Various things

I posted here about trying to find someone who was looking for my family. One night out of boredom, I typed in my grandfather's name and came across a post from April, 2000 from someone looking for him and his brothers and sisters.

To make a long story short, I did find her, and we talked on the phone the other night for over an hour. Our mothers were 1st cousins, which makes the two of us, 2nd cousins. We're five months apart in age, with me being the oldest of the two. It's been an exciting time.

While the above was happening, we started out new school year on Monday, the 27th. We have the best home school week we have ever had. It was a joy and a pleasure teaching my daughters, and learning the things that we did this week. God answered my prayers in abundance.

This year, after much prayer for guidance and direction, I have been able to come up with a plan as to how to work with both daughters. One is in 10th grade, the other is in 4th, and it has been difficult to work with my younger because it seemed to distract the older one. I have discovered that I can work with my younger one, and while she is doing her written work, I work with my older one on the more difficult subjects. I'm thankful to the Lord for showing me how to work all of this out. I am thankful to Him for the privilege of home schooling our daughters.

We've had a very busy week with home schooling, but for me, it has been well worth it this week. I have had only a little time to do what *I* want to do, like reading blogs, being on the computer for any length of time.

And, what I have discovered from taking the 12 week Seize the Summer challenge is this - how much I had been living for myself rather than my family, and how that brings me little joy, if any. I have been making an effort to die to myself, and what I want to do. I'm not always successful, but I find that when I put my family first, before the things I want to do, I am content. It isn't always easy to do, but I'm learning that I am satisfied when I do put them first, and my own desires after that.

I've become aware of how much I put my own agenda ahead of my husband's. Because I am a his help meet, his needs and desires should come first, ahead of mine. This morning when I woke up, I had things that *I* needed to do, like plan for school next week for both girls, versus what I know my husband *wanted* from me, like me to make homemade chocolate chip cookies. Although I didn't bake the chocolate chip cookies (because I'm planning to do them with my younger daughter tomorrow afternoon when my older daughter is not home), I was more aware that I needed to put my plans on the back burner to serve my husband.

Lastly, within the next ten days, I expect to be posting the news that our granddaughter has arrived!