The miracle of the resurrection... and the fact that I have all 4 kids in a picture.

It won't win any photographic awards,but all 4 kids are in the picture and no one is screaming. I call this one a WIN! (even if Elijah's hair looks like he went thru a wind-tunnel)

Easter.

I'm loving the discussions we are having this year with our kids.

So powerful.

So meaningful.

So full of Jesus.

I'm grateful for our Savior.

Today we have nothing planned....

Just enjoying our fried chicken, potato salad, hummus lunch and watching the Wings game in our sweats. I couldn't have planned it better if I tried!

sandboxes, trampolines and firepits.

Today was just one of those days that is good for the soul.

Week in Review...

On Sunday our 3 little ones had their school Easter program.

Zoey was totally in her element... as usual.

Elijah, our oh-so shy one, was so mad at us for putting him on stage.

Jacob had no idea what was going on, but he was more than happy to oblige.

I am so blessed by the Daycare and Learning Center that my kids go to that is hosted by our church. My kids are loved on by some of the most amazing people I know, and as an added blessing, I get to see it 1st hand (my office is right down the hall).
***I apologize that this video of Elijah is extremely long and monotonous... but I know a particular person who will love the entire thing.

Last night Isaac has his final practice for Little Wolves hockey, and starting next month he will be joining his first home league, playing for the Mites. It's been fun to see him work really hard and start to thrive at hockey. It's also been a blast for me to see his dad be able to teach him so many life lessons through the sport: teamwork, perseverance, submission to authority, dealing with disappointment, hard work, etc.

it's not quite spring weather... but it's good enough for us!

This week may have been one of the most taxing weeks I have had in a long time.... it's at least in the top 5. I had to continually stop to remind myself that "with God, all things are possible," because there were moments when I felt extremely incapable. That being said, I haven't had much time this week to just hang out with the kids. My attention has been elsewhere and I realized how much they fill me with peace and joy... just by being them! After school today when they asked if we could all play together outside and I jumped at the opportunity... even if we all did end up a little muddy.

1 Peter 4:11

1 Peter 4:11

 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

I talk all the time about how much I love my job.

How fun and exciting it is to minister to teenagers.

It's so true..

...but there's another side.

It's hard.

Most of the time there are more questions than answers.

There is heartbreak, confusion and despair.

Today I can't control my emotions.

I think about all of the teenagers throughout the years that God has given me the opportunity to engage and connect with.

Some have experienced victory, some have succumb to defeat.

Some have overcome, some have surrendered.

Some have experience healing, some have adapted to destruction.

For some reason God has given me a voice, and until I can no longer speak, I will scream truth, life and restoration. God, give me strength.

Family Fun Day: The Ice Arena

We headed to the ice arena where Isaac plays hockey for a glow-in-the-dark skating night, and I can't tell you how much fun we had!

Isaac loved showing his dad his moves.

Zoey learned to run on the ice... that girl LOVES to skate.

Elijah didn't want to leave the ice.

Jacob and I cuddled to keep warm.

All in all, a very successful day with the family.

A house full of boys...

This weekend we had 16 boys spend the night.
I have no idea what we were thinking...
but seeing Isaac's face the entire night made it all worth it.
Can't tell you how much cups of coffee we drank, but we made it through.
Thanks to everyone who made his 7th birthday one to remember!
Special thanks to my mom who took Jake for the night and Aunt Nina for making the amazing cake and taking Zoey. We couldn't have done it without you!

7 years of this....

From this...

To this....

Happy 7th Birthday to our eldest son.

You make us beam with pride.

Favorite Food: Mac-n-Cheese

Favorite Movie: Wreck-it-Ralph

Favorite Scripture: John 33:17

Favorite Toy: Star Wars Legos

Favorite TV Show: Rescue Bots

Favorite Candy: Anything Chocolate

Favorite School Subject: Gym

Favorite Sport: Hockey

one of my blessings.

 

 Just thinking a lot today about the blessings of the Lord.

Psalm 127:3

 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

I'm not sure if that's a strength or a weakness.

 

Me: "Zoey, I have to write all of your strengths and weaknesses on your Kindergarten application. For your strengths I put creative, makes friends easily and helpful, what do you think I missed?"

Zoey: "I'm a good kisser"

This school has no idea what they are in for.

 

this has been a long week... and it's only monday.

It's funny.... kind-of.

My 1st grade son has a debit card at school that the kids use to get hot lunch. We decided at the beginning of the year that he could pick one hot lunch a week and would bring a packed lunch to school the other days. I just put $30 on his card right after the Christmas break. He only picked 2 hot lunches that he liked this last month ($2.70 each), so I knew he should have plenty still left on his card... still, my OCD wouldn't leave me alone until I checked the balance to make sure.

I was shocked to find that he only had a little money left.

I saw a link that I could click on that would show me an itemized list of what the card had been spent on.

Unbelievable.

Ice cream sandwiches. Twix Bars. Cookies. Ice Cream Push-Ups.

I had NO idea they even had a concession stand in the cafeteria, much less that the kids could choose to spent their debit card money on it.

Needless to say, Chris and I had a conversation with Mr. Money-Bag-Sweet-Tooth this weekend.

Then....

My daughter tells me that she used my ENTIRE personalized stationary to practice writing her name. She started crying when she saw my mortified look instead of anticipated pride. 

Thank you, Denise, for the wonderful stationary.

I had a hard time using it a lot because I loved it so much and would only save it for letters to the teacher, or special lists.... go figure.

oh, you know... just hanging with Chris Osgood.

Today Chris Osgood (former Red Wing Goalie and current Goal-tending Development Coach) and some of the Red Wing Coaching staff came to pay a visit to Isaac's hockey practice. It was so much fun to see these guys run the drills for the kids. Isaac had a lot of fun... and so did we!

Chris Osgood and Jim Bedard giving the players a pep-talk

Future Red Wing

Oh, you know.... just hanging out with Osgood watching the game.

I might have been a crazy fan... I think I embarrassed my husband.

Keith McKittrick getting the players ready to run drills