Zoey's Cinderella Party

My baby girl is 3 years old!

All she wanted was a "Cinderella" party, so we did our best to oblige. She was incredibly blessed by all her wonderful family members and had so much fun swimming with her cousins. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for making her day so special!

  

 

 

 

 

My Annual Favorite Sunday Service.

 

 

 

 

 

cousins

Maddy went "Kung-Fu Panda" on Isaac.

 

S'Mores

Our August CONNECT was a S'Mores Bar after Friday night prayer.

Thanks to the huge crowd who stuck around afterward!

Loving the Little Years

I read the most incredible book today.

Seriously... it was a game-changer.

It's called "Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches" by Rachel Jankovic

Unfortunately, I don't have much time for reading, so this 100 page book was perfect for the few hours I had to myself today. It was a book given to me by one of the women in my life who I consider a spiritual mentor and it was an incredible read... super easy too. Each chapter is only a few pages long, so you can pick it up and put it down as needed.

If you are a mom of young children, PLEASE consider picking this book and reading it. I laughed, I cried and I changed my entire perspective. Here are a couple of the things the author said that I had to close the book to ponder more.

"I can no longer be overwhelmed...

it's time to adjust to the work load God has given me."

"The state of your heart is the state of your home."

.. and then the entire chapter entitled "Know Your Sheep" messed me up pretty good. She talked about the fact that Christian child-rearing is a pastoral pursuit, not a organizational challenge. Wow! I definitely needed to hear that today!

Anyway, just wanted to share my newest find and the fact that it gave me the encouragement I needed during a very hectic time. Plus, I am happy to say that I was able to try the award winning "Coconut Lemongrass Latte" from Espresso Elevado.. and yes, it tastes just like it sounds.

being insecure about my insecurities

I think pregnancy is a breeding ground for insecurity.

Other than looking different, in the natural nothing has changed: my kids have bad days and good days, there is always work to be done at church, I always need something from the grocery store, and God is still on the throne... but sometimes, for some reason (usually when pregnant), things get overwhelming and I feel like I am dropping all the balls. Am I doing enough? Am I even a "fun" mom anymore? Does God still see me? Does anyone care? Am I a nightmare to be around? Am I alone?

I know the answers to all of these questions.... well, most of them.... but I still deal with them, more so on physically challenging days. This morning as I was getting ready to throw myself a pity party, I thought of my mom- mostly because I miss her (she is overseas). Growing up, I never saw my mom deal with insecurities. I know now over tear filled lunches at Panera (my tears, not hers) that she dealt with them, but she always resorted to the truth. By truth, I mean that God is in control, that we only need to worry about what He thinks and He gives us the strength to be all that we are required to be.

So, my conclusion for today is that no matter how I feel... THE TRUTH STILL REMAINS. My insecurities don't change God... He is the same yesterday, today and forever (which is good to know, because I am NOT the same... especially with these extra hormones). Thanks mom for always reminding me that our emotions change, but truth does not.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

brother and sister

1/2 the time they are best friends.

The other 1/2 they are fighting tooth and nail.

I'll take it.

we have a walker

Well, it's not quite official, because he isn't doing it more than once a day... but our little man has taken his 1st steps! I think the farthest he has gone is 8 steps.

Yay Elijah!!!! The craziest part is jumping up and down is his favorite past-time.

Summer REACH

I was challenged tonight.

So challenged that I can't think about anything else.

Let me explain:

We are in the middle of a series in youth called "Summer REACH" and every week we leave our church building and do something in the community. Last week was "SERVE the City" and our group passed out free bottles of water to everyone at a local park. This week was "PRAY for the City" and we headed out to our local high school and middle school to pray. I drove some of our Junior Highers to our local middle school and we spent about 1/2 hour walking around and praying for the students that would be attending there in a couple weeks. Seeing my students lay hands on the bike racks and entrance doors completely rocked my world. I have been praying intensely for our students as they are heading back to school in the fall... but have never prayed specifically for their schools. At that moment I was challenged to do something I've never done before: I committed to all of my students that I would visit their schools in the next 3 weeks to pray. I have a list of 15 schools and a burden for all of them. (Well, 16 actually... I'm adding my son's school to that as well). My prayer is that God would use this generation to change this generation. Will you join with me in prayer?

"Prayer is our most formidable weapon, the thing which makes all else we do efficient."

- E. M. Bounds

check-ups

Yesterday was check-up day, and boy was it a trip.

Imagine, if you will, being pregnant and taking 3 kids to the DR by yourself... trying to squat down to help your eldest son with his urine sample, while holding your 10 month old and telling your 2-yr-old daughter not to touch anything. It was hilarious.... for everyone else. However, I am happy to report that we have very healthy children.... even if they have a very tired mother.

Isaac: 45 lbs. and 3ft. 7in.

Zoey: 28 lbs. (didn't get her height)

Elijah: 20 lbs. and 29 inches

Baby in Belly: approx. 1.5 lbs. and 13 inches

summer fun.

I have been awful at taking pictures this summer.

Most of the time I just forget to bring my camera.

That doesn't mean that our summer has been uneventful, just a little undocumented. Here are a couple of very random pictures of our fun summer.

backfire

I think I am one of those parents.

You know, the ones who try to take every single opportunity to teach their kids something. I think it was ingrained in me from my mother.... I blame her. 

Today we were driving and the kids saw a bunch of people standing on the side of the road.

Isaac: What are all those people doing, mom?

Me: They are waiting for the bus.

Isaac: Why don't they just drive their car?

Me: Well, not everyone has a car (and wait for it) We should take time right now to thank God for blessing us with a car.

Isaac: Ok... Thanks God for blessing us... but why didn't you bless those people?

daddy's camera is pretty cool.

{brain dump} session III

Brain Dump on a Tuesday

• Why, oh why, did I feel it was a good idea to do "Dance, Dance, Revolution" last night?
• My daughter Zoey collects rocks every time we walk to the car... the ones you find in the parking lot... the ones that are actually pieces of broken concrete.
• I want nothing more than a ice-cold cherry limeade from Sonic. An extra-large.
• I hate doing laundry.
• Everyone is getting a nap today...whether they like it or not.
• I've rediscovered Sprite.
• I miss my stuff. My candles that I just got from Bath and Body Works and put directly into a storage bin. My Anthropologie coffee mug. My cookbooks. My sanity.
• I don't take enough pictures of Elijah.
• I want to go to Turks and Caicos.... and Zimbabwe.
• I wish my hair was naturally the color of my daughter's.
• I am going to go now and join everyone for nap-time.

Success

Success BEFORE having children:

Spring cleaning my house from top to bottom and organizing all my closets

Success AFTER having children:

Rinsing off the bowls of cereal before they dry and I need the assistance of a butter knife

Success BEFORE having children:

Finding bags of bargains and deals at the mall and spending less than I thought for more than I need.

Success AFTER having children:

Being in the mall for 2 hours with no screaming, fits of rage, bathroom accidents or broken merchandise.

Success BEFORE having children:

Having all the laundry done for the week and seeing an empty hamper

Success AFTER having children:

Clean undergarments.

Success BEFORE having children:

A clean and vacuumed car fresh out of the car wash ready for a road-trip,

Success AFTER having children:

No unknown rank smells.

Success BEFORE having children:

Hair done, jewelry on, garment pressed and purse organized for an evening out.

Success AFTER having children:

An evening out... preferably with a shirt that doesn't have throw-up on the shoulder.

soccer camp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bowling shoes are the cutest!

Auntie Kyle... Thank you for taking Isaac bowling for his 1st time.

He has been asking us for months!

 

 

 

 

Psalm 139

I've seen The Passion Series videos by Louie Giglio quite a few times. Each time something new sticks out to me and I am challenged again in my faith in God. Tonight it was this clip. It's a little long, but if you have time to watch, it's worth the effort (especially my pregnant friends!) The part that got to me starts at the 3 minute mark. The baby inside of me was moving around the entire time. It was almost too much to take in.

Watch the entire "How Great Is Our God" video here.