Happy Birthday to my littlest twinkie

Where does the time go, and how do you slow it down. My baby, my youngest, my little peanut is one today. We celebrated on sunday with my parents and hubby's mom, but today is his birthday and he is one. Full of life, and running around our home giving me his toothy grin and melting my heart. Asher you are a blessing and I love you to infinity and back sweet boy.

Will you help me pay it forward....Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

March 2011


Dear Friends,

Did you know that every three minutes, another woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer? I did. My mother was one of them.

As I watched her go through the process of diagnosis, surgery, and treatment, I saw the toll cancer takes on the mind, body and spirit. It is physically, emotionally and mentally draining. Thankfully, my mother made it to the other side and beat her breast cancer, but so many are not as blessed. For those that battle with breast cancer I want to bring hope. I want them to know that they are not alone and that others care.

I refuse to let others do the work that I know I am capable of doing. I refuse to sit on the sidelines and just wish for things to be better. I refuse not to help. It's time to put action to my words. Will you join me? Together we can make a difference.

On May 14-15, I'll spend the weekend walking, along with thousands of other people, in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I will walk the distance of a marathon (26.2 miles). It is a very long and exhausting walk but it is nothing compared to what a breast cancer patient goes through. Something I know first hand, having watched my mom.

I'll have to spend the next couple of months training, fundraising, and preparing for the event. It's the biggest challenge I've ever undertaken, but I'm up for the challenge because I know it will make a real difference to the millions of people affected by breast cancer.

The money raised goes to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade, a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to provide access to care and to work towards finding a cure. They provide funding to organizations all over the country in five specific areas: medical research, clinical care, support services, educational and advocacy seminars, and community-based, non-profit early detection breast health programs. Much of the money raised will stay right here to help people in our community.

I'm required to raise at least $1,800 to participate. Please help to support me and the breast cancer cause by making a generous contribution to my efforts. You can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link below or mail your check payable to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer to the address below. Please remember as you're making your donation that in less than the time it took to read this e-mail, another woman in the U.S. was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Thank you for your support,

Melody West

http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk/Boston?px=5872759&pg=personal&fr_id=2020

Click the Link Above to Donate Now

I am blessed beyond what the world can measure and see, I walk in spiritual victory. I was burlap; old and torn, but He has made me cashmere much sweeter worn. So I press on in good faith and know my savior hath prepareth a place for me. And when my worth is overlooked by man, I am treasured in Him in whom I stand

Thinking ahead to a New Year

I was thinking of the new year and thinking of a resolution. I was thinking of myself and so this is what I am resolving....My list for life: Live for the Glory of God 100%, pray, be content, be joyful and in a good mood, read the Bible everyday, keep calm, rest, be consistent with discipline with myself and children, believe, trust, overly praise my husband and children, submit, be the helpmate I was made to be, fight for truth, honor, lis...ten, play, cuddle, prioritize, have patience, respect, and constantly never endling love!

Hebrew dinosaurs????????????

Alright not really. For school this week we learned about the Hebrew language and we learned about dinosaurs. So much fun, it's weeks like these that make me say to myself I wouldn't trade homeschooling for anything else. Here are a couple pictures of our week. Along with learning about the Jewish culture we were able to purchase a menorah and learned about Hanukkah. Kids had a blast.

What a blessing it is to homeschool my children. To be the one who trains them up. To shape them, mold them spiritually morally, educationally, all in a Godly manner. To provide a safe haven for my children to flourish, and learn in who they are in Christ. To strengthen their love for God, our country, each other, and so much more. Life is precious, spend it on what really matters before it's gone.

November Birthdays

Last month was two of my cupcake's birthdays. Which in all honesty I find a little difficult on the celebrating part. My oldest son turned 7 and my littlest princess turned 3 years old (where did the time go?) They are a day apart 21 and the 22. Usually we just celebrate  with family here at home, but this year My son asked if he could have a party. He had it planned over the summer. He wanted to do a harvest party of sorts. He mentioned that he wanted games and wanted it outside (hmmm this would be interesting considering their birthdays are in November and we live in New England brrrr) So November hit and the planning began. Here is the finial product. Came out really cute considering budget and weather (40 degrees). We played tug o war, spoon egg race, donut eating contest, football toss, pin the nose on the scarecrow. We roasted hot dogs on the bonfire in our backyard, made caramel apples, and drank hot cocoa, and hot apple cider. As for the cake well instead we did smores, stuck candles in the marshmallows and sang then made us some yummy smores (hubby's idea) The kids loved it. Instead of goody bags filled with junk I mean candy I made chocolate chip pumpkin cookies for them to bring home. Overall I think it was a breathe of cold fresh air and the kids had fun, adults well I'm sure they were all grumbling how cold it was but honest it wasn't to please them it was for the kids. Do you have any ideas for birthday parties? Would love to hear them.

What kind of mother are you?

     This is a composition of my collected thoughts of things that I have heard, read, and have learned. I understand that I have much more to learn considering my oldest is 6 years old. Beginning with I have learned that "Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Is a live long process, a life long graduate course that produces more humility than it does experts. Wisdom would certainly enable me to approach my job with confidence, but is not an indispensable prerequisite. Being a good mother is not beyond the reach of any christian mother. When I feel like I am more incompetent in bringing up my children in nurture and admonition of the Lord, I worry not because it doesn’t automatic mean I am going to fail. I am learning that there are three qualities mothers need to produce well trained and disciplined adults. Which are joyfulness, authoritative command (in plain truth I need to work on), and consistency (also could work on). Of the three I do believe that joyfulness is the most important. It is something you can’t fake or learn, it must come from within. To have authoritative command and to be consist are all obtainable after years of trial, error and come in time. Joyfulness cannot be taught, it is a light that shines from the soul. I am growing up with my children..sometimes I feel like a grown up kid- still developing, not exceptional in any area, and amazed at the responsibility of developing and teaching my little people and watching how joyfulness can cover a multitude of my deficiencies. To be a christian mother is the most awesome, and demanding job on this planet. To “train” my children to be emotionally stable, creative, godly, productive, and self-disciplined requires a huge variety of skills. Sometimes I wish there was a crash course in wisdom so that I may find myself prepared, but there is not, but I can walk in the light as He is in the light and gives divine wisdom on an as-needed basis. It is my walk in faith that doesn’t provide answers for tomorrow but sufficient for where I am today.

     Why do I love joyfulness so much simply because it the easiest to come by and doesn’t require maturity and wisdom. The bible uses “joy” many times. Wisdom takes time to obtain but God can make you completely joyful in a matter of an instant. Joy is a by product of thankfulness and love. God-given joy is the best of all. I read a quote somewhere that said “A joyless parent can no more raise good kids than a skunk can raise skunklets that smell good” how do I know that to be true simply because I grew up in a joyless home. I finally experienced true joy when I came in contact with God’s word and received Him as Lord. Since then I know deep down what joy is, even when things are going wrong there is still joy. A child will do anything for a parent who enjoys them. Once they get into the joy zone they don’t want to do anything to mess it up. I am observing that a mother of genuine joy can deliver a more effective rebuke or correction in less time without damaging than a legalistic grump could do with a thousand bible verses and a hundred spankings. When you are a joyful mother you will be to your children what a flower is to a bee. We are the closest example of what God looks like to our children. How we react is what our children will assume of what God would do. Anger and aggression have no place in motherhood in developing young minds. A mother has lost control when she must resort to intimidation to command respect which will only be based on fear and hate. As I mentioned before my children are growing faster then I am obtaining wisdom and knowledge, but God (I love that phrase) will grant you wisdom of the hour and joy of eternity if you just believe the truth of Lord Jesus Christ.