going to leave it. Oh well to each his own.

The kids and I made snacks and sat down to watch National Treasure 2. About 1/2 through Natalie and I decided to go to the bathroom to play beauty shop. She got a bath, I cut her hair and then painted her toes and fingers. I used to do this with Bri when she was this age too and I do love this time with them. She was funny pretending that I was the girl working on her at the beauty shop and she was talking about her kids and her job working at the pre-school at Tri-Village. I love hearing the stuff they come up with.

We put the kids to bed at about 9:30. I then attached this spa thing to the tub and decided to take my traditional New Year's bubble bath with candles lit and my ocean cd playing, very relaxing. The spa thing really agitated the bubbles and I ended up having huge amounts of bubbles, maybe the best bath I've ever had. Chris called me into the living room just as the ball was about to drop and we toasted to the New Year.

I then slid into bed on the nice clean sheets. I made everyone clean their rooms yesterday and washed everyones sheets so we could start the new year off clean. Slept good, not much else to tell about our exciting New Year's Eve.

Kids friends come to sleep over in a few hours. I am looking forward to them having this time with friends.

Hope you are all having a great Day.
Love, Chelle