Around the house....

On a daily basis, my kids make me laugh. It starts over breakfast and seems to last throughout the day. They are very funny (I'd like to think the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but that's wishful thinking).

Just the other morning, Jett is trying to tell us something about gelatin....I have NO clue what he is saying. Then, he speaks a little more clearly, "I wasn't eating gelatin with my schoolwork." Translation: I wasn't being diligent with my school work. It gave us all a good laugh and reminds us that he's only been speaking English for 2 1/2 years...

Below are a few pics from our lives lately that make me smile....they remind me of the joy that God has given me in motherhood. There are days when I think I can't keep being Mom, and that's exactly where God desires me to be. To rest in knowing that HE alone is sufficient. He is ALL I need, and He will provide the grace, strength, and mercy to walk this path. We only have our children for 18 years (it DOES fly by), so I'm giving it 100% every day for His glory. May He be honored in what we do around here.

Jett came down one day with this on....this is hair from Madison's hairbrush that he taped to his chin in order to look like his Poppa!

Madison was surprised by Mrs. Mary with a cake for her birthday a few months ago. What a joy to know that she is loved by people who invest their lives in her.

Kaitlyn and her friend Savvy being creative with their craft supplies. I'm amazed at these two girls who have been friends for almost nine years now. They are already on the countdown to getting their driver's permits (Lord, please help us all).

Cherished Moments

Kaitlyn and Madison with their friend Ellie in Indiana.

Madison, Christy and Kaitlyn in Destin

As a mom I get to make choices every day about how I spend my time and what I do with what I have been given. I have often made bad decisions and wrong choices that didn't reflect my dependence on Jesus Christ. He is the center of my life, and everything I do should revolve around Him alone.

So, about two months ago, JT and I had a lengthy time of establishing a schedule for our family. For our family (and especially Jett), we need a schedule to keep up with school, mission trips and what everyone is doing (orthodonist appointments, swimming, guitar lessons, etc). So, we set out to make individual calendars and a master family calendar. It has worked marvelously.

One of the best parts of the schedule is the 6:30 walk I get with my girls who are now 13 1/2 and 11. I can remember days when I barely got out of my pajamas (if that) or didn't take a shower. And, then there were days when JT would ask me what I had done that day, and I wanted him to applaud when I said "one load of laundry" and that was it. There were days when I didn't think I could handle being at home anymore and days when my life didn't show my faith in God Almighty.

But, now that the girls are older, I can breathe. They can tie their shoes (yes, they've been able to do that for years), go to the bathroom alone, take their own showers, etc. I remember a time when I cut up everyone's food, longed to lock the bathroom door for hours and would relish just a 5 minute break to drink coffee. So, I'm cherishing these days.

When we meet on the front porch, it is one of the most cherished times of my day. We walk about 2 miles in our neighborhood. We talk about how they are doing with homework assignments, their concerns and joys and prayer requests. We spend time together with no distractions. It is a beautiful and joyful part of my day. I am so blessed to have this time with them, and I can see the memories we are making. Some days I may speak words of wisdom into their lives about spending time effectively or including people who feel left out. This morning Madison wanted us to be reminded of a prayer that God had answered. Wow! I am just honored to be a part of walking through life with these beautiful young ladies. I am overwhelmed with God's grace and goodness in providing these moments for us.

The Tabernacle Project

My sister and I were given a Bible project two weeks ago. We had to build a scale model of the tabernacle. We knew this was going to be difficult, but we didn't expect that it would be as difficult as it was. First the clay dried up, then the posts wouldn't stay, and then the whole outside fell off! We did find other ways to make the furniture besides the clay, and we decided we didn't need ALL the posts. We learned many things through this project. First, never leave your clay out in the open. Second, listen to your mom when she tells you to make a plan. Third, it is hard to make little furniture. And last but not least, we learned that the tabernacle was very detailed.

Kaitlyn