Cool blogger stuff

I'm having so much fun searching out all the blogging tips that are available. I can't believe I'm still up at this hour(12:41 am) That's ridiculous for me and I'll regret it in the mornig. My husband says I'm a little obsessed with it all and he's probably right. I'll get over it.

I'm not really sure why I spend time here. I really don't think there's a whole lot of people out there interested in what I have to say. In fact, I really don't have much to say at all! I keep to myself and my family most of the time and I enjoy the quiet when I can get it. I think I enjoy this blogging thing the way I used to like scrapbooking. It felt good to create something. I don't consider myself very "computer savvy" but I guess like to figure out how to make things work.

Well, for a couple of days I've been trying to master the drop down menu up there. So far, so good. I also added a widget for links at the bottom of the posts that would direct the reader to other posts of similar topic. I've been spying on a homeschool blogger mom at www.mama-jenn.blogspot.com. I just stumbled upon it one day and was amazed. I never saw a "blogspot" look like that! She has some good ideas and tips and she seems like an awesome lady as well.

So, I'm off to bed. The bed that I will drag myself out of in the morning!

Happy Birthday, Dan!

Dan's mom came over today after church to celebrate Dan's 45th birthday (which is the 7th). She brought with her a couple of little sweethearts that we haven't seen for a while, Amanda and Tucker, our niece and nephew from Alabama. They made our day special!

Here the whole bunch...and the dogs, too. (Kariss'a dog, Lucy, is on the left...doggy-sitting!)

Ethan and Tucker

Dan loves his momma.

Tucker wants to learn the guitar!

Tucker just had to be taller than Daniel!

Enjoyed the Fireworks last night at Liberty Park with the gang...a very wet evening. The Firecracker 5k was wet as well. I didn't run, but Daniel did and the wet socks gave him a pretty nasty blister.

Dan and his buddy, Darrell
Hope you had a fabulous Fourth!

Well, just pray for me, would you? This past week has been a strange one. I haven't been feeling that wonderful...extremely tired, headache, back ache. Had a stomach virus mixed in there just for fun. I'm feeling much better at the moment but something tells me that I'm not 100% yet. I do believe I'm getting old. Quickly.
The fam is watching The Book of Eli again. I'm working on getting some stuff sold on Ebay...getting some bids as we speak! I still have quite a bit of school shopping to do for next year. I'm gong to be trying out "Tapestry of Grace". Check it out. I think it's awesome. I just hope I can pull it off. It's mainly using books, real books, not textbooks. So, I'll live at the library pretty much.
I need a new camera desperately. My grandbabies are getting bigger by the minute and I'm not getting pics! My battery door won't stay shut and it's a pain.
I'm just rambling...

Completion!

Last Sunday I completed my first two online college classes with Liberty! Old Testament Survey II(because 1 was filled) and Systematic Theology I. They ran for 8 weeks and took quite a chunk of my days to complete. I'm glad I did it and I'm thrilled to say that I passed both classes with an A! Dan also passed with A's; no surprise there! We had a good time competing with each other and I have to say he sure did keep me on track with the deadlines! I absolutely hate the pressure of deadlines! It's been a long time!
Dan's continuing with 3 more classes during the summer. He's a more serious student and is going for a degree. I think I'll pick up again in the fall. I need my summer for planning my next home schoolong year...and I need a break!
I know I can speak for Dan when I say we both learned a great deal over the 8 weeks. The kings, the splintered kingdom, the canonizing of scripture, prophecy. Fascinating.

College

Well, Dan and I are coming to the end of our second week of our two classes, Old Testament Survey and Theology. I can't believe how much I've learned in such a short period of time. I didn't realize how little I actually knew about the Kings of Israel, the Splintered kingdom and such. It's been very interesting and I'm so glad that we chose to take the challenge. I was worried that I wouldn't have enough time to get all the work done, but I think it'll all work out!

This is the LINK to our studies!

Grandbabies are taking over!

What an awesome time we've been having! Having grandbabies is a lot of work! Don't let anyone tell you any different! Oh sure, I didn't have to carry the baby, give birth, breast feed, change diapers....but I spend so much of my waking hours just floating off into space daydreaming about my little princesses! I have a very hard time staying focused on my tasks at hand and that makes my job a whole lot harder!

School, laundry, dinner! Who's got time?! I have grandbabies to drool over!

God is GOOD!

Born Again--Dan's Band

Dan's band is called Born Again. They play a wide variety of Christian music and are committed to bringing people the Word of God through their music. They play at many different venues: A concert at The Assembly of God Church, Youth Events, "Feeding the 5,000"(Thanksgiving Meal Give-Away) , The Citrus County Fair, to name a few. Their regularly scheduled gig is at Seven Rivers Church in Lecanto at the Celebrate Recovery Ministry. you can find out more about them at http://www.bornagainband.blogspot.com/

Here's my best shot at the whole "About Me" scenario.

   The only true image I have of myself is the one given to me by my Heavenly Father. I am an adopted daughter into the Family of God, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. He has blessed me endlessly on this earth with an adoring husband, 5 beautiful and amazing children and three granddaughters! Every breath I have been given is His alone and I wish I valued every breath as I ought.

    My days are filled with the endless, monotonous tasks of the "American Housewife". At least, this is how it may appear to many. But as I reflect on my "duties" here, I can see that God has called me to exactly this, at this time in my life. He has allowed me the honor and privilege to love and cherish a wonderful husband and to nurture and grow children to follow after Christ. I can't believe that He lets me do what I do.

   This season of my life has me home educating my 3 boys. It is an incredibly challenging endeavour and I am on my face begging for help every day. Those of you who know me, know that I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. It has been an amazing journey of education for myself as well as my kids. I believe that one day as I look back on these years, I will truly be able to say that it has been the most rewarding and memorable time of my life. God has provided all we have ever needed to carry on; the grace, the finances and the much needed patience to continue the day in and day out of it all.

In the "my time" of my days I may spend it on the road with my running shoes or just curled up with a good book. I have an artsy side that I feel is sometimes "on hold" while I raised my men but occasionally it manifests itself in a photo, a blog, a sketch or some home decorating project. I find myself immersed in a project until its completion, sometimes to the detriment of my family because of my "close attention to detail"! But I'm a work in progress.

The love of my life is Dan Gandee. We were married in 1992 and have experienced the incredible ups and downs of married life and are still here to tell the tales and hopefully to be an ecouragement to others. God is the glue that holds us together; without Him it is hopeless. I am blessed with a husband that loves Jesus above all else and who takes the job of leading his family seriously. This father's deepest longing is to know that his children walk with the Lord. I am a lucky woman.

Considering the fact that I am really a quiet person, not one to speak in front of crowds or socialize at parties or large gatherings, I find it ironic that I do this blog thing. What goes on in my heart and mind doesn't come through very well "in person". Maybe I'm just shy and insecure, I don't know. But I love the Lord, I want to please Him with my life, and if this is one way that I can do that, so be it.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow...

5 Generations!

Five generations! That's right, five!!

Karissa, Lorelei and I made a quick overnight trip to Port St. Lucie to visit Great Grandma and Great-Great Grandma!

From left to right and from baby Lorelei's perspective:

Mom Karissa(23 on Christmas Day), Great-Great Grandma Mary(96), Lorelei(2 1/2 months), Great Grandma Jackie(69), Grandma Mary(43)

New Lorelei Pics

This is the first picture of 4 generations!

Mom and baby.

Grandma Gail and Grandpa.

pucker upper

Just too much...10 pounds now...6 weeks and 1 day old!

Baby Basket

My Tuesday morning Moms get-together called "Moms In Christ" put together this basket of baby things for Karissa. I was blown away....so much stuff. They're awesome.

The "Crafty Ladies" from Cornerstone made this beautiful prayer blanket. Isn't it adorable?!

We made this pretty little craft today also. I decided to add this to Karissa's basket so she could paint Lorelei on the top.

Check out the blog I'm keeping up at http://www.momsinchristcbc.blogspot.com/

A great day with Lorelei

Wow. It's been a busy day...week...uh, month. Karissa and Chris were here today with Lorelei getting lots of love from friends and Great Grandmas. So far, I love this Grandma job. I know it's going to look different as things move along, but so far so good.

It's been quite a while but it all came back to me.
Ethan thought she would love this little bear.
Check out the doggy nose.

Feed me! Now!
What more can I say.

Lorelei

Dunkin' Daniel

A big day for Daniel! We realized later that he became the first person to be baptized in our new building! Cool...

more FB

I know...I already have a football picture posted. But I can't help thinking that this is the cutest thing in the world. Just the back, the Gandee and the number. I never realized how impossible it is to get a good shot of football action! This is the greatest shot you're ever gonna get. I just love it.

For the record...Jaret is the first Gandee to ever receive a pass and run! Daddy was offensive guard so he never got to catch a pass!

Oh....and the Inverness Storm PeeWees tore through the Hernando Leopard PeeWees!(Daddy's Alma Mater!)

Football...

...I guess I have to learn to love it. Jaret sure does!

1st week of Football!

Drills, drills and more drills...4 days and they haven't touched a football yet! It's grueling but Jaret's really loving it.

Mom's best friend

Doggie-sitting a big Black Lab named George W. He has been my best buddy today. Ben Stein has some words of wisdom about the love of a dog.

He is Good

I just feel like rambling....God is good.

What an incredible day so far. I have witnessed what God can do in the midst of unsure circumstances. Unsure from my standpoint, anyway. He sees everything in its entirety and I do not need to worry. How blessed we are that He lets us rest in His arms and be secure, knowing that He has it all under control.

I have recently heard these words...obey now, find out why later. These words ring true today. I can only see what He allows me to see, but I am so thankful that He gives me these little glimpses into what he's doing. My deepest longing is to obey Him and rest in His love for me.

He is good.