Just have to share…

I was helping Sir MMH Hubby grade the other night, and I really did see this.

Brittany :)

(It was _written_ in pencil, and the name has been changed)

REALLY?!? Since when do we smile sideways? Unfortunately a sign of the times…

Fall Begins

It has been creeping up on us.. the cool nights giving way to fog in the morning, the afternoon storms as the pushy north winds try to overtake the warm leftovers from the ninety-plus degree days, a few leaves giving in and littering the yard, and the emergence of bees (seriously).  Though the calendar may not officially say it, our home does.

It’s the first fire of the year…and it’s divine.  Just the other day we enjoyed a meal of fish tacos, our last toast to summer…

And today it was chicken and noodles…

And for a snack as I prepared for another quiz tonight, Sir MMH Hubby used his culinary skills to make me a chipotle cheese quesadilla…

*smile*

What is your favorite thing about fall?  I hope to get out and grab pics of all the reasons I feel abundant and blessed living in our little town during this season, and I will share soon!

A Cup of Coffee

As we played with Play-Doh this morning, Sir Lionheart was a bit exuberant.  At some point I ended up with a cup of coffee with blue Play-Doh floating in it, and it reminded me of a post…

This weekend Sir MMH Hubby and I experienced a first: our kids awoke by themselves and fed themselves breakfast.

Upon my advice, Sir MMH and I decided to enjoy the quiet of the morning and the moment of newfound independence…until… *sniff*  “Do you smell smoke?”  “Yes…something is BURNING!”  Upon arriving at the kitchen, we found two boys with eyes as big as saucers stammering something like, “Forgot…you…coffee…”  Let’s see if you can add it up…

So, our two loving boys wanted to make us coffee, and it was precious.  AND we bid farewell to a wonderful pot that has served us many cups of coffee over the past eight years.

Midnight Musing

“…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

1.  God’s word yields a harvest.

2.  God accomplishes what he desires…with or without us.

3.  Our purpose comes from God.

Just a few thoughts I am currently exploring as I dig in Isaiah.  I am so thankful to be a part of His harvest and for His word.  I pray that my heart continues to say, “Here am I.  Send me!” and that He continues to use me.  Finally…if it is not from God, I labor on that which does not satisfy. 

Technorati Tags: Morning Coffee,A Higher Calling

Happy Birthday Sir Wallace

Seven years, Sir W.  I can clearly remember that Saturday morning that you arrived with gusto and so fast that nobody believed you were really there!  That has not changed much…you are full of life and so eager to do anything and everything you can!

Over the past seven years, I have seen you grow from such a curious and talkative little boy into a well spoken and gifted big boy.  God has blessed you with a sensitive heart that truly soaks up and gives love so freely.  I am blessed every time I reach out and you still hold my hand.  Every hug and moment of snuggle time I cherish.  I know that these days are limited; you are growing up so quickly as God has planned. 

You are my oldest, and you broke the mold I am sure.  God knew what he was doing when he gave you to us.  You have challenged me to be a better Mama.  My mind and heart renew each day when I am with you.  I love watching you play basketball with your Dada, teaching you at home, and listening to all the thoughts your creative mind devises.  You show me true enthusiasm and zest for life, as well as how to think without so many boundaries.  Thank you.

Your sisters adore you.  You are such a great big brother to them.  They reach for you to carry them, to hug them.  They really enjoy playing with you; thank you for playing with them.  You truly have taken on the role of protector for those little girls.

Sir Lionheart, oh what to say?  You two battle so hard against each other, but you battle even harder for each other.  Thank you for being your brother’s best friend.  Some day that will be so precious to you both. 

From tricycle to training wheels to two wheels, the time just flies by.  Just the other day I am sure I dropped you off for your first day of preschool, and now you have moved on to first grade.  Soon enough I will watch you graduate and move on to the calling you receive.  Just know that we love you…and we pray to God that you continue to hold that precious gift of Jesus in your heart, that you seek Him, and that you love Him with all that you are.

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

Love,

Mama

My Simple Woman’s Daybook

Outside my window our dog stretches on her first morning back from vacation at the Doggy Hotel. Toys are left across the yard from the Misses driving them yesterday. Chairs sit under the tree awaiting afternoon popsicles and another night of grilling.

I am thinking how nice it is to be up early with the hubby, how long until the scattering of leaves on our lawn becomes a full onslaught, and how grateful I am for my God who meets me, comforts me, and confirms for me exactly when I need it.

I am thankful for friends and the conversations we have on night walks.

From the learning rooms, I am playing with our structure a bit. We worked on a morning schedule last week, and while it accomplished the lessons…I believe there is a better approach. I’m looking to keep structure for calendar and Bible time the same in the morning with everyone and spend the rest of it with “learning playtime.” When our twin tots go down for their nap, I will “teach” the boys, and we will finish our workboxes over the afternoon. That’s the really rough plan of it for now.

From the kitchen, I really like grilling season (which is an all-year season if you ask some). Grilled chicken, steaks, and hamburgers off the grill have been tasty and keep the kitchen so easy to clean up. We’ve been mixing fresh garden veggies in with beans and salads and found a few big keepers for recipes. I have three Aunt Ruby tomatoes almost ready to eat sitting on the window ledge, and Sir Wallace is excited. They are his favorite.

I am creating new lesson plans as we have flown through those I already made, a schedule as school and church activities launch into full force, and a quieter part to my life in which to hear God.

I am going to Nursing school as of Friday.

I am reading a random Christian fiction novel I pulled off the shelf of our wonderful library, the Teacher’s Guide to Singapore Math in an attempt to better teach it, Believing God, and many great books that go along with our studies about World Geography and Bugs.

I am hoping to find a three hole punch (smile), that I do not have to see three digits on the thermostat again until next summer, and to slow time down a bit (the girls just turned 2 and Sir Wallace will be 7 in a few weeks!).

I am hearing the first signs of life from the rest of the clan. Giggles and musical toys sing to me from under the girls’ door. Drawers are opening and closing as one of the boys (Sir Lionheart is the early riser) gets ready for the day.

Around the house Mount Washmore is washed, though I’m a bit behind on folding. My island is overwhelmed with books and more books. Three caterpillars in cocoons sit on the counter, and our art frame is almost full after the first week of school.

One of my favorite things is hot cup of coffee with Super MMH Hubby in the morning, a time to reconnect.

A few plans for the rest of the week a couple of church meetings, opening night with the Dean of the Nursing School, my own first day of class, and a birthday party for a friend of the boys.

Here is a picture for the thoughts I am sharing:

Miss Bear and her sense of fashion. Love it. That hat is the one they gave her at the hospital two years ago!

To see more Daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Daybook,Morning Coffee

The Path Unseen

It is often said that the path of those seeking to follow God's will is narrow while the path outside of it is wide. It is great mental reminder that it is not easy to do what is right. Today in our Bible study, we discussed how in our world, especially in our country (where people lament the state of our economy yet most still have enough food to feed their families), it can be hard to even find the narrow path. With so much out there speaking corruption and self-serving behaviors, that which is not right seems to blur into the acceptable. So, what do we do? More specifically, what will I do?

Pray. I will pray often and deliberately that the Lord will guide me with His spirit. I want to know and remember every morning that I wake, that I have a choice. God's Word is clear. No one should be able to tell me differently, or worse, question whether God really means what he says. He does.

Seek. I will continue to seek Him. I will read His Word and listen for His voice. I will seek with a purpose, to find Him. He is my reward, and that is my completion.

Do. I will do what I am called to do. I agree that I cannot think my God wants anyone to perish, so to whom does He call me? Where is He asking me to be his feet and further His kingdom? In His plan and for His glory, all things are possible.

This is not how I thought this post would go, but I am thankful for the words to share. If He desires, I will sit down with the post I initially had and see how it goes next time.

Happy Fourth of July!

It is a day to celebrate and pray.

I celebrate:
-my life in a country where I can openly love my Lord and read His Word.
-the chance for my great grandparents to immigrate to this country in search of more freedom and opportunity.
-the hard fought battles in pursuit of truth.

I pray:
-for the hearts of the people in our country to seek God.
-for leaders who acknowledge Christ as our Savior and lead with a heart like his.
-for our children to know how blessed they are to live in the U.S.A.

Happy Fourth of July!

My First Daybook

Outside my window the sun is rising and the haze is clearing above freshly cut grass. A new fence reminds me of the many days of summer we will be able to enjoy outside.
I am thinking how a sleepless night with a child can bring such a quiet and peaceful morning.
I am thankful for a husband who is willing to teach so he can have his afternoons and summers off to spend with his family...and a God so great as to provide for our family in ways beyond our imagination.
From the learning rooms I have printed off schedule strips and logs as we look to start easing into homeschooling next month. I continue to pray for guidance and search out curriculum for our tots, pre-K, and 1st grader.
From the kitchen the dishwasher is running, the island is clean, and herbs are planted. The breadmaker sits ready for another loaf to be made. Our zucchini supply is slowly dwindling thanks to zucchini pancakes for dinner last night, and a collection of natural bug spray and sunscreen is accumulating on the corner of the counter in anticipation of family camp.
I am creating blogs in my head, faith in God in Bible study, and a belated Fathers' Day card to my dad.
I am going to town for an appointment, to search for local milk, and to the hardware store to buy hardware for a gate on the fence.
I am reading so many books it is difficult to keep straight: Karen Kingsbury's Take Three knowing my own copy of Take Four will be in my mailbox any day, Shepherding a Child's Heart, The WholeHearted Child, Dinosaurs By Design, and an assortment of homeschooling books by Linda Dobson.
I am hoping I will sneak a nap in today and that my husband will forgive my less than happy behavior and ramblings as I was up every half hour with our daughter...until I gave in and just stayed up with a cup of coffee.
I am hearing our much quieter dishwasher running, the hum of my laptop and fingers tapping the keyboard. I cannot remember the last time it was this quiet in this house when I was awake.
Around the house I see happy reminders of our family: the girls' "go-gos," stacks of books for the library's reading program, laundry in various stages of folding, and the "magic night night."
One of my favorite things is seeing how God has intended something good out of something my human self thinks a distraction or nuisance.
A few plans for the rest of the week redding up the house for our first trip to family camp, celebrating my birthday, participating in the summer reading activity at the library, Bible study, and working on the fling and file going on in my space in the basement.
Here is a picture for a thought I am sharing...
This was almost a year ago...I cannot believe my little girls will be 2 in a couple of months. Their smiling faces remind me how worth it a sleepless night can be...





I am linked up with the simple woman's daybook. Click here to link up and read more.

Abba Father, Happy Fathers' Day

A day late, but fully meant nonetheless. I wish a Happy Fathers' Day to the men of our world and thank them for standing tall in their role as dads, especially my husband. Parenthood can seem so insignificant to so many these days, and it is very tragic when fatherhood is no longer a privilege and honor. So, for those men who cherish the name Father, Dada, Daddy or Dad, thank you!

Personally, my dad was only a small part of my life growing up and due to some unfortunate misunderstanding (to which I am still not privy), he has been absent for the past two years. I know that in many ways he did what he could when he could, and I love him. Still there was a hole never filled in this little girl as she grew up. I was and am exceedingly blessed by a mom who did everything she could to raise me, teach me, and love me more than words can ever express. For her, I am so thankful. (I love you Mom!)

It is a slow process, but I am beginning to understand that more than any earthly father, I need to know and allow myself to be loved by my heavenly Father. He is a father that knew me before I was me. He loves me more than any human ever can, and He teaches me as He draws me closer to Him. In Him alone will I find my value, and in Him alone will I ever be complete. Today, as I wish others a happy day, I would be quite remiss if I failed to acknowledge Him. So, my God, Abba, my Father, thank you.

"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'" Galations 4:6

Feeling His Abundance

I have to say how blessed I feel today. I have been encouraged, lifted up, and showered in prayer. The word that comes to mind is, "abundant," so with that word I went seeking in my bible. Here is what I found, "But You [are] God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them." Neh 9:17. (NKJV)

Abundant in kindness is our God. Not only in the times when we are seeking Him and relying on Him, but He is abundant in kindness even when we grow impatient and worship other gods. We build up our "golden calves," and turn to them for help or rescue. I think of how often I turn myself into that idol, struggling and insisting I can do it on my own. I think of how often I turn to people or situations for answers or provision when it is all in His hands. That is not continually believing God. In those moments I sell Him short of who He really is. He is the Creator of all things, and He knows all things. Why then, do I continue to look elsewhere? It is my prayer that I seek Him first and acknowledge Him without definition or limitation. And I will thank Him for not abandoning me in the wilderness and for continuing to go before me every step of the way.

Why Today is a Good Day

1. Our fence is almost finished = much more outdoor time for all of us.
2. I had time in the word with good friends and Beth Moore.
3. Miss Bug sang "Jesus Loves Me" to me as I dressed her for bed.
4. Sirs Wallace and Lionheart played outside most of the day, helped their Dada with the fence, and managed some quiet activity time before bed.
5. Sir Lionheart is reading better every day.
6. Miss Bear tried to sit next to her sister during a time out, to which Miss Bug responded, "No sissy! My timeout."
7. Everything we planted in the garden is sprouting out of the ground already. Praise God!
8. I managed to tweak a few things on the blog without too much hassle.
9. I heard my own words repeated back to me as both girls finished my, "No..." with a, "Mam!"
10. God has given me another day and another chance to understand what continually believing Him really means.

Summer Break

Summer break in our home takes a bit of adjustment. My hardworking hubby is home for two months, and the routines of the school year go out the window. Add to that our transition this year from brick and mortar to homeschool, and it is downright disheartening. Don't get me wrong; it is fantastic to have entire days to play as a family, but I miss the predictability...or at least as much as we can have in our home. My solution for this feeling of wasting time is to list our accomplishments of the past two weeks...
1. Our house is clean. I mean the laundry is consistently caught up, the floors are vacuumed daily, and the kitchen is spotless every night. *smile*
2. We eat three meals a day together at the dining room table...(we're usually missing Dada at breakfast and lunch.)
3. We have survived two girls entering into the lovable two's without feeling insane ourselves.
4. The boys built an art frame for me for an early birthday present. Thanks to our creative family, we learned how useful an art frame is to display various artwork created by all of the kids.
5. The garden is planted.
6. We are learning to make yogurt at home, another step to being self-sufficient. I can feel my grocery budget slowly exhaling.
7. I have attended a webinar about workboxes and a Homeschool 101 session at our local library. I feel more connected and informed by both.
8. I have read two Christian fiction books merely for the joy of reading. They dealt with no parenting skills, no bible study, no homeschooling. And who knows? Maybe I'll win something from the library for it!
9. The boys have enjoyed their first week of summer enrichment, thanks to a friend/teacher. They had a blast, and they learned much.
10. I have slept well. Even when awakened many times in one night, I get sleep.

I guess the point (to me) is: even though it is different, there is still much being done. Summer is the ultimate chance for us to enjoy time together as a family. I need to live in the moment and soak it up because as I know, these days are fleeting. The kids grow up so fast, and I love them too much to miss it.

Abide In Me

"I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5 KJV




The constant call I hear from God is, "Seek Me. Abide in Me." It is in the verses that He has brought to my mind as I read and write at night. It is in the intro to the Believing God bible study by Beth Moore I just started. It is in the message at church (two churches actually). Everywhere I go, God is telling me to seek Him and abide in Him. Sometimes I begin to tremble a bit because I am unsure if my "seeking and abiding" are the same as His. How do I know what I am seeking? And how do I know if I have found it? Am I truly grafted into His vine, I mean really growing there? Or am I knowing that is where I should be, but I fail to live like it? As Paul said to Timothy and Beth Moore asks in her study, is my theology meeting with my reality?

That is my goal over the next nine weeks: to put feet to my faith. I want to not only know in my mind and my heart that God is God, but I want to connect them and live like I know it. When things happen that I want to fix or control, I will seek Him. When I worry about what tomorrow will bring, I will rest in Him. When my burden seems overwhelming, I will take his yoke upon me. And when the enemy attacks me, trying to discourage and dismantle my goal, I will keep moving forward and tell him to get behind me. There is too much at stake...because without God, I can do nothing.

I had a very Mama Moment today as I walked with my mom and the Misses through the mall (girls' weekend). As I looked at the shiny bejeweled shoes and romantic summer dresses, something akin to wistfulness swelled from my toes up. I looked down at my toes, dusty from a day chasing the girls outside...my shorts, smeared with peanut butter from many little girl hugs...my shirt, wrinkled and not quite white anymore. I felt like I screamed, "I am a Mama!" And that's when the thoughts began to tumble one over the other in my mind.

I am a Mama. A self-proclaimed year-round Birk-wearing, shorts and T-shirt Mama.

And I am beautiful. As said in Ecclesiastes (3:11), "He has made everything beautiful in its time." In this time, I am a beautiful peanut butter covered, pedicure-less, pony-tail wearing Mama. And I am thankful. God has really been working on me lately to be thankful and content in my "such a time as this." I may not be on the verge of becoming a queen, nor is it my time to traverse the globe for missions, but I have my own mission field in my home. I pray that I may teach my children of the love of Jesus and that one day I may bypass the shiny shoes and dresses. Instead I pray that I may receive my crown of life and righteousness...and maybe a pair of Birks. ;)