Ramblings...( sorry, this one is just kind of a journal entry or something!)

Well, it has happened... Ellie has asked when we are getting out the Christmas decorations. :) I am hoping and planning for next weekend. I do think Thanksgiving weekend is a perfect weekend to decorate for Christmas. ;0 Nate went out and dug up the Christmas music the other day, so we are getting in the spirit around here! :)

My lesson learned for the moment is cute don't cut it in below zero weather. I gave up on two pairs of cheap boots from last year and am wearing my Seriously- for-Snow boots, they keep my feet dry and they keep my up on my feet! Yes, last year I either had wet feet, once the snow soaked through, or I fell on my hiney..a few times or did one of those body convulsions to try to keep from falling, which get your adrenaline pumping like crazy! Not in a fun way! Funny to watch by those around me probably though! And no more colored gloves that match my coat or scarf, but now some heavy, lined, faux-leather gloves that keep my hands warm!! And a hat! Very little concern for messed up hair! Just protection from the weather. My hat doesn't match anything. My gloves don't match my scarf and are not cute. My scarf doesn't match, and nothing matches my coat. But I don't care! Lord, thank you for releasing me from my vanities! :)

So, Sunday I finally made it out to the garage to go though some boxes that John had strategically put in my parking spot so that I would have to tend to them to be able to park there. Did I take care of it in a timely fashion during the nice weather when I could have the garage door open and breathe the fresh air while I worked and long before the cold hit so that there would be no delay in parking in the garage as soon as the snow fell???? No. No. Of course, no. I procrastinated and had to survive a week of snow and hear forecasts of below zero weather to be encouraged to move this task to the top of my priority list. I had to bundle up and be practically dragged out there by my husband. But now it is done. And I got to park in the garage Sunday night. Whew.

The boxes, you ask? What was in the boxes? Well, I'll tell you...( The boxes that I mentioned were in my spot in the garage, in case you didn't follow that lovely transition:) The boxes had a bunch of home-school materials in them... I loved home schooling my kids... it wasn't always easy...in fact, I don't think it ever was easy, but I loved it. Not the schooling part, because 99% of the time they didn't want to 'do school'. But having them home with me and knowing, for the most part, what was going into their precious minds. And having them with me, I love that. So we haven't home-schooled here the last 3 years, and that is what we needed to do. God is so good to teach us what we need. And He is so good at loving us as He does. And now, it seems He is going to let me home-school again for a bit. We are planning to home-school the girls for the next couple of years. It is just a time for drawing them close and strengthening our bonds. I am so excited! I am making plans in my heart to do some fun things with my precious daughters and I can't wait for next year. Our home schooling in the past was just the basics, I would hear about moms doing extras and fun stuff and feel bad but I just didn't have it in me at the time. But now, I am daydreaming about our time together for the next year(s), I don't know how long it will be for, but it is going to be good. :) I plan to tell the girls closer to the end of this school year, when the time is right for them to receive it. When I was sorting the home school boxes, Ellie was out there, having fun going through stuff with me and getting excited about some of the things she saw. So I am praying for her response and timing in telling her. She is my social-butterfly, so we will have to stay on top of that, and some of the fun things I have in mind are for her. Phoebe, I think, will be excited and I don't really worry about telling her.
Maybe we will start a blog about it when we start. :)

Thank You, Lord, for how You teach us, grow us, Love us. You alone are able. Praise You. and worthy. Amen.

PHuzzbucket

Phoebe, Oh Phoebe.
Thank you, Lord, for Phoebe. How I love her and how amazing she is to me. One of my precious, Fantastic Four. Lord, you have so abundantly blessed me. 

Here are couple of Phuzzbucket stories for you. The other morning her breakfast was ready and I called out from the kitchen, PHUZZBUCKET- And she called out, Ya, Mom? I said, I love that you just answered to Phuzzbucket! 

Another morning story; John was feeling...somewhat...irritated? or...less than warm fuzzies toward the afore mentioned Fantastic Four, and I was trying to endear them to him again, I called them 'the fruit of his loins'. hehe. yah. Phoebe made the funniest wrinkled up nose face and asked, What are loins!? Laughing, laughing, laughing.

Phoebe has been having nightmares, yesterday morning she ended up in our bed and I said try to have one more good dream before its time to wake up. So later, she told me she had a dream that I was having another baby. I said, Oh good, you did have a good dream! She asked, So you want to have another baby? I answered, Sure, if God gives me one. ..

.*bunnytrail* Is it just me or does anyone else look longingly at the isles of babystuff. I even sighed when I caught a glimpse of the pregnancy tests last night at the store! How silly! But, yes, I do long... However, the next instant I enjoy my Fantastic Four being the ages they are and we run here and there in no time and leave them at home at times, while we run somewhere. I am enjoying this stage of our life. But, oh to hold and snuggle a baby again.... **Anyway~

Oh, here is another one- She has a cute winter hat that says, 'Cute, but Dangerous' on it. Yesterday morning, she was wearing and pointing to the words and 'reading' it to me. Then she asked if she had pointed to the words right, because it was on her head. I told her she had actually pointed to them backwards, and she without thinking, read it the way it would have read backwards.
'Cute. Dangerous but!' Then 'dangerous butt' sunk in and her eyes got big and she covered her mouth with her hand. And Jacob says, Now that's true about her! More laughing... :) Yes, yes, we do wonder and pray for the precious man that will be her husband, he is going to be something else. Which is the Phoebe-phrase John has used several times in the last couple of days.

Thank you, Lord, I love them more and more. And only because You loved us first. How wonderful You are. 

Oh, there is much more to tell, but I must go and ready for the day. *sigh*
Have a lovely day.
xo~

delicious love

what do you LOVE?
I love my babies' sweet faces. I love their hugs. I love it when they make me laugh. I love it when they laugh and so much when they are having fun with each other. I still love how they smell after a bath/shower. (but that isn't really a hard one, haha) I love it when all my babies are in my house with me, and even better when their Daddy is here too. I love that Nate has found that he loves and is good at piano. Thanks in big part to some generous friends who gave him free lessons his first few years. I also love that he knows who he is and has self-confidence like I never had. I love it when they are brave, let's face it when they are more brave than me, which isn't hard at all. I love these busy days of running boys to football, and band practice, and girls to birthday parties and piano lessons. I am thriving in the very schedule I thought would drown me other years. Thank You, Lord.

I love that Nate is going to get his braces on next month and finally be on his way to a straightened out smile that he isn't self-conscious of. And I love his grandparents for helping us with that. I love that Phoebe loves to practice piano and her teacher said she is taking to it very easily and will probably be a natural, like Nate. I love, love listening to Nate play piano. I love my oven after the cleaning cycle. I love making dinner, once I have figured out what I am making. I love the music up loud. I love trusting the Lord with my children and not having to worry because He loves them abundantly and perfectly. I love when I finally find the outfit that is 'me'. I love opening up the coffee shop and giving people their coffee and a smile! I love to daydream about the future and how things will be when I am old...er. :)
I love knowing my husband and I will never divorce. I love talking to my sister, mom, sister in law, and mother in law on the phone. I love when my husband talks to his brothers on the phone. I love getting together with a friend and praying and hugging and talking and laughing. I love having people over to our house. I love getting a room made over and finished off. I love drawing house plans and daydreaming about having a house just outside of town with a little land around us to play on and plant on. I love that Nate will take driver's ed this very year! I love how God has taught us and grown us and stretched us and blessed us. I love watching my kids read. I love having women come to bible study and praying for them and hoping to encourage them and scootch them just that much closer to our sweet, great God. I love listening to our baptist preacher get all worked up over the Word and our awesome God and His love for us.

I love listening to my husband and our dear friend lead us in worship with their voice and guitar. I love when my punkins measure themselves up against me, they are growing and that is good! Praise God! I love hearing them sing in church!!! I love waking up to the aroma of coffee and getting up before anyone else to have a cup with my Jesus and His Word. I love to pray for my babies. I love making my kids or my husband laugh! I love to get a workout in. I love a corny, happy ending. I love reading my friends' blogs.

And I love going to bed early! I love lavender. I love my special blanket. I love homemade soap. I love to read. And I love ...love!

Motherhood: It's not for the weak.

Don't get me wrong,

 I am not claiming to be strong. But I can tell you, my God is, praise Him. 

Motherhood has about done me in about... a gazillion times, yep, about exactly a gazillion times. Thankfully, over time my good and sovereign God has ground away more and more of me and begun to work me over into a shape more resembling the me He intended, a me that looks more like Him, praise Him!

Truthfully, I could not have gotten this far without Him, and almost didn't! In spite of me, He has been faithful to bring us along to the most wonderful we have been yet! He keeps growing us and removing uglies and healing yuckies (official mama terms) and growing loveliness and beauty in each of us. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I only ever wanted to be a mama. When my friends were talking about college and what they were gonna be when they 'grew up', I kinda would panic inside, I only wanted to get married and have me some babies! Well, thankfully God had the same plan b/c soon I was knee deep in my 'dream', only it isn't all snuggles and nuzzles, baby!!!

If not for grace and a merciful, faithful God, me, my kiddos, and my husband would have been a monumental mess by now! But we aren't! Yay! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So this morning, I got up out of bed, knelt down with my cup of coffee and thanked my God for these and prayed for them. Then, later, after a great morning and a prayer for them all from their Daddy, I kissed my oldest baby good-bye and he smiled, laughed, walked off to high school. My second born son, I reminded to be a warrior against evil and FOR good! He said, Mhm, and took his cute freckled face off to 6th grade with a bounce in his step. Oldest daughter had already spied her friends and run ahead to join them, her eyes twinkling and all lit up in a new first day of school outfit. And the youngest, holds my hand and off she and I walk to her school. She stays close, asks a few times if I am going to stay with her and walk in to her class with her. She hugs me and hugs me again, and I hug her right back, holding on tight to this moment that will not stay. Well I think this is the way it goes, the youngest tugs at my heart, not because you love your youngest any more than the others, may it never be! But the youngest... I don't know what it is, just the ending of times and things, the last first tooth lost, the last first day of kindergarten, the last... the Last. And as I dab the tears from the corners of my eyes, holding back tears and unable to speak for my heart in my throat, my only consolation, the only thing that lifts the heaviness from my chest and gives my breath back, is this; my God is with them. He goes with them, He has plans for these and loves them spectacularly more than I am able. Hallelujah. I can kiss my baby good-bye, after walking her into her 2nd grade class and leave her there, among all those people who don't love her as much I do, because I know her God loves her more. Whew! 

The things a mother's heart has to go through! And it has just begun for me. All my heart has had to do is leave my babies at school, my friends hearts have had to watch their children go through hard stuff! How do you watch your baby have their heart wounded or experience loss or rebellion! Ugh. 

He prepares me with this: 

"Be patient, therefore brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.' James 5:7-8

Patience, until my precious produce receive their early and late rains. Strengthen my heart... this is a repeated theme, something we are to do. Strengthen our hearts. So today, when I have kissed my babies and left them and I struggle to hold it together, He reminds me to strengthen me heart, for He is with them! 

He. is. with. them. 

And my heart grows a tiny bit stronger, thank You, Lord. 

Happy Birthday, Ellie!

My gorgeous, beautiful baby girl...

Elisha Chloe-Nichole

She is a magical dream. She makes you believe in the gold at the end of the rainbow. 

She makes you wonder if unicorns are real. 

She sparkles and fairy wings.

There is a twinkle in her eye and her cute perfect little nose crinkles when she laughs, especially when its her mischievous giggle.

Butterflies and twinkles.

Pink, Purple, and Glittery.

Thank you, Lord, for this precious gift. 

10 years ago today she was born. 

I trust You with her, I know You love her even more than I do and You know the plans You have for her, plans for a future and a hope. Thank you for Your perfect love. May she know and love You with all of her heart. 

XOXO

My Photo Book Jul 10 2010

Click here to view this photo book larger

My BABY!

Dreamy, I think. I get lost in this picture...

This one stole Daddy's heart. And who could resist?!

I had no idea what my amazing God had in store for me when He knit this one together!

She is like nothing I have ever known. I adore her. And she is 8 years old! 8! Eight! How can she be eight? Where has the time gone since I had my fourth baby? Where did that little red-headed baby girl go? Who is the amazing creation of God who measures herself up against me and is almost up to my neck?! She is awesome. She loves horses and wants to live on a ranch when she grows up. She does not like dresses, or skirts, she doesn't even like a skort now and then. She is only into dress-up when the 'dressing up' is into spiderman, cowboy, ninja, etc. She wore a ski-mask yesterday into the store with me. She wants to wear her cowboy boots with everything. She has the temper to match the rumors about red-heads. She loves to snuggle at bedtime. She misses me when I am away from her. She HAS to kiss Daddy good-bye when he leaves. She misses her family. She wants to be with the boys and do what they are doing. She is trying to learn to skateboard, like Jacob. She also wants to learn piano, like Nate. 

She recently said to me, she doesn't see how her face is cute. Pierced my heart! Shocking partly because people are always commenting on how cute she is. So we are trying to root that doubt out. 

Thanking God for her on her birthday! Wondering what works and good plans God has for her. Can't wait to visit her ranch someday and ride horses with her! 

Yesterday she asked me if ranches cost more than a house. Lord, I love her.

Misc...

So, this is my strainer. Why? You ask? Because my mother used before me and she got it from her mother. You know? We don't have many things like that, I don't think most people do anymore. So, I love it. I use it often and I love to wonder of the stories it could tell of thousands of dinners passed. My mother and grandmother both grasped the handles in the same place I do. My mother ate the very meals that my grandma prepared with it, and my sister and I ate meals that my mother prepared with it. I think it is neat to think about, and, yes, I am surely becoming more and more sentimental as years go by. Ha! My grandma raised 4 children, 2 boys followed by 2 girls, like the family I am raising. I love that!

Here is a cute pic of Pheebs, ready for another summer day of play and friends!

and this is me doodling on my hand, the kind of tattoo I would get... but probably never will. :) It is just a vine with little leaves and a flower. The curling at the bottom says 'jesus' in cursive and after this pic I added the Scripture reference Is 46:19 which says, "Behold I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands." The word for Inscribed actually means something like 'cut into'. Precious words, I think. 

My Jacob

My Jacob.

12 years ago, on July 12, 1998, our son was born. 

Here is my first journal entry in his book:

"We didn't know we could love another like we love Nathan. We weren't sure how you could be as cute without looking the same... So much love for you... such an adorable boy! What fun.

You were due July 11th- early the next morning- I was in the early stages of labor- later in the morning we took Nate to Nana and Papa's and went to the hospital - we walked around the halls, sat in the jacuzzi, hard labor came and in late afternoon, 5:29 p.m. you were born!! 

Your name was decided on in the delivery room, after you were born. Nana and Mimi were there with Daddy. You have big sweet smiles they show in your eyes too which are blue as the ocean like Nate's and you have a temper to match your hair! :)

So little Cubbie... what will you be like? Will you be a clown? Or a serious one? Will you be tall? Will you like sports? Will you like books like Mommy? What will you enjoy? What will you love? Will your heart be sensitive to God? I pray that it will ...

I love my Little Red..."

I am so thankful for this boy. One journal entry says he is wild at heart and that is true. He is also tender-hearted and loving. I love that God saw fit to bless us with this amazing person. I love to talk with God about him and wonder what things He has for Jacob Anthony McNamara. How much He has done in our lives, my heart, through him. Thank you, Lord. 

Phoebe's devo

Phoebe brought her devotional book out on the porch this morning to read with me and as has happened many times, in the midst of teaching one of my precious children a life lesson, the Lord, ever so sweetly, taps on my very own shoulder and whispers as only He can, "Adrian, are you hearing this?" 

And I answer, "Yes, Lord, this is a good one, my child needs this." 

And He persists, "Adrian. Are you hearing this?" 

Oh. Heh-heh. Umm, yah. 

"Adrian, are you hearing this?" 

"...yes."  (*Speak Lord, for your servant is listening*)

Humbling to find that the lesson you are trying to teach another is actually for you. Mhm. Happens to me all the time. 

So, back to this morning, the title was Satan Is A Thief. The Bible Verse: A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. John 10:10 

Yep, heard it. But  I didn't hear it. 

The next section is Thoughts to Grow On: ..."Jesus gives you three clues to determine if something is from the devil. 

1. If it will 'steal' anything of yours, such as your honesty or your innocence, it is of the devil.

2. If it will 'kill' anything of yours, such as your hope or your desire to do good, it is of the devil. 

3. If it will 'destroy' anything of yours, such as your good reputation or your faith, it is of the devil. 

Satan wants to ruin your life. Jesus wants to bless your life. When you choose Jesus' way, you win a great victory over the devil. 

Today: Seek a blessed life in Jesus!

I had not thought about this scripture to this extent! I had just thought of stealing goods, killing life, and destruction of things or buildings. But today, this morning, as Phoebe is reading her 'Early Reader Devotional and Prayer' book aloud to me, I learned more about the enemy's tactics. I love it when He takes a somewhat simple verse, and soaks it fully into my heart. So I will be working on my latest lesson-learned-while-trying-to-teach-my children lesson. Thank You, Lord. 

On a spiritual level, beware of the enemy seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. Your honesty, your innocence, your hope, your desire to do good, your good reputation, or your faith. 

Satan wants to ruin your life. 

Jesus wants to bless your life. 

Blessings, love and prayers! XO  

A couple o' pics...

funny.

cute.

Not at the table, Dad.

Sitting at the table having lunch, and Phoebe says, "Mama, I don't really feel like chips, can I put these back?"
Daddy says, "You don't look like chips, Phoebe."
Ooo, corny-dad-joke.
Phoebe says, "Oh, Dad, not at the table."

Ha.

And here are some Father's Day pics! Enjoy!

Traditional breakfast in bed. 

Stack o' pancakes! 

Sweet, huh.

Here they are again! :)

and, bonus, a pic of L.E.

How do you choose what you're wearing for the day???

I was helping Phoebe get dressed this morning and I picked up a cute little brown skort, looks like a skirt but has shorts underneath.
She groaned, is that a skort?
Me: Yes, but lets just try it on and see.
Phoebe: Usually I can't lift my leg very high with a skort, Mama, how I test the skort is if I can lift my leg up.
Me: (laughing) Why do you choose by how high you can lift your leg? What are you doing? Peeing on a tree?(sorry MomMom, hang in there it gets better!)
Phoebe: No! To see if I can lift my leg high enough to get on a horse.
Me: OOoooooh, of course. To see if you can get on a horse.

*HOW AWESOME IS THAT?! Making sure her clothing doesn't hinder getting on a horse! A horse!

Um, dear Phoebe, we...don't...HAVE...a horse. I'm sorry. I love you. Don't worry, you can change out of the skort after church and put on something more appropriate for horse-riding. Love, Mama. xo

...a title...what to title....title...hmm.....

First Softball Game-
Oh my, where to start for you...
Ellie and Phoebe are on a softball team together this year. First year. 6-9 year old girls, I think was the age range  I overheard a woman say tonight. 6-9 year old. girls.
Some of these girls knew what they were doing. sort of. You know, they had played before and could get a hit when it was pitched right to them. Others...(my adorable daughters) swung at almost anything, barely swung, and needless to say, struck out. They are just starting out and giving the game a try. They get 3 pitches by a player and 2 from the coach. Each of them. Which is most of them, like I said, a few of them could get a hit. And most hits were either out of bounds or right in the very, very in-field. So the first time in from the outfield, Phoebe came over and I was talking to her about keeping her mit on her hand and watching the ball game. Yes, yes, mom, I am... Did you see the horses?! I said, horses? No, I did not see the horses. Oh Boy. 2 hours later, is all I am going to say. 2 Hours. First game. Part of the time I amused myself imagining how the 4 men coaching were handling  it. I didn't see any signs of impatience or anything, I just wondered if any of them were pondering knocking themselves unconscious with one of those baseball bats. Ha-ha.
It will be fun interesting to see how things progress over the next few weeks. :) Anyway, John had to work and I didn't know any other parents very well, or at all, so I just sat there. Did I mention it was for 2 hours? Yep, 2 hours. I texted my sister and mom a bit and told them I wished they were there! And I did! I wished someone were there with me to... enjoy the game with me... for 2 hours. And I do get the people who bring their own chairs... and bags of things to do.... for 2 hours.  :)heehee  Okay, I am kidding, a little. Ellie actually asked between innings at one point, Mom are you bored? Whenever I look at you you are just sitting there with your head on your hands. I told her I was just peacefully watching. Which is true. It was interesting to 'people watch' and 'people listen' and just relax. (although, again, not loving the bleachers). for 2 hours. Ha-haaa

"your patience possess your souls" Luke 21:19

I love My Utmost for His Highest and today's really struck me, so I am cut-n-pasting it here:


"your patience possess your souls" Luke 21:19

When a person is born again, there is a period of time when he does not have the same vitality in his thinking or reasoning that he previously had. We must learn to express this new life within us, which comes by forming the mind of Christ (see Philippians 2:5 ). Luke 21:19 means that we take possession of our souls through patience. But many of us prefer to stay at the entrance to the Christian life, instead of going on to create and build our soul in accordance with the new life God has placed within us. We fail because we are ignorant of the way God has made us, and we blame things on the devil that are actually the result of our own undisciplined natures. Just think what we could be when we are awakened to the truth!

There are certain things in life that we need not pray about— moods, for instance. We will never get rid of moodiness by praying, but we will by kicking it out of our lives. Moods nearly always are rooted in some physical circumstance, not in our true inner self. It is a continual struggle not to listen to the moods which arise as a result of our physical condition, but we must never submit to them for a second. We have to pick ourselves up by the back of the neck and shake ourselves; then we will find that we can do what we believed we were unable to do. The problem that most of us are cursed with is simply that we won’t. The Christian life is one of spiritual courage and determination lived out in our flesh.

Rescued into Jesus' arms...

...deep sigh...
One of the sweetest, most lovely of Jesus' servants has died. And though I cannot speak of her without tears, my heart is both sad and relieved. Her rescue from this world, while a relief from the pain of cancer attacking her body, is a great loss to the people living on the Earth still.
This post is like a journal entry for me, I guess, I just need to let all the thoughts out of my heart on this one.
Sandy. She owned the Bible book store in town, The Lighthouse. And at the back of the store she had another business, Hair Success. She was a beautician. So when we needed a book or cd, we went there and when we needed a haircut, we went to Sandy.
It was one of the charms of this small town. She was one of the charms of this small town. A sweet, christian woman giving encouragement, haircuts, and love. Not just sweet people that you know love, but the love of Jesus radiated out of this woman. We fell in love with her the first time we got our haircut there. She is true one. Know what I mean? T.r.u.e. Real. Authentic. Beautiful. An amazing reflection of Jesus. Have you met people like that? They are amazing. Please, Lord, make me like you. When I grow up, I want to be like Jesus.
Not long ago she found out she had cancer. She went through treatments, still working. She stopped treatments, still working. She was in pain, still working. One of the last couple of times we went in, when we were getting ready to leave she spoke some precious, heart-rending words of encouragement over me. She spoke sweet words over me?! Shouldn't I be speaking encouragement to her? She had to sit down in the middle of the haircuts to rest! A.mazing. Strength. Strength of Christ. She never complained. Always smiled.
I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT!
Sorry, I want this to be about her. But, Lord, make me like You! When you meet someone who loves and adores their Savior and His love emanates from them, your inadequacies are glaringly evident. I heard a teaching on the scripture of Jacob wrestling with the Lord, and how he had finally learned not to run away or lie his way out of difficult situations, but he held onto the Lord until he received the blessing. This is where we need to strive to be, go to the Lord and hold on until you get the thing right! Wrestle with the Lord until you get it! Hang on until He changes you and you grow closer to Him and better for it! Lord! Lord...I pray.

Thank You for blessing me with meeting your beautiful servant Sandy.

 I know that You love her abundantly and when she came into your presence You spoke those beautiful words that we long to hear, 

'Well done, good and faithful servant.' 

Oh Lord, those words... 

I thank You again for the lessons of the bible study on Daniel and the understanding of Your delivering us from the 'fires', either by keeping us from it, or bringing us through it or blessedly taking us by it. Your sweet daughter Sandy... You longed to bring her home and finally you were able to wait no longer. 

You rescued her. I love You for it. 

And meanwhile,we are the worse for the wear, we will have her no longer, and oh, my, what a great loss. But we had her and were loved by You through her. May we be better for knowing her, in remembering, she will continue to inspire us to shine our light in the darkness as she did while she was here. And one glorious day we hug on her again, when we finally, blessedly get our call into Your arms, out of this world.
Thank You, Jesus.

New pics

Here is a beautiful close-up of Phoebe's nother lost tooth! 

Scrumptious!

~Goodness, my heart is all tangled up in these four! ~

Such a young man. 

So proud of him! XO Nate!

And this one... about to really grow up on me. Holy cuteness, Batman! And really a wonder to know!

I got one!

(In above pic, Phoebe is holding her egg-drop project. AS YOU CAN SEE SHE ALSO JUST LOST ANOTHER TOOTH! ISN'T SHE SO DANG CUTE!?! yes, her boiled egg survived the toss off of the roof... in case you were wondering!)

I have been seriously considering closing up my blog. I actually have pretty much already decided to, but first I have to save my pennies b/c I found a site that prints the blog out for you in a book! Which I am really excited about, but it will need to broken up into 2-3 books since I have had it for a couple of years now! :)

Anyway, I just don't usually think of things to blog about and if I do, I don't have time. Or I put it in abbreviated form on FB and that takes care of it. But today I was looking through the piles of papers brought home from school by my sweets, and came across a Synonym paper of Phoebe's. I thought you would enjoy it (though you'll have to understand some spelling, though that is what makes the last one so funny!)

My Synonym Book, by P.M.
DaD-DaDDy
freezing-cold
lite-brite
mom-mommy
yell-screm
alike-same
beautiful-prity
sad-unhappy
angry-maid
I love the last one because I think, at least I have, at times felt angry about being the maid, even though she meant 'mad'. Its one of those funny mis-spellings. Thankfully, I am rarely a 'mad maid' anymore, God has sweetly taught me to be so thankful for the people making the mess that I don't mind cleaning up the mess hardly at all! And I have heard that one day my house will be empty of people and then I will long for these messy days again. So there. In Jesus' name, Amen.*
My friend, Michelle, said that her daughter always ends her prayers with 'In Jesus' name, Amen.' and she accidentally ended a message she left on someone's phone that way. I love it!

Love you! In Jesus' name, Amen!

The girls have cut another apron string (feels like a heart string to me, sniff, sniff, why is it you want them to grow up but you cry when they do? mothering is such sweet sorrow... anyway) and they are walking to and from school. Jacob walks with them a few blocks until their directions change and here is another wonder to me, Jacob came home the other day and said, "Mom, you need to tell me when the girls aren't walking home after school because I wait for them." Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! I had picked up the girls that day and run to the grocery store and he had stood at the corner they meet at waiting for them! (*insert more motherly sniffling here*) They are all growing more responsible for each other and it is a sweet thing to watch. Ellie came home the first day that she and Phoebe walked home together and said it had felt good to her to make sure Phoebe got home all right. It made her feel more responsible. 

Well, Hallelujah!

Lord, I love these sweeties.

In Jesus' name, Amen!

(tugs at your heart, don't it)

T.M.I.

Just warning ya!
The other night, Nate and John were in the living room and I called John into the kitchen, requesting help opening cans. He came in, I was cooking at the stove, and he cozied up to me. Before he moved on to the task at hand, Nate came into the kitchen and said, "That doesn't look like opening cans, unless its a metaphor for something that I don't want to know about."
Yep, he went there. And as hard as I was laughing, at the same time astonished that he made a joke of that nature! To us, about us. Hm. And ha!
Oh, my. OH, MY!
Take care! (and... hope you get to ....open some cans. ;-)

Happy Birthday DadDad

Happy Birthday to our family patriarch! (ooooo!)

He is quite the man. 

Strong, gentle,

 wise,

 quick to smile,

 great laugh,

 always ready with a lap for a grandchild,

 adored by those that know him!

A man of character.

Such a great example. 

Always has a fun idea and smile and laugh for Jacob.

"He's a funny Grandpa" ~Phoebe

Sweet, and he always makes me laugh, and he loves us, and he's a fun grandpa. ~L.E.

Nice, fun, supportive, loving. ~Nathan

We love you, DadDad. 

Have a super birthday. 

We miss you so much!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Life Lessons and Love

http://www.incourage.me/2010/02/a-few-words-about-motherhood.html

Above post brought tears to my eyes, because of the truth I read there about me.
Motherhood has been so good for me. (Good for changing me!)
God is so good and has been so gracious to me.
I love my God and my children... and my journey. (and my mother in law, who said to me at one of the many times in my mothering when I cried over another failure, she said something to this effect, hm... so you're not perfect. In her ever-loving, gentle way, which cannot be expressed here, on-screen, in type, she was saying saying to me,

 "yes- you will make mistakes. It is ok. God's grace is enough for you as well. You have not ruined your children. Forgiven and covered in grace." 

Whoa. Wow.)

Prayers and blessings to you today!

i love these gorgeous children

and this man who made them with me! 

Happy HEART Day!

As Valentine's Day approaches, class lists come home from school, papers turn shades of red and pink. Hearts pop up in stores and ads, love becomes the topic of blog posts and devotionals, etc. My mind  flits around ideas of how to show those that I love, that I love them.

 I should make something yummy (and red?) for them on Sunday.

 Should John and I plan to go out (No, but it is Valentine's Day)? 

What in the world should I give him(Is he going to get me something? He should not but he probably will)?

I need to buy the kids Valentines to fill out tonight and send with them tomorrow for school parties. 

I blew it on sending Valentines to our precious family (I'm sorry, we SO LOVE YOU!). 

We have been giving the kids Valentines, me to the boys and John to the girls. It stems from a precious memory in my life, my Dad has, from way back, I don't when, how, or why it started, but he gives my sister and I a Valentine each year. Its a card, from him, that he signs himself and something from just him to us, chocolate, flowers, a book, one year he gave me beautiful metal hair combs, I have them in the little box he wrote on and gave them in. Even after we got married, he has continued to give us Valentines and they mean a lot to us. There is just something about a gift from your Dad.

 I have read that the love from a Father to a daughter can either 'make you or break you', its true. And then you flourish or persevere and overcome and heal. 

It is to be a picture of the love we receive from God our Father. It is a big responsibility.

......

I started out intending to make this our Valentine to our family.... I got side-tracked. :)

 

Here is what I would LIKE to send you. My sweet little cherubs and I sit down with piles of red and pink paper and scissors and glue and MAKE you some lovely, not perfect, just lovely, as in a precious, lovingly- crafted- together- by- a- child/person- that- loves- you- kind- of- lovely, Valentine. But...

...this is going to have to do this year. We do so love you, our dear family and friends! 

see! We do! :)

XOXO

"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels,
 but do not have LOVE,
 I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 
And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge;
 and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, 
but do not have LOVE, 
I am nothing. 
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, 
but do not have LOVE, 
it benefits me not. 
LOVE is patient, 
LOVE is kind,
 is not jealous;
 LOVE does not brag 
and is not arrogant, 
does not act unbecomingly; 
it does not seek its own, 
is not provoked, 
does not take into account a wrong suffered, 
does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
 but rejoices with the truth; 
bears all things,
 believes all things, 
hopes all things, 
endures all things. 
LOVE never fails;" 
I Corinthians 13:1-8a