fun day

I just had to write about this special day that God has blessed me with. Often time I get so caught up in the curriculum and the learning that I fail to enjoy the simplicity and the joys that come with homeschooling. We have just had a whole day of Art and exercise. Tomorrow is another day and we will start off from where we left off today. The thing about homeschooling is that if we didn’t finish the day’s work we just try again tomorrow. Even I did nothing but enjoy the day with them. I will pay tonight at class but I am praying that God will stick up for me. Fun day!!!

Good morning Lord

Good morning Lord,

Thank you for this day. My kids finally woke up on time. Dave helped with the discipline of the girls last night. Sometimes they need to be redirected. Often! But Lord you allowed him to hear my concerns and hopefully we are good to go for at least another week. What a beautiful day it is. I am exhausted Lord but I will get through this day for I know it is a day given to me to honor you.

Amen.

praying

--Just coming out of a very difficult storm, but finally starting to see clarity. Not sure how to get my thoughts out without becoming a burden so I will just continue to pray and comfort in the Lord. My heart is sad. I pray for guidance and I pray for healing. I also pray for strength and for forgiveness.

My prayer today

I am so behind with all my life and days just seem to get shorter by the week. My weeks have become days and months become weeks. I ask God everyday for patience for love for guidance and for grace because I know I cannot do this alone. Homeschooling three kids has been so difficult especially with Grad school, counseling, Youth, my church life and home life. Finding a balance is a difficult task but I know the balance gets shifted one way or another. Problem is it gets shifted more towards my church and home life which for me is awesome. I am blessed by that but then the reality of deadlines has to put a damper on my bliss.

Today I began with a great spirit in hopes to assign the kids a weeks worth of assignments which I did, but then it was time to cook, chores, bills, bible study which by the way I am behind 3 days and trying to catch up today as it is due tomorrow. Between homeschooling, cleaning, Grad school, exams, assignments, and now a Library research study, I am so overwhelmed. Every week it just gets a bit busier. Just one more thing added to my plate.

I did take a moment to read with JD, study outdoors with him, make the kids crispy treats, and fancy gourmet hot dogs, but look it is now 7 p.m. and I am just now getting started on the me stuff.

I had a set back after testing Krissy for a practice SAT and realizing we needed to work harder. So, I took a moment to analyze each question with her and assigned her some new words to define and comprehend.

Lord, please hear me and know that I need you to somehow grant me strength to home school the kids, finish the deadlines for this week, listen to a friend in need, support one of our youth through a difficult time, study your word, and make a trip to the Library to do my research that is due Thursday and submit my exam tonight as well as complete my Experiential activity, plus the assigned homework for Psychometrics. I know crying doesn’t help but right now tears is all I got coming out and my body is tired and with Dave home only three days, life is so difficult with just me and I really need you.


Amen

Updates to our home front and answers to questions

Hello everyone. I am taking a moment to write about a change in our home front. We have been blessed with a new place to call home effective Friday at 9 a.m. Take note of our new address as you will no longer find us at the corner house on Elk Drive. What memories we shared with so many kids in that small space, but we managed to open the house to many teenage gatherings, BBQ's, sleep over’s, movie nites where I always seemed to have to explain to parents about the poorly chosen movie, awwww, the days of being the mom who somehow got caught in between being a mom and being a youth leader. I surely miss those days. When we decided to make a change of residence, we searched for the perfect home with the teenagers in mind since it is apparent that we like living on the edge. Teens are pretty amazing and I cannot imagine a life without them. I seem to get bored in the quiet. Who knew? BUT, then with Grad school, Counseling, homeschooling the kids, I do make sure and take a couple of days for just me. Ha... When I look back though, I still see teenage girls in my car. What’s that saying???? Aw well. Life couldn't be better. We certainly learned quite a bit this year as a family. Some great things happened and some grieving took place. BUT, God has reminded me to love more, love harder, and love all!!! This week I got to make some new 80's CD's and it brought back some fun times and reminded me too, of how fun life can be, less the drama, but then again, what fun would life be if it didn't have a learning experience. Today I go back to classes at TAMUCC. It is my second semester in Counseling. I was disappointed there is no DEAN’s list in Grad school, and I finally have that 4.0 I wanted my mom to see. I have been working really hard on an article to get published and it has now made it through revisions so it is still a possibility. So much red tape trying to get published. BUT, I am determined and not giving up. So here’s to new beginnings. It is pretty cool how God continues to guide us even when we are stubborn in trying to create our own ways. So our address effective tomorrow January 16th at 9 a.m. is 7101 Sun Valley Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78413.

Now for those of you who don’t know this, David and I home school all 3 of our kids. We have had many comments, questions, more comments, and more comments about this. NO, NO, NO we are not freaks. Home schooling is not JUST what the Amish do. (Although why would that be bad?) Uh HELLO!!!! That comment was quite ridiculous but above all my favorite. I mean that sincerely. So let me inform you of what home schooling is. It means the kids get the same lessons they did in school, plus they get to take electives they choose, they get one on one teaching, they get great home cooked meals, and they work just as hard and even harder because I teach at a college level. They also get exposure to real life events and they still live all the drama. They still have group projects, field trips, Art classes, Music, PE, Algebra, Literature, Grammar, Geography, etc…and the best part --they get to keep God in school!!! We use half Christian curriculum and half from the CCISD. They do not have to take standardized tests but we test them to keep them at level or above. The kids are taught how to live in the real world. They are not completely sheltered. They YES can still go to college. Our 8th grader just took the PSAT and scored at an 11th grade level so if she wanted she could finish her schooling, take the SAT and head off to college at 15. But we believe that being a teenager is VERY important even though it adds more age to Dave & me. We all still get our jiggy on and we still have to put money in the swear jar. (-Me more than anyone else). SO with that said, we home school all 3 kids. They love it, we love it and God loves it! We are as real as it gets. –And I do mean REAL. –Nuff said.
--Hope that answered the curiosity and the questions. So we welcome all into our new home and cannot wait to throw the first shin dig. --Gotta feel the neighbors first before we get the youth over and on the roof.

So I’m in Grad school working on my Masters & then Doctorate in Marriage & Family Counseling. David & I will open up our own Marriage Center for couples and families. Krissy just got her drivers permit and will be driving on her own this July. Michelle will be driving soon after. This is getting scary. JD is in the 3rd grade and he hopes to be a Pastor, a husband, and a dad. Krissy is going to Texas A & M to major in education and Michelle is thinking Doctorate in History. Dave works hard for us but when I am done, he will be our client advisor. How’s that for a title of profession?

Please stop by and visit when in town.

With hugs and love
-marie

Pictures of our new home below.

so much to do so little time

The To-Do list:

I need to get my revision in soon for publication. I was hoping to see my article in print next month but might be March. I am so behind.

Move on Friday the 16th

paint the walls

transfer services

change address

school the kids

purchase a new computer

redecorate

class on Tuesday and Thursday at TAMUCC

and the list goes on................

Not feeling so healthy

So this has been a week all its own. With all the packing for the move into our new home, at the end of the day, I am just flopped over, dead tired. We started homeschooling the kids again from the break on Monday of this week. It took me three long days to plan lessons, get organized for all 3 kids. Wow! Glad I did it.

Also my heart thing is sort of back again. Sort of afraid to tell David, but it started back up a few weeks ago. Back to the same old chest pains, hard to breathe, blood pressure is up. BUT between homeschooling the kids, Grad school, and running our household, at the end of the day I am just so overwhelmed and exhausted that I can't even sleep because the insomnia keeps awake. I'm doing my best to keep myself calm so my blood pressure doesn't get so high. It is probably just the move, the schooling, Grad school, being super woman and a lack of sleep. I pray that this chest pain just stop. It really scares me.

Hello 2009

Happy New Year to our special friends!

It is just so hard to believe that 2009 is here, and a new year is beginning. We have certainly had a year filled with changes, new experiences, and we feel blessed that God has taught us so much in just one year. What a blessing for us a family, to experience God’s revelations and plans for our life. Throughout 2008 we said good bye to some very dear and special friends, but we also welcomed new and cherished friends into our lives. Those of you who live far from us are still in our hearts, and we just cannot wait to take a trip as a family for a visit.
This year we began homeschooling all three of the kids. -JD first, then Michelle which was a surprise then Krissy an even bigger surprise. Now we are AOCSA: Alpha and Omega Christian Scholars Academy.

Michelle took her PSAT and scored quite well for an 8th grader. She is hoping to finish the 8th grade quickly and move on to the ninth soon. Krissy is also doing extremely well. She received honors Status in, The National Society of High School Scholars. We were excited that they accepted our school as a transfer school for the society.

JD is glad that he does not have to take the TAKS test. His hobbies still include, dinosaurs, astronomy, reptiles, and he especially loves research projects. All in all, we stay very busy homeschooling all 3 kids, and it is indeed a blessing that I can do this for them. No matter how exhausted I am at the end of the day, I feel encouraged that David is home at 5:45 to fix all that needs fixing, me included. He is such an amazing person. He provides so that I can school the kids full time while in Grad school, which by the way is kicking my hiney. None the less I am excited to be one step closer to counseling couples. Recently I wrote a paper and it was chosen for publication. So,--Grad school is going well, hard but it is exciting. I do not know when I will receive Licensing, but I do know that the journey of counseling others is fulfilling for me. To be able to reach out to others when their worlds are so broken is quite an amazing opportunity for me, and I am so blessed that God has called on me to serve this way.

A little about Dave: He is still working a full time job, a part time job on three days out of the week, and he is the Principal of AOCSA. We are so grateful for how hard he works in order to put me through Grad school, and allow me to stay at home and school the kids. He also along with me continues to serve at Real Life Fellowship with the Youth.

In November we received word that the home we had lived in for the past 3 years was being put on the market. We finally found a great, amazing, and beautiful home on Sun valley. The house is so cute, and is just like our old house back in Alice with all the little extras and vintage personality. We get to move into the new home middle of January, that is, if the Realtor gets the carpet put in, and the painting done by then. We LOVE the house so much that we will try it, and if all goes well, we will definitely try and make an offer to buy the home. Keep us in prayer!
Krissy & Michelle are sharing the upstairs because it is so big that they can both share comfortably. Downstairs is 3 bedrooms, one for Dave & I with lots of cuteness, a room for JD, and the 3rd bedroom we will use as the office for homeschooling, computer, etc…

So as you can see it has been a great 2008, but we are so excited about the year 2009. Between home school, grad school, Counseling, serving at the church, a new place to call home, this year has already shown to be a great blessing to our family. We are too excited about moving day and all that this year has to offer us.
On behalf of the Godines family, we wish you all a very blessed and Happy New Year. You can always reach us by many methods as both Dave & I have face books, you can twitter us, email us, message us or look at our family blog.
We love you all! We are excited about the new church in Flour Bluff. It is amazing!!! The Godines family is busy, busy, busy. JD continues Science interests, Michelle History interests and Krissy is busy socializing. All 3 of our kids keep us quite entertained, exhausted, and you should here my slang. They have taught me more slang than I probably need to know. These are my favorite Krissy sayings: “You’re a freak of nature” and "Dude mom, you're not even cool"

My son is teaching me to be more like him

I had to write and share about how amazing God is. We were driving around in search of a house which thanks to Gods graces we have been blessed with a home, but as we were driving for 2 days our local KLOVE Christian station was down. The girls then put it on a country station, and JD kept saying can we please put it on KLOVE. I explained that KLOVE was off air and I wasn't sure if it had anything to do with with the end of the year drive and maybe Corpus didn't make it, however, he persisted in knowing why it was off. He wanted KLOVE back. Well, yesterday as we were in the car, he says to me, "Mom, can't you pay it, so we can get KLOVE back?" Wow, what a gift JD is to us. I explained that it wasn't just my monthly contribution that they needed, but possibly many people who need to contribute in order to keep our local Christian station on air. This reminded me of every time I get my KLOVE bill and how I saw it as a bill along with all the other bills I receive. I realize that it is not or never will and shall never be considered a bill ever again. for it is our monthly contribution that is an investment in my sons walk with Christ. It mattered to him, so much so that he wanted me to fix it by just"paying it." What a gift in the heart of an 8 year old little boy who has a light for Christ and a love for God so great that he teaches and inspires me to be just like him. God is enormous and he is such a blessing to our family. God bless!!! Thank you KLOVE for touching my sons heart, my heart and my family's life.

My date with the kids

What fun! The kids and I decided to go out and celebrate my last day of the semester. We went to La Playa for queso and chips and some quesadillas. Everyone in there was quite loud and highly spirited with all sorts of colorful drinks. There was plenty of laughter in the restaurant. There was but only three tables with people and we were the only ones without a fruity drink. We get our laughter from Krissy. Anyhow, Krissy was talking about her dinner date with a family friend and then Michelle shared her phone calls from the day. JD talked about his research and the crafts he was doing. People often think I speak Spanish because I'm Hispanic, but actually truth be told, I don't speak it at all, but I can understand very very little. He spoke to me in Spanish and I really don't know what he asked me. I speak French though. Parles' vouz' francais? So I asked for water and I think he said no. He never came back. Then when it's time to pay, he gives Krissy the bill. Ha, that was funny. The girls noticed something, and that was that the other table had 2 very beautiful girls with three waiters waiting on them and our waiter never came back. HMMM? Michelle says, Krissy do something with your eyes and maybe we will at least get one waiter. LOL. These girls, my girls, our baby girls crack me up! Krissy is hilarious. Then she says "I can imply them mom." Michelle is laughing because what was she trying to say by "imply them" then Krissy says oh I mean "rely them" LOL!!!!! She was trying to say "I can read them mom." Teenagers????? Anyway, we finally got water and straws when our meal was over. Then Krissy is handed the bill. Even more funny. She's 16. She says " mom give me your credit card" She writes the amount but writes 23:48. I think she meant to write $23.48. She signs the receipt and hands the waiter the receipt trying to be cool and gives him back my credit card. uh HELLO????? She just handed him the card again. I finally get my credit card, load up all three kids, all filled with laughter and persist to drive them home when Krissy the 16 year old is fighting in the back seat with JD the 8 year old. Michelle says, "if that is what kids sounds like in the back seat, then I ain't having any." We finally get home, JD falls outside, the girls are still cracking up and I am home and quite entertained from my date with my kids. Thank you God for blessing me with three very genuine kids.

The Love Dare

Day One. The reading was amazing. Dave and I took turns reading the first two days. We had agreed that the first dare we had done quite well that day and in previous days so we moved on to the reading of day 2. Again we took turns reading the day and today we must complete our dares. My dare to day is to do an act of unexpected kindness for him. I didn't make him breakfast because that would be expected, but I have an idea and I am planning it this morning. He works so I may have to drive it out there. Hmmm? I can't wait till we read day 3 tonight to find out what our day 3 dare is.

What was really awesome, is that Dave and I have never laid in bed together with our old people glasses and read together. Now that is romance! He especially liked the football note in there. I had no idea. ??? I learned something new last night.

Already, we are spending uninterrupted time together, reading together, studying scripture, and the dares are fun. So far so awesome!!!

When the kids walked in our room, we just ignored them and explained we were on a date.

Maybe we will get more formal about our dates like dinner, the readings, but that wouldn't work if we read in public.??? Hmm? I digress

The running fast shoes

This morning Dave was leaving for work and I saw how he was having to adjust his feet in his tennis shoes. Mind you he bought these 2 weeks ago on a father son outing that just him and JD enjoyed. We decided to split up and have me take the girls for dinner and shopping and he and JD did the hair cut, shopping, dinner thing on their own. It was a nice date for all of us. I normally for the past 19 years buy Dave's clothes, shoes, etc... but while he was out with JD, he found some tennis shoes on clearance and thought wow what a great deal. "I must have them" "Mom would be proud at the price and how much money I saved." Ha. The sneakers I come to find out are size 10. I always buy him size 11 shoes so he can have some wiggle room for the big toe. He is complaining of his toe hurting him and this morning I evaluate the situation and realize his shoes don't fit. This is my 41 year old husband we are speaking of. Soooo, I ask him. didn't you try them on? He says, yeah but they were on sale and I can run fast in them "see". Here comes my Spanish. Ay Ay Ay. Are you kidding me? I will venture out today to buy a new pair of sneakers for him because his very gray sneakers do not fit and he is going to end up with very squashed and sore toes.

I have a date!

Today we begin our "Love dare" Journey. For 40 days Dave and I have committed to the 40 day journey through the book based on the movie Fireproof. Even if you have a healthy marriage, it is a great gift to your spouse and to each other. Why not join the journey. Pick up your copy today at family Christian Stores. I am excited about our date tonight. Dave & I begin day 1 of 40. We will keep you updated.

I also want to try it out before I suggest it to clients along my Counseling path.

OH, This is not just for couples in trouble, it is, I STRESS; It is great for couples who have great marriages, but can you imagine what it would do for those who are at a great level. Hubba hubba, hubba....

I have a date with my husband tonight! yay!

http://thelovedarebook.com/

just writing

revising my paper hoping to send it for publishing. Kids went to Youth service and dave went to serve. I am stuck at home writing

The myspace top friends: Whats your number?

Have we succumbed to nothing but a space on someone’s page? Have we really become numbers in someone’s life---- and is our personal worth nothing but a rating in someone else eyes?

My daughter said to me that she was no longer a ‘top friend’ on one of her friends MySpace pages. This made me think not just for a moment, but for a few days.

Upon reflecting on the notion that she was obviously affected by losing that spot on her friend’s MySpace, it dawned on me that she too, just as so many others had placed ratings amongst each other.

MySpace continues to add to their Psychological well being yet once again.

I suddenly feel inclined to write about this friendship scale. I am appalled that this 'top friends' notion is adding to the esteem of our children.

Because she is home-schooled, we already implement too many structures, and shelter her as much as we can-- but I believe I must also allow her to be a teenager as much as possible. I don't like that my daughter has a MySpace but I allow her to have one under several conditions. That I have the password, that I can see it at anytime and that she use it just for communication with friends far away, and those friends who she hardly gets to see or talk to, and while I am in the room. Had I known it would become another method of yet another way to demean our kids then I would say "absolutely not remove your MySpace account", however I am a firm believer that I must raise her to acknowledge her friends as more than a place on a page, but to respect them for the person they are. My challenge to her is that she removes the ‘top friends’ application because I feel it sends a message that we have joined this method of judging each other.

Have we really become so judgmental of each other that we have started doing God's job? Not even God judges us that way. To God we are always number one!!!!

A few days later, as I found I became more disturbed about the ‘top friend’ application ...that I asked her how she felt about it. She said, “Mom, please........Like really I shouldn't be rated as a friend just by someone's top friends list. Like seriously. That's immature.” Ha! I said to her, but sweetheart........Do you realize you are doing exactly the same thing because you have only 5 friends on your top and one is higher than the other, and you had 72 total on your page to choose from. So my suggestion to her was to remove the rating. I challenged her to think about how God would feel about this. What would God think about rating each other…………

My concern is that kids already have enough pressures just trying to be who they are, and trying to find out where they fit, and where they don't, but to mechanically add to their personal growth just frightens me.

My prayer is that we stop and think about our actions and those actions that we didn’t even know were harmful. These ratings are not Christ like. They are worldly mannerisms of telling each other that 'one' of you is better than the 'other'. Another sad revelation in the lives of teens......

I digress……..

-marie