How do you know?

....how to start....where to start...

I remember when the babies were young and my friends with older children would say to enjoy that time because when they are older it is a different kind of difficult. When they are young, it is physically tiring. As they get older, the wearying happens on your heart. Who is it that says, when you have a child, its like having your heart walk around outside your body. Well, we have reached that point.

We now have to begin to watch our precious punkins, make choices in life that, for the most part, will affect them more than anything and at the same time shoot various sized darts into my heart. Ah, parenthood....

I so regret I was so self-focused at the beginning that I missed time that should have been poured into them. I wonder what all I missed in teaching, training , and loving on them to prepare them for life. I would completely crack under the stress, worry, and regret if not for my Almighty God! If He can do what He has done in my life in spite of me, then I know He can take care of my children in spite of what I have, or have not, done to them!

The more I have to let go, the more I pray, pray, pray.

Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?' John 11:40

First day of school.

Nate chose to make a first impression with his, 'If you were more like me, you would be AWESOME!!' shirt.

Super Jacob, 5th grade, super sweet teacher.

Ellie-Jellie. Friends in her class. Ready for 3rd grade. Song in her heart!

Zoobah. 1st gr. Ready, set, go!

Nate was ready to leave and I wanted a perfectly posed 1st day of school picture of the children. John tried to just snap one of them here in the kitchen, this is my attempt to stop it. :)

Happy Birthday, L.E. ! You are a beauty!

We went to the fair yesterday for Ellie's 9th birthday. She and Jacob did this bunjee jump. Ellie is at the top right of the pic, she was really jumping and flipping. Jacob is facing camera in the center of the pic. Ellie is always wanting to do what Jacob is doing! :)

She got her ears pierced on ID on vacation and by the time her birthday arrived, it was time to change her earings! Fun, fun!

I think she is about 4 or 5 yrs old here. What a cutie, huh?!! She has such a great and infectious smile. She lights up a room!

Ellie loves to dress up. She loves a pretty dress, skirt, pair of shoes, etc.! (I have to admit, I am a tad jealous of her outfits sometimes! Like this one! :)

She had to be only about 2 or 3 years old here. She was born with a head full of hair, so she had a head start!! This was a fun sitting, she loved the wings! :)

Ellie was born with a song in her heart. She always has a tune running through her mind. She used to lose track of time in the bathroom, just singing away and unconcerned about the task at hand!

She definitely lives in the moment. She rarely remembers where we are going or if we have been there before, or if she has met someone already. She is almost always delighfully surprised by what is happening.

She can be very daydreamy, but it is very sweet (once I prayed to really love my children with an understanding of who God made them to be. Not to be so focused on what things we need to fix or work on about them! Thank you, Lord).

So I mentioned she loves music, she loves beauty, and she loves Love! I love to sneak peeks at her face when the lovey parts come on the movie, she is enraptured! She is a girly-girl if ever I saw one! On the other hand, she loves to keep up with Jacob!

And she got her Daddy's ability to make people laugh! You know those really beautiful women that aren't afraid to not look perfect for the joke or the laugh? That is Ellie! I love it, she can be the biggest goofball! So funny!

We are so thankful for Elisha Chloe-Nichole, and look forward to seeing what God has in store for her! :)

My baby...

My beautiful 4th born child. Seven years old.

Phoebe Isabelle-Clare

Wasn't she just yummy!

She was literally the easiest, most angelic baby. God gave me grace and mercy while I adjusted to being a mother of 4, which is such a blessing! He has given to me just as I needed and the desires of my heart and abundantly blessed me.

Heart-breaking, isn't she? (or is it just me and her daddy? :)

After Ellie was born, John asked if he should schedule The Appointment. (You know what I mean by "The Appointment" right? The one where the husband goes to the dr and the dr asks, 'Are you sure you do not want to father any more children?' Yah, that is The Appointment.) And even though I was slow to adjust and needing much more loving instruction and discipline, etc from the Lord, I somehow knew that our family was not complete. OH MY GOODNESS, WAS IT NOT! HOW COULD WE HAVE EVER LIVED WITHOUT PHOEBE?! NEVER. THANK YOU MY SWEET HUSBAND FOR BELIEVING ME AND MY SWEET LORD FOR MY HUSBAND AND MY CHILDREN! YOU ARE SO GOOD TO ME.

Oooh, and Daddy love. Sweet...

Some kind of wonderful......

My beautiful sister and I. :)


My sister, Amy, and her sweet cutie husband, Nicholas. Aren't they a cute couple?!



My parents took us to a Kenny Chesney concert for my bd. FUN!





All the sweet girls in our fams joined us for Ellie's ear-piercing.
Amber (sister in law), John's mom, my mom, me and my sister Amy, then my dark-haired little niece, Madisen, Ellie and Phoebe. :)





McFamily :)
We had a glorious visit to ID. We spent time with precious family and friends! I am not even going to try to list everything out that we got to do!
Thanks to everyone who took time to see us!
Love you!!
XOXO