Wanna Be a Steader!

The Post-Thanksgiving Lull...

Thanksgiving is over and not only was it a day to be thankful, but I am thankful for how it went.  In this cold but sunny day, I am so grateful with how the Lord answered my prayers and calmed some odd family dynamics.

I awoke between 7-7:30a.m. and got a batch of fresh herb bread dough going and then prepared and set the turkey to baking.  As my family woke and after they had quick breakfasts of cereal, I set them to working!  lol  All the last-minute dusting, sweeping and toilet cleaning for my mom's inspection - er, uh - I mean, everyone's comfort and enjoyment!    

But we had a great day.  Some friends of ours who have to drive past our home to have their Thanksgiving at some relative's who live 1/2 hour past us came and visited us for about an hour.  I enjoy talking to friends while I cook, it makes the time go faster and more pleasant.  Just after they left, the first of our guests for the rest of the day arrived - a friend of our 2 dd's who has a new baby and our family (and another family from our church) are ministering/mentoring her, and other friend came, too.  Just after they arrived, my family - mom, brother and his girlfriend - came.  I have to say that - THANKFULLY - my brother was on very good behavior and only one quick little attempt at an opposing politcal comment was made but I told him that I didn't want to have those conversations today and (wow!) that was it.  PTL!! 

We had so much wonderful food - truly a feast:  I made the turkey, the obligatory green bean casserole, salad, homemade herb bread, cheesecake, veggies w/my homemade dill dip (better then store-bought, if I do say so myself!  lol), cheese tray and homemade punch.  My mom brought the stuffing, cornbread, mashed potatoes w/sour cream, chives and cheese (!), red velvet cake (homemade!), home-grown corn and sweet potatoes, while my brother brought shrimp and cocktail sauce.  It seems like I'm missing something, but believe me, we DID NOT lack anything good! 

I would also like to tell you all that I am thankful for all of you who take the time to read, to comment and to leave messages and/or e-mail me.  I praise the Lord for the miracle of the internet and the fun of blogs that have brought us together and the friendships made.  You have made such a precious, comforable nest in my heart.

Blessings to you all...

Kim Wolf<><

Days Gone By...

Off and on something comes up about my modeling days and some of you will contact me by message or e-mail and ask about it.  I modeled from the time that I was 9 until - literally - days before I married at 25.  I also doubled as a make-up artist from 19 to around 32.  I know...if you know me now you'd think that was impossible!  lol  I often say that I'm rebelling as I've given up the suits and 4" heels for jeans and Burkenstocks!    And I'm MUCH happier now!!

But, I thought I'd share a few of my portfolio pics with you...

This is from my very first portfolio shot in 1969 at age 10.  I had done a couple of runway shows before I even had a portfolio.  I was with this agency until I was 16.

Different agency. This was from 1977, age 18, taken in Downtown Dayton, Ohio.  I always loved location shots and doing commercials.  I really enjoyed the switch on a 'formal' look by going w/a tux instead of a long gown.  I wish I could find a still of the "Arby's Days"...I used to do local Arby's commercials.

This was a fun headshot taken around 1980, age 21.  I actually had a MONSTEROUS stack perm and calmed it down for the day's work!    At this point I was also teaching at this particular agency part-time, working the Clinique counter at a dept. store full-time and trying to have a social life.  I made myself sick and was hospitalized shortly after this was taken.  That's when my modeling started to take a back seat ... my agency was NOT amused.  I wasn't there that much longer and ended up going free-lance, which actually paid more anyway.  So it worked out in the end. 

Well, there's the show.  It certainly seems like looking at a movie of another person's life now, and, in many ways, it is.  I wasn't a Christian until I was 23 and the Lord is SO gracious, forgiving and good to me!  I went through a broken engagement from an atheist, became a Christian in 1982 and married my wonderful Christian husband in 1984.  I am undeserving and grateful!

 As a side note...the last time I modeled were the last 2 months before we married, in 1984, in a wedding series that traveled to about 10 different stores.  The wedding gown I had picked out for our own wedding happened to be in the show and the coordinators let me wear it in the shows in one of my sets!!  My sweet Ty, when he would take me to some of the shows, knew which "bride's maids" walked out before me in the set when I wore my gown and he would lower his head and look at the floor until that set was over so that he wouldn't see me in my gown until I walked down OUR isle.  Wasn't that sweet?  He said that whenever I walked out in that gown the audience would ooo and ahhh and it was a terrible temptation to look.  lol 

So, there you have it.  Hope you enjoyed the journey.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

CHRISTmas Questions Part II

Got this one from Jen...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  YES! lol  Usually bags for friends and wrapping for family.  Don't know why, it just ends up that way.  My FAVORITE wrap is brown paper tied w/twine or raffia w/some sort of CHRISTmas Stampin' Up stamps.

2. Real tree or Artificial?  We used to do the real ones, but I pick up quills ALL year, so we have used a fake one for years.  Last year, however, we got the most wonderful tree!!  It's very rustic - just the way I like it - it has just a touch of "snow" (so it doesn't look 'cheap') and pine cones and we put only vintage and rustic ornaments on it.  LOVE IT!  I hate to take it down!

3. When do you put up the tree? If not the day after Thanksgiving, then the weekend following.

5. Do you like eggnog?  No. 

6. Favorite gift received as a child?  Hmmm...my Barbie Dream House.  I'm old enough that it was the second edition, still cardboard, but it was WAY cool!! 

7. Hardest person to buy for?  My mom.  She's very well off and has 2 of everything.

8. Easiest person to buy for?  My dog, Maggie!

9. Do you have a nativity scene?  Yes; it's the one my family has had since I was about 3 years old and is starting to fall apart.  I'd like to get replacement Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus and a few animals from the company that does the wooden angels for all occasions (shoot, can't think of the name).  While I'm at it ... I CAN'T STAND to see the wise men in a nativity scene!!  They didn't find Jesus until He was 2 years old, for Pete's sake...so put them waaaaay over on the other side of the house that they can make a journey of it! 

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?  Both.  If I have your e-mail address, you'll probably get an e-mail; family and friends w/o e-mail get cards. 

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  OK...I'm serious here...no joke...My dear grandma was a very frugal gal, having lived through the Depression she was always thinking of USEFUL things to give.  The first CHRISTmas we were married she gave us a can of Crisco w/a bow on top!!  lol 

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?  White CHRISTmas.

13. When do you start shopping? Usually in December.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  Yes.  'Nuff said.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  My mom's stuffing!

16. Lights on the tree?  White.

17. Favorite Christmas song?  O Holy Night and I Wonder as I Wander.  I have a really beautiful arrangement of 'I Wonder...' that I worked out on my hammered dulcimer.

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home?   We usually go to my mom's house.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s?  Possibly...um...no.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?  A rustic star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?  We have our OWN family CHRISTmas on CHRISTmas Eve morning - when the girls were little we were always rushing all over the place and we weren't making OUR OWN memories and they couldn't enjoy their news clothes or toys.  So, when our oldest was about 5 we started our own tradition on the day before. 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year.  The emphasis on Santa and stores putting up CHRISTmas - eh hem - I mean 'holiday' decorations BEFORE halloween!! 

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?  Rustic, vintage.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Didn't I answer that?  My mom's stuffing.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?  A digital camera.

CHRISTmas Memories

The holidays are near so I want to know...

1.
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
 Hot chocolate!

2.
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
 Nope, never did the Santa-thing.  Jesus supplies the gifts – that’s what we’ve always told them.

3.
Colored lights on tree/house or white? 
 White

4.
Do you hang mistletoe? 
 yes

5.
When do you put your decorations up? 
  always right after Thanksgiving :) 

6.
What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? 
My mom’s stuffing.               

 7.
Favorite holiday memory as a child: 
When I was about 11, I couldn’t sleep one Christmas Eve night and I had my radio on.  It was about 2a.m. and Nat King Cole’s “Chestnuts Roasting” came on while huge, fluffy snowflakes floated down outside my windows.  Ahhhh.

8.
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? 
 2^nd or 3^rd grade.
9.
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? 
Yes.  So that OUR family can make our own Christmas memories, we open our own presents on Christmas Eve morning so that it’s not interrupted by having to leave to go to someone’s house.

10.
How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? 
  We got a new Christmas tree last year that is very real-looking w/just a little ‘snow’ and pinecones on it.  We put away many of our more trendy ornaments for the girls to have one of these days and now only use the more vintage and backwoods-looking ornaments.  It’s very rustic and I LOVE IT!!
11.
Snow! Love it or Dread it?
I love snow...especially when I’m inside looking out!

12.
Can you ice skate? 
  That’s up for interpretation…I’ve roller skated all my life and only ice skated once.

13.
Do you remember your favorite gift? 

Christmas of 1998, Ty got me my hammered dulcimer!!

14.
What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you? 
Remembering God's gift to us in His Son Jesus and having my family all together for Christmas. 

15.
What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
 Pumpkin pie and red velvet cake.

16.
What is your favorite holiday tradition? 
The big family meal – everyone together and happy.

17.
What tops your tree? 
 A rustic star

18.
Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Definitely giving 

19.
What is your favorite Christmas Song? 
  O Holy Night and I Wonder as I Wander

20.
Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? 
 Yum.

21.
What do you want for Christmas? 
A digital camera

22.
Do you attend an annual Christmas Party? 
 Ty’s work and – if can call it a party – our annual Christmas Eve service.

23.
Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs? 

When I was little we dressed up for the meal.  Now we just wear ‘nice’ jeans and maybe a ‘dress’ blouse/shirt or sweater.

24. Do you own a Santa hat?
 nope – don’t do the Santa-thing here.

25.
Who do you normally spend Christmas with? 
Our family ~~ Christmas Eve day is for our own family; the weekend before Christmas day is w/Ty’s side of the family, Christmas Day is usually w/my side of the family.

Don't You Just Love the Little Things?

Today started out so gloomy and cold as the rain brought in such frigid temperatures.  But I needed to go out to my favorite Old Order German Baptist farm dairy this morning to get some more whole milk and brown eggs.  Even on gloomy days, that little trip brings a smile to me face.  It's a nice 15-20 minute drive and I had my sweet little dog, Maggie, w/me and I put my CD of the music from PBS's "Frontier House" in the player and we were off. 

There was some sort of 'big doin's' at the Old Order meeting house this morning b/c I passed no fewer than 11 horses and buggies on my errand.  That's always such a wonderful sight.

When I got home, I fixed dh's favorite Saturday morning breakfast, Amish French Toast (http://www.homesteadblogger.com/wannabeone/105269/) and don't you know that 2 (TWO!!) of the eggs I cracked open had double yokes!! 

Then, about an hour later, the weather got cold enough that our rain turned to giant, fluffy snowflakes for about 2-1/2 hours.  What a lovely sight on a dark, quiet (except for the Ohio State Buckeye football game! ) Saturday.

It's the little things in life that mean the most.  PTL.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Silver Lining in a Sad Day...

Well, I don't know about you - and I don't want to offend anyone's politics - but I am SO SAD over what happened to our country last night.  Never in my lifetime did I ever think that I would live to see a Socialist/Marxist voted into the office of the President of the United States.  My grandpa fought in WWI to defeat people like this; my uncle and my dad fought in WWII to defeat people like this.  How sad they would be today. 

HOWEVER...I DO know that GOD is still on His throne!  Whatever judgement we must go through, we can do all through Christ Who strengthens us.

But here is a bright spot in my day - my youngest dd, who is a Senior in our homeschool this year - handed me this impromptu essay that she's going to put on her My Space...

Yesterday a man was elected President of the United States.  Someone I fear.  Someone who approves of abortion, someone who approves of gay marriages and someone who is a Socialist and his name is Barack Obama.  I am starting to wonder what has happened to our country.  I have a couple of things I would like to say to you all today and I felt like I needed to share them with you.  I watched a movie today called "The Patriot," and if you haven't seen it yet, or you have seen it and it's just been a long time, then I encourage you to watch it.  Now, granted, the fact that the story of a man named Benjamin Martin (character played by Mel Gibson) and his family's story may not be true; but what they did to his family in the movie, those kinds of things did happen to other families back then; and they probably did things to those people that we wouldn't even want to see on screen.  The main thing that I want you all to realize is that they won the Revolutionary War because they didn't take God out of the center of that war.  We have taken God so much out of politics that it's sickening.  People like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln would be rolling over in their graves over our nation right now.  Those two men made a difference in our country because they kept their faith in God!  So I ask you now...What has happened to our nation?  We take God out of our nation more and more, and let me tell you something, if you take God out of our nation there is not going to BE a nation.  I want to go back to that movie, "The Patriot," for just a little bit.  That main character, Benjamin Martin, lost so much.  But we see him hold on to his unfailing faith.  He always knew that God was with him. What a great testimony for those who are struggling.  But where has faith like that gone in our nation?  We all take so lightly the purpose of voting or just being here in America period!  I read an article about what some women went through just to have the right to vote.  They were arrested for wanting just to vote!  Listen to these true stories..."Lucy Burns was beaten until she could no longer stand.  She was chained with her hands above her head to cell bars and was left there hanging and gasping for air...Dora Lewis was hurled into a dark cell, smashed her head into an iron bed and knocked her out cold.  Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack.  Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women."  This was called the "Night of Terror" on Nov. 15, 1917.  Nobody acts like they even remember what happened at 9/11 anymore.  I even forgot about it this year...how sad is that?!  God gave us a second chance to change the world on 9/11.  There has been so many opportunities for our nation to come together but we haven't taken them.  God wants us to witness to the world and how can we do that if our own nation is starting to fall apart with gangs and racial issues?!  I think these people would be disappointed in our choices and our actions.  I know some of you out there didn't even vote and that always disappoints me when someone doesn't vote.  Because the people before us worked so hard to be able to let you all vote and we take it for granted.  People want to take God out of public schools completely and that is just not right.  I will be praying for our country and our troops.  We need to remember that God is and always will be he center of our nation.  Not the President and/or Senators.  This is God's nation!

Last night, after the 11p.m. (est) announcement that Obama had officially crossed the 270 electoral votes, this dd came down and said, "Mommy, I think we need to pray now!"  I am so proud of my girls, but - as I'm sure you know - there are those moments that just make your heart nearly burst from love.  This was one of them for me.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE!! 

One More Reason I'm Glad We Homeschool...

This past Friday (the 17th), the high school I attended had an all-class reunion at their Homecoming footbal game - it was to celebrate that this year's Senior class will be their 50th graduating class.  I was looking forward to my dh and I going b/c I knew that I would see upper and lower-classmen that you just don't see at your own class reunions...plus...as a former band member I knew that Homecoming would always offer one the year's best marching band performances! 

A couple of years ago the district tore down EVERY school building and rebuilt them, including my old high school.  The only original parts left of the school I attended are the gym and auditorium, so it would be exciting to see the new school.  My girlfriends from school (who I still see a couple times a year) and I took "our own" tour of parts of the new building (I even got to use the teacher's potty!  lol  Our class president is now the Principal and he unlocked it for me!  Mystery solved...it's nothing special!) and, indeed, it is a beautiful place.  (Eh-hmmm....the SCHOOL, NOT the potty! )  Computers in nearly every room, a STORE (WOW!), a college-type library, cool lunchroom, large band and choir rooms, etc.  We saw people that we hadn't seen in years and secretly wondered if we looked as old to them as do to us  and tried not to forget that our wonderful dh's were dutifully wandering behind us as we giggled like school girls and remembered when.  Fortunately, our dh's are friends so they could commiserate w/each other.  lol

Then, we went out to "watch the game."  There were so many people there that we had to crunch down in the wheelchair section of the grandstand.  We watched the game whenever people started cheering b/c we were taking to other class members as they walked by.  But what we were really there for was to see the band.  My little group of classmates that I was chumming with that night were all former band members and drillies...we had our priorities for the evening.  As 1/2-time approached, we watched as the band took their positions at the end of the field - my their uniforms were so cool! - not the military-style we had.  They were also a VERY SMALL band now, MAYBE 60 kids - enrollment has gone down so much that, according to our old principal who was there, they barely had 200 per class now; OUR class alone was 444 and our marching band had over 200 PLUS about 30 drillies!  Now they only had their little band and 4 or 5 flag corp (ick - I'm NOT a flag corp fan).

So, our anticipation was building...Homecoming would always be one of the best shows!  The band came out, the girl drummajor dutifully marched out and climbed her director's perch, qued up the instruments and ... what's this crud?  NEWS BLERBS?!?!  "The war in Iraq took on high casualties today/the Dow ended with a down-turn/President Bush says he doesn't know how long our troops will be in Iraq/unemployment has reached a new high..."  Then, the commentator started speaking in a modlin tone and saying things like "If we stick together we CAN over-come...we mustn't let life get us down...whatever is going on in the world you must get through it..."  THEN the band started their routine - first, they hardly marched and then what they did had no creativity to it at all; and the music - it was slow, almost concert-type music!!  OH MY!  IT WAS SO SAD!!!  All of my friends and I just looked at each other WAITING for the "fun part" to start - it didn't.  3 songs that were simply played to be playing something, it seemed to us.

I ask you, and I'm going to e-mail my old high school and ask them - WHY -WHY use a football game halftime show - and a band routine - to put such depressing thoughts into the minds of young, impressionable teens?!?!  Halftime shows are meant to entertain not spew p.c. doctine!  What we saw was NOT entertainig in the least.  It was utterly depressing.  When our band would perform we would do Chicago and Beatles music and we would have people on their feet cheering and dancing!!  WE WERE FUN!!  I saw nothing fun or entertaining about anything those kids did on Friday night.

My friends and I left after half-time and had our own little reunion at a local favorite pizza place that we all enjoyed  "back when."  Believe me, NONE of us were up-lifted or entertained by the half-time "show." 

It was sad and, once again, my dh and I were convinced that the last 16 years of homeschooling is one of the very best choices we're ever made in our lives!  That our children aren't missing ANYTHING and, in fact, are being rescued from the depressing p.c. environment!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Pets are Family, Too!

My dear blog friend, Amy (Simplefolk ~~ a MUST READ blog, by-the-way!!), posted about losing her sweet dog that used to be her grandpa's.  That losing their Rosie was a milestone of sorts as she had belonged to her loving grandpa.

It brought back memories - good and sad - about our dear Hickory that we lost at age 10 back in January from liver cancer.  He was "our boy" and I still think of him daily.  Even though we now have our cute little Maggie (a "big girl" at 10 whole months and all of about 10 lbs., now!), I still miss Hickory.  I've had dogs all my life and, as any pet owner knows, as much as we love them all there are a couple in our lives that are just special.  That was Hickory.  Maggie is doing a wonderful job of playing her way right into those empty parts of our hearts, so we're hoping that she will be just as speical as Hickory.

This is "our boy", Hickory, just a couple of years ago.  I miss that face. 

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Told You I Met the Dixon's! lol

OK...since my sweet Jenna hasn't up-loaded her pictures of our meeting with the WONDERFUL Dixon family at her volleyball tourney in Ft. Wayne, IN on the Sept. 6th...Jacque Dixon (http://jacquedixon.com) was sweet enough to let me borrow one that she has.  Honest...once Jenna FINALLY gets the others loaded I'll post them, too.   

Aren't they just the cutest family EVER?!  I'm in love with those kids...ALL of 'em!  So well behaved and not afraid of (strange) strangers. 

Thanks, Jacque, for the pic!  Can't wait to get together again!  Tell your family "hi" for me!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Back Among the Living!

Thank you, EVERYONE, for your kind e-mails.  It was so nice to get back on-line - after having not been on here since Friday - and see that someone had left a note or two. 

I spent most of last week caring for my dd#2 who had a cold, well, as most of you moms know, we always fall right in line in getting it, too.  So, this weekend my dd#1 and I were couch and bed bound with our own miserable colds.  I'm doing some better now - it's just nice to walk around, clean up and get back to some sort of daily routine.  I still have the hoarse cough and all, but I'M UP AND ABOUT!  :-)

Blessings from Ohio...

I'm a Graduate...Again!!

Last night (9/13/08) I received my Associate's Degree in Biblical Studies!!  Some exciting things were kept in suspense and were only revealed when we stood to receive our diplomas...

I found out that my final GPA was 3.99 and that I was the Salutatorian of our small class!!  AND...I graduated w/honors!!  Woohoo!!!  I have about 20 of my old Jr/Sr high teachers that I would like to tell THAT bit of news to (of course, as old as I am and as old as they were...that would be impossible! lol).  ;-)

So...now I'm on to my Bachelor's. 

Blessings from Ohio...

Great Weekend!!

As some of you who may be regular readers may remember from last year, our dd is on our local homeschool volleyball team, The Golden Angels.  Our 20yodd was also on this team before she graduated from our homeschool. 

This past Saturday, the team went to one of their annual tournaments at Speice Fieldhouse in Ft. Wayne, IN.  This is an AWESOME tournament for ALL homeschooled teams.  We went up on Friday night and spent the night (all the other years we have gotten out the door at 5a.m. to make it there by 7:45a.m.!!).  It was so much nicer to get 2 more hours of sleep!    And it's always fun to stay in a hotel.  It's a rare treat for us. 

The team had fun, as usual, at the tourney...but they didn't get too far this year.  Last year they got about mid-way through.  This is QUITE a "building year"...they lost 6 Seniors from the Varsity team from last year and only ONE girl is a returning Varsity player.  I hope the girls really remember that they are there to HAVE FUN, build godly character, enjoy godly friends, etc. because they are essentially a new team this year.  Because last year they had such an OUTSTANDING year - their 3rd undefeated year of regular play, thye won a regional tourney in Cinci, went to Homeschool V-ball Nationals in Omaha, NB and came 8th in the nation - I hope they don't come down too hard on themselves when/if things don't go quite as well.  I hope they have ooodles of fun and just have the time of their lives!  They're not going to Nationals this year (too much $$$ so they only go every 3 years), but they will be going to a big tourney in Erie, PA at the end of Oct.  They LOVE that tourney, too.  It's a great way to end the year.

ANOTHER GREAT THING HAPPENED AT THE TOURNAMENT!!!  I know so many of you probably read Jacque Dixon's blogs (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jacquedixonsoulrestes & http://jacquedixon.com & http://www.homesteadblogger.com/jacquedixon ) ...well...after a few years of blog friendship and being connected through TOS, we FINALLY got to meet!!  They live w/in driving distance of Ft. Wayne and were SO incredibly gracious to give up a few hours of family time on a Saturday to come out to meet us!!  I AM SO EXCITED to have finally gotten to meet this incredible family!! 

Also there were:  Amanda (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SuperAngel ), Jocelyn (http://aponderheart.com/blog & http://www.homesteadblogger.com/jocelyndixon ), Rachel (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rjdjohn316 ), Hannah (http://dixonhomestead.com/hannah ) and I also was blessed to meet Eric Isaac, Caleb and the adorable LucyLillie!  What a great family!!  What precious, well-behaved children...every one of them.  Unfortunately, Jasper couldn't come (the trials of a working girl ) and Jenna didn't get to be w/them as much as she would have liked b/c ... well ... she played!  lol  But after that her Varsity team needed to support the JV team while they played.  Time just simply ran out and before we knew it, it was time to the Dixons to head home.

But I am thrilled beyond measure to have met all of them!

FYI...When Jenna gets her pics up-loaded, I'll post a pic of the Dixon's and myself!!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Back from Vacation!

I always feel pushed and pulled in both directions when it's time to come home from vacation...ESPECIALLY when we have been to one of our favorite places!

We LOVE going to Lakeside, Ohio - on Lake Erie - every year.  A family that is some of our best friends has a cottage in Lakeside that we go to every year.  And...every year...even though it is one of the hardest places for us to leave...it's always so good to walk into our own home.  Isn't it funny how the Lord gives us such a heart for our homes?  The whole way home I am internally whining because we have to leave the cottage and our daily walks along the lake shore, the fun vacation food (diets DO NOT EXIST on vacation!), sight-seeing, cool lake breezes even on hot days...and then as soon as I walk into my home I'm so glad to be here!

The Lord is good in giving us a heart for our homes.

Here are a few pics of Lakeside...

Jenna outside the cottage.

This was in 2000 at Marblehead Lighthouse...just east of Lakeside.

I'll have to scan some more recent pics of our trips.  Hope you enjoyed these.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Up-Date on Thesis!!

I am excited to say that before we left for vacation that my pastor/dean e-mailed me and said that he really liked my thesis.  I also found out that I will be graduating w/HONORS!!!  WOOHOO!!!  Oh, how I would like to show my high school teachers THAT bit of news!  lol 

Another cool thing...our friends - whose cottage we were staying at - came up to the cottage the day we left.  So, we had lunch w/then before we headed out.  The husband of that family is also on the board of directors of the little seminary I'm attending.  He said that they had a meeting just before they left and that Joe (our pastor/dean) even commented to everyone about how good he thought my thesis was!!!  I am competely shell-shocked!  My biggest worry was that it wouldn't be "academic" enough.  Maybe I'll post it sometime...but it's LOOOONG.  We'll see.

Thanks SO MUCH for your prayers!!

Blessings, Kim Wolf

See Ya Later...

Keep those homestead & homeschool fires burning.  I'll talk to you when we get back from vacation!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Thesis is "In the Mail"!

Well...for better of worse, my thesis ~ "The Biblical Basis for Homeschooling Christian Children" ~ has been turned in and I am waiting - w/frayed nerves - to find out what the grade - and reaction! - will be.

So, I have completed my credits for my Associate's Degree in Biblical Studies and am actually 18 credits into my Bachelor's! I attend a small seminary that does intensive degrees (and believe me...they ARE intensive!!). My pastor is the Dean...but that gives me no grace! lol

I'll be graduating on Sept. 13th. It's an odd date for graduation, I know, but a gentleman from Kenya was taking courses on-line and we raised the $$ for him to come and graduate w/us. I think the timing had something to do w/his Visa. But I'm excited!

I'm doing this, mostly, b/c I have no idea what I will be doing after we graduate our youngest dd this spring...our last homeschool graduate! WOW!! After 16 years, it just seems so unreal to think about. The time has FLOWN!

I'm hoping to still be writing and speaking. Maybe her graduating will open a little more writing time. We'll see.

But if you think of me, please keep my never level in your prayers while I wait for it to be reviewed. Thanks.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Growing Old & Enjoying It

Just in case you didn't know it, I'm 49 years old.  WOW!  WHEN did that EVER happen to ME?!?!    It wasn't until I was in my 30s that life finally seemed to start 'clicking.'  Know what I mean?  Yes, there are always going to be times of family strife; yes, that's when our kids are growing and active and going in 20 different directions; yes, that's about the time we really start losing our gr-parents, parents, uncles, aunts...even some of our childhood friends.  It seems that that's when life starts getting 'REAL'.  If you weren't close to the Lord before that time in your life, then that's when you either sink - and walk away because you forgot that we DO live in a sinful world after all, BUT God is still on the Throne and He still loves us and has an awesome plan for our lives...OR...you swim - you stay afloat, you dog paddle, you rely more deeply on the Lord and draw closer BECAUSE you realize that this sinful, fallen world isn't "IT."  That there's more and the Lord is your ultimate reward.

That realization is what makes life work, what makes it do-able, what gives me my joy in the hard, sad times.  Just like the "Footprints" poem says, that's when Jesus carries me.  And, having been a Daddy's Girl, I LOVE being carried and cuddled by my Daddy...especially my Heavenly Father!

But I digress a little.  Below is an e-mail that a dear friend of mine sent me about growing older.  Although there are parts in it that show it probably wasn't written by a Christian, the jist of it is OH SO TRUE.  As I said earlier, I was probably in my 30s before I started really coming into my own.  Living life the way we thought the LORD was leading us and NOT what culture, society, the "old guard" at church, fashion, parents, in-laws...WHOEVER...ANYONE who isn't living OUR lives says we should be living it!  It's not that I don't care what others think, I just don't care enough  to take their well-meaning, uninformed criticism of my homeschooling, my regarding my husband as the head of my home, my raising my daughters to look forward to being wives and mothers, my finding joy in small things, my wanting to learn more about gardening or making my own household cleaners and personal items instead of "simply going to the store," if I traded the high heels and dress suits of my modeling/make up artist days for well-worn jeans, funky jewelry and Burkenstocks!!...among other things.  I'm sure YOU have been there, too.

Well, all that to say.  I really enjoyed the little story below.  It spoke of alot of my feelings (except for sleeping 'til noon! ) w/o being disrespectful.  And if any of you are younger than me by more than 10 years, I hope you learn this lesson VERY SOON.  There IS a "great freedom that comes with aging."  Enjoy the ride!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Old Age, I decided, is a gift!

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be.  Oh, NOT my body!  I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt.  And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother! [I'm looking more like my Dad & my aunt! KW<><]), but I don't agonize over those things ... for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly.  As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself.  I've become my own friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement goose that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. 

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 a.m. and sleep until noon? 

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60s and 70s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love...I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the 'jet set.'  They, too, will get old.  [Haha!  Joke's on them!]

I know I am sometimes forgetful.  But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten.  And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken.  How can your heart NOT break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car?  But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion.  [II Cor. 1:3-4]  A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am SO blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.  So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive.  You care less about what other people think.  I don't question myself anymore.  I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your questions, I like being old.  It has set me free.  I like the person I have become.  I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.  And I shall eat dessert every single day.  (IF I feel like it!)

Yesterday...Remember When (from GypsyFarmGirl)

OK gang...just remember...I'm an oldie goldie compared to some of you!    I was a kid in the 60's and a teen in the 70's (class of '77!)...Sooo, this may even be a history lesson to some of you!  HAHAHAHA!!  Have fun!...

What were your 3 favorite things to watch on TV when you were a kid? 

1) Beany & Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent, 2) Beverly Hillbillies, 3) Andy Griffith Show.

What 3 commercials do you remember most from when you were a kid?

1) Don't squeeze the Charmin/Mr. Whipple, 2) Frigidaire [sp?] commericals w/ladies dressed up, dancing around their appliances,  3) Marlboro Man cigarette commercials.

What 3 toys were popluar when you were a kid?

1) Barbies, 2) G. I. Joe, 3) Baby First Step.

What 3 things did not exist when you were a kid?

1) Telephones w/o a cord, 2) VCR/DVD players, 3) CDs. (I still miss the huge posters that we used to get w/our 33 rpm albums!)

What 3 fads did you fall for when you were a kid?

1) Earth Shoes (did you know they're back!!!  Love 'em!), 2) white lipstick, 3) huge bell-bottom jeans.

What 3 songs do you remember most from when you were a kid?

1) ANYTHING by the Beatles!, 2) "Easy Come, Easy Go" by Bobby Sherman (oh, be still my heart!), 3) "Puppy Love" by Donny Osmond.

What were your 3 favorite movies when you were a kid?

1) "Mary Poppins" (the FIRST TIME it was out!), 2) "101 Dalmations" (the FIRST TIME it was out!), 3) "The Ghost & Mr. Chicken" (the FIRST TIME it was out!).   

What are your 3 most embarrassing moments from when you were a kid?

1) Throwing up on the school bus, 2) when a hoody-type girl who - for some unknown reason - made it her life's goal to make my life miserable tried to get me to fight her.  Of course, since I wouldn't, everyone thought I was a chicken...yep...public school is great! What was your question about socialization?  3) falling off the top of the monkey bars...back then we HAD to wear dresses in grade school.

What 3 things do you wish you could get back from when you were a kid?

1) My friend Debbie who moved, they were an Air Force family, 2) my cat, Boots, 3) my grandparents.

~~ If you do this, let me know!!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Questions from Mrs. Incredible!!

Memories That Make You Go...Ahhhhh...

While replying to an e-mail I was reminded of some wonderful memories from my childhood of the simpler ways of life...and a simpler time in my own life...childhood.  Here are some of my favorite memories.  I would LOVE to know some of yours...

~~My mom is the baby of 14 children (and I’m the 52^nd of 52 grandchildren!) and her 2^nd-oldest sister was the only one who never left the foothills and “hollers” of VERY RURAL east/central KY.  I LOVED going to their house!!  It was like visiting Laura Ingalls Wilder.  My uncle built their little house (with the steps that went right into the wall…you had to almost jump either right or left into the room you wanted to go into) and raised 11 kids there.  She didn’t have electricity until I was in grade school in the mid-60’s, or in-door plumbing until the mid-80’s – about 6 years before she died – and she still cooked on a huge black coal/wood-burning stove!  There was NOTHING like her biscuits!  They were as big as her saucers and were meals in themselves.  Especially w/honey from their own hives.

~~This same uncle taught me how to milk cows by hand.  When we would visit I'd go out to the barn with him every morning.  He would always have me be very quiet and we would almost 'sneak' in...then he would quietly give me one of the buckes while he took another.  He would signal "1...2...3" with his fingers and on "3" we would start shaking the buckets and CATS would absolutely EXPLODE out of every crevice of the barn!  lol  He would then squirt the cats in the face while he milked...that's what they were waiting for!

~~My gr-parents' back porch went right out onto a foothill that was COVERED in raspberry briars.  My gr-pa and I would go out and pick quart baskets FULL and then we would go out to the front porch.  I'd sit on his lap while he pretended to be a baby bird - opening his mouth up as wide as he could - and I would be the mommy bird and feed him.  Hmmm...I think Gr-pa got the better end of the deal!

~~Sitting on the floor in front of my "Bigmom's" rocker and listening to her tell wonderful, funny stories about her childhood.

~~Summers at another uncle's house riding horses FOREVER! 

~~Picking strawberries in a local patch (2 for the basket, 1 for me!) and then going home to pour them into a HUGE tub and picking off the stems late into the summer evening on our back porch.  Lighting lanterns to work by and watching the fire-flies, owls and bats come out while the crickets and tree frogs sang to us.

~~Can't forget those wonderful summer nights with the windows open and the crickets and tree frogs singing me to sleep.

What about you?

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><