Two days...

Praises...

Friends. Time spent talking on the phone (even while kids yell behind you) and especially time spent in person just chatting. Knowing there are people who will listen to you ramble, gripe, and whine and not judge you.

Having a husband who lets me have a bit of me time and is still the best part of my day to snuggle up with as I drift off to sleep.

Humor. Because really, it's really what carries me through! Well, humor and faith...not sure I'd be able to walk through the day without those things!


4 year olds that tell you you are the best mommy ever. 2 year olds that always say thank you. These things make my heart smile.

Brothers who go with their day so it can be "just us boys!"

Hugs from little men.

Spending time with some 6th graders I haven't seen for a while. Doing a little art with them. It's been a while!

Sunny fall days and the crunch of leaves under foot.

Watching new discovery through little eyes.

Being blown away by my kids everyday...some days in really good ways!

Husbands who come home early because there is no power at work.

Friday nights with pizza, cuddling, and catching up on So You Think You Can Dance and Glee.

Two little boys falling asleep on Mama's lap.

Catching up on grown up shows with just Mike. Everyone else sleeping peacefully upstairs.

Wednesday Praises...

Having a day off in the middle of the week allowing me to snuggle in bed with my people until 9:30.

Those men and women who have given of their time and service to give us so much more than a day off in the middle of the week. I'm so proud of my little brother and all his buddies who our serving our country! How blessed are we all to live in this land where we can live and worship in freedom.

Things little boys can do with pretzels.

A couple of kids willing to let me take pictures, I'm still hoping for the third one to show me his smile!

Ham loaf at church...my kids were thrilled. I'm glad we've all discovered our like of this odd main course. This was not something I had ever had before moving to Illinois, but I must say, not bad.

Youth girls. As much drama as there may be from time to time I love these girls and am so grateful that God put them in my world. I only hope I can truly allow him to shine through me and love them with His love.

Coming home to boys in bed and time to go hang out with mu husband. I kind of like that guy =)

Today is one of those days...

I sat down to start my praises and they don't seem to be rolling, but I'm gonna give it a try.

It was grey and gloomy, a tad chilly and rainy today. I am thankful that I am home with my kids all day and can pass by the windows or stick my head out at any time. What a blessing to not be stuck in a windowless office with grown ups. It may make gloomy days more noticeable but it also make beautiful days more enjoyable.

Finn was into everything again. Nail polish, Lily's violin, climbing the linen cabinet in the bathroom, cheerios all over the floor, water all over the table, etc... I'm so grateful for a healthy guy who has it in him to stir up all sorts of trouble.

Finn's orneriness also allowed Dax the chance to be a great big brother. He helped Finn clean up several messes and reported in to me when Finn was in to something. Nice to have him on my side sometimes!

The boys wrestled non stop, especially when the phone rang and really, I wanted to pull my hair out (or theirs!) a few times. How lucky are they to have each other so close. Watching them interact with each other brings me laughter far more than it brings me to pulling out hair. =)

My bed had to be made at least 6 times today because two small people kept unmaking it. What this means is I have a bed to sleep in, one with warm blankets, that my kids think is a great place to snuggle up. I remember choosing our bedroom set, before we ever had kids. I remember thinking about my parent's bed. I remembered snuggling up early in the morning after my dad left for work. I remembered sitting on the edge and bouncing Dosh when he was just a baby. I remembered Ryan and I running from the top of the stairs and rolling onto their bed. I remembered sitting with my mom and talking about life. I chose that bed so carefully thinking about the babies that it would snuggle, the monkeys who would use it to bounce on, the preteen who would sit and share with me about her life. How blessed I am that those little people are now real parts of my every day world. I know one day these pieces will be distant memories and then, I'll only have to make my bed once. I bet there will be days I will wish for someone to mess it up.

I had to think hard about some recent decisions I've made. I had to dig up my Beth Moore notes and remember with a smile the way it felt when those decisions were made, the peace I felt as the words left my pen. I knew it might be hard to carry it out, but each time I remind myself I get to refresh that feeling again...I am so grateful that my prayers for guidance were answered even if not in the most easy to carry out ways.

Lily came home with a communications folder showing two F's. I remained calm and found out they were simply a prank...glad there was no heart attack had. I think the teacher might want to rethink that one....

She also didn't get all her chores done before leaving for the evening. I could have kept her home, but how many kids ask to go to a revival with her friend next door? I am so thankful for Peyton, our new neighbor. She and Lily have become great friends and we are really enjoying getting to know her. We've prayed for Lily to find a friend like this for a while. What's a few dishes when you can be at a Revival with a friend? I've never been to one...ought to be interesting to hear about when she gets home.

Mike almost gave us all smoke inhalation while cooking dinner. How lucky I am to have a guy that will cook for me, or like tonight, with me. There is something nice about chopping veggies while your husband burns things. The stir fry had only a slight tinge of burnt pan taste =).

Two little boys in footie pajamas giving sweet kisses and saying goodnight to their Mama, as they head upstairs. It's not even 8 yet and they are asking for Jax and Binny stories so they can go to sleep! I think Dax has been wearing his super hero pajamas for 3 or 4 nights now, but that I can live with.

There is nothing better than hearing my three guys upstairs giggling while reading Christmas stories in November. It makes my heart smile.

I'm so glad that this was the day the Lord has made, I wouldn't change it for anything.

On a roll...

Praises...

Mornings where everyone is happy.

The way Dax has been bouncing into school. We had a couple of rough mornings early in the school year but now he seems to be on a roll, always ready to show his teacher his "pearly whites" when he walks in the door.

The color of the leaves on the tree in our neighbor's back yard, the way the kitchen window frames it as if it's almost a piece of art.

Having a few mornings a week with just Finn. It's so much fun to see how his little 2 1/2 year old mind works and watch his personality coming out in full force.

Being able to reattach all of the computer keys Finn "popped" off my keyboard today.

Warm weather in November, still loving it!


My children actually working out some issues without hurting each other or yelling at each other (see previous post). The fact that I was at the computer and was able to document it's amazing occurrence.


Catching up on some long lost blog reading.


Baby Stellan making it through a rough day with flying colors.


Angie's big news.

4 posts in 3 days. I'm sorry if I'm stressing anyone out. Although I think I'm down to only about 4 readers at this point, so for you who came right back to reading, I am grateful that you hung in there! Thank you!


My husband who comes home every night to his second job here and never complains.


Finally, a quiet house, filled with people I love.

Well it has happened...

Finn has just revealed to Lily that Dax flushed shoes down the potty.

She is interrogating.

It has not yet been revealed that it was a whole handful of Polly Pocket shoes. I'd say a good 80% of her collection.

Should I duck and cover now or get involved?

Oh Boy, it's coming this way....

They are smiling.

Lily says they are so cute because they said, in sweet little voices "We flushed one of your shoes down the potty." Then Dax added, "I'm soooo sooo sorry, can you forgive me? " She thought it was so sweet that she said yes. They told her the shoes came from the art room. I only wish Finn could keep the art room and the guest room straight. She is thinking it's some random Barbie shoe out of the bottom of a box.

Should I correct this?

I'm so happy they fessed up and asked for forgiveness and she gave it.

Ok, here goes nothing...

"Finn, did you get the shoes from the room way down in the basement by your playroom or the one by the family room?" Finn: cute little voice "guest ooom"

Lily's eyes get big.

"Dax, what kind of shoes were they?" Dax: "Rubber"

I try to hold back giggles.

"Dax, what did they go with?" Dax: in a whisper, "Polly Pockets"

Lily starts to groan.

"Finn, how many shoes were there?" Finn; in a giddy little voice while dancing around the room, "Really Lots!"

I laugh, and explain to Lily that I can laugh, but I didn't laugh when Finn flipped a few more keys off my computer this morning.

Lily stood, Dax coward, Finn giggled.

Lily lectured, Dax blamed some of it on Finn, Finn denied his involvement. Lily continues to lecture.

It looks as if there is not going to be any yelling, crying, or slugging.

This must be some sort of magical day! Amen!

Still Praising...

Getting to church this morning even if it was a little late.

Sleeping in till almost 9 and being the first one up!

Our goofy Sunday School class. Being able to be with grown ups to talk about marriage. It's nice to be back with the group again.

Seeing a teenager or two I haven't seen for a while. It's always good just checking in.

Feeling at peace with decisions.

Repetition of things from this weekend, it just confirms that the big guy was hanging with us in Springfield and is still smiling!

Worshiping in a different service than usual (due to the sleeping and late arrival). I forget sometimes how much I enjoy the praise music and personal sharing of joys and concerns out loud. I know it isn't Mike's favorite service, traditional boy that he is, but I'm glad he is occasionally up for a change.

Spending the afternoon with my boys at Lowes and the Men's Warehouse getting measured for wedding clothes. Watching Finn and Dax get measured was too cute. They loved the "shiny" shoes. btw...if we are being honest here, I didn't love that 3 people's wedding clothes cost almost as much as a car payment. Why is this??

The most beautiful Sunday in a long time! The temperature reached 75 today! There is nothing better than the smell of leaves and grass, fall air, the crunch underfoot and the colors changing all around while wearing shorts. Still wishing we could hold on to this weather until Thanksgiving!

The way the sun shines in our new front window. The light it casts is one of those things that makes me feel all giddy inside. Peaceful. It's the little things that are the best!

Watching two little boys play and fight in that glowing light.

Watching one big boy imitating his daddy...note to self, beautiful sunlight streaming accentuates all hand prints and smudges creating windows that look like they have not been washed in weeks.

Praises and Pictures of things past.....

Halloween

Having lots of friends to trick or treat with!

The local police stopping by with lights on to hand out candy to the munchkins!

Everyone coming to the new house so that Mike and his dad could keep working on a new counter top while we ran around the neighborhood.

Praising my way out of hiatus...

Anticipation. I think the anticipation for a big event makes it all the more wonderful. I love the way something tingles from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. I love even more when the build up is very very worth it!

Putting messes in God's hands. Knowing without a doubt that He will hear you. Knowing he will answer you in the midst of immediate problems or somewhere down the road in the long term.

Those times he gives you the answers right when you'd like the answers... I know He is a God of timing and most of he time He and I might not be on the same schedule, but there is a little bit of giddy delight when He sends the answers upon request.

Hearing the answers and knowing they are His and perfect even if they may not have been on your spectrum and they may be a hard sell to others.

Having the chance to praise with thousands of other women.

Music and moments that bring tears to your eyes and a heart filled with wonder.

Sharing something amazing like our first Beth Moore experience with some of my Bible study girls.

The gifts God has blessed Beth and her team with, servant's hearts and strong, gentle spirits.

The fact that my God came to meet almost 9000 women somewhere in the middle of Illinois.

Knowing that I could walk out the door (with Lily in the middle of a meltdown, Finn covered in a multitude of products including nail polish, baking soda, dirt and possibly some toothpaste, and Dax asking a billion questions about why I would not be spending the night at home) and Mike would take it all in stride and be just fine!

Having a husband who supports me running away for a night without him and sharing a bed with someone else =)

Have a soft place to sleep with a turn down service and chocolate on the pillow, even without reservations and a really cheap rate!

Worship music.


Thousands of women singing it acappella.

Someone you really don't spend enough time with willing to walk with you and help clean up your messes.

Really bad seats in a really great place. They may have made me a bit dizzy and given me a killer headache but they also gave me an amazing perspective.

Coming home to hugs and "I love you"s from three dirty little people and one dirty big person who had been doing yard work all day.

An incredibly beautiful fall day to rake and jump in the leaves.

A husband who offers to take all three kids (at the same time) to Kroger after having them all night alone so that I could rest for a little bit.

Being able to use that time to call my mom, knowing she would listen to me ramble on about my experiences. Knowing she's always there to listen to me ramble...

Reading Christmas stories to little boys at bedtime early in November because I can.

Joy. In it's simplicity and it's complexity.

Big reveals and feeling other's joy from hundreds of miles away.

God's bigness and his incredible intimacy.

Celebrities who are who they are behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Those laying it out there to serve something much greater then themselves even when they may not yet know how they fit.

Good friends to from which to seek advice and a listening ear.

Having enough people make sarcastic and nudging comments about my blogging skills that my heart felt it was time to return.

I guess it's official...

She is really in the 6th grade. Tonight we went and met the teachers. So far so good! Looks like maybe there are some new friends on the horizon and and some old friends coming back on the scene. She seems to be happy. Her teachers this year seem great...and I have to add a little hallelujah on that one after our classroom last year. I'm excited to see where this year takes her, I just can't believe it's all going so fast!

I guess since we've officially met the teachers I can share her first day of school pictures from last Wednesday. I know...I'm totally slacking!

And just to prove she's not so grown up, or maybe to show you how nervous she was I'm going to show you where/how she slept the night before school started.

Yes, that is our ugly couch, with a bed rail (that is about to be put on Finn's bed). That is also "Bear Blankie" and yes, that is a sippy cup. I'm praying that the sippy cup had been left there by a little brother and that she really did not use that for her water cup. Either way, don't tell her I showed you this picture, it might be a tad embarrassing and I don't want to be in trouble!

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While I'm posting, I should note that Finn has been binky free for two days now! Whooo Hooo.!

Eve of Summer's End Ramblings...

A week ago Lily made a list...

"Things I want to do before school starts"

1.Get School Supplies
2. Go to the Pool one more time
3. Go to Dairy Queen
4. Choose my first day of school outfit
5.Go on a bike ride with Dad
6. Bake cookies (from scratch)
7. Improve my handwriting


How funny her end of summer priorities seem!

And just so you know we almost always hold off on school supplies till the end of the time. To me, buying supplies just seems like waving goodbye to summer and I am never in a rush to do that!

As of 8 pm tonight, she and her dad took an after dinner ride around the block and her list was complete.

Since I'm in the middle of reading The 5 love languages of children, my favorite part of this list was the baking cookies part. It along with the bike ride, just backed up my suspicion that my girl is a quality timer. It wasn't about the bike or the cookies at all it was a very big girl way of saying she wanted some quality time with each of us before she headed back into the school world. I'm so grateful for that.

Lily is Lily. She always has been a force of nature. In many ways I hope she always will be. I love seeing her growing up. I love seeing the gentle way she talks to little children (that are not related to her!). I love seeing how excited she is about the future. I love seeing her faith.

Sunday morning at church, cards in little manila envelopes were passed around with assignments in them. If you chose to open your envelope you were asked to prayerfully complete your assignment. Lily's was almost perfect. She was asked to surprise 5 neighbors with cookies or popsicles. Tonight she and Dax hopped on their scooters and knocked on 5 of our friendly neighbor's doors with bags of made from scratch, quality time cookies. I loved watching them together on their scooters with their silly helmets on. I wished I'd had the camera, something about it just made me a little teary.

I know she's getting too big for me to hand write her name on everything in her backpack, no matter how much joy I get from it. Tonight she allowed me to write her name on a few things, with explicit directions, "small mom, on the bottom, how 'bout black sharpie on this black background, it's ok if you can't see it, you could just make an 'L', really mom in 6th grade it's ok if it's not on everything...."

Next year I can write for Dax! But truth is, I'm probably done writing for Lily. She's probably humored me longer than most would. I'm so grateful that she and I are still able to have our lunch and movie date after school tomorrow. We've been doing this since at least 1st grade, maybe longer. I love the first day of school run down just she and I, I hope that lasts all the way up!

Now that it's late and tomorrow will come early I should go iron her top and write that first day of school note... I'm sure these things will last for many more years! As will the prayers that God will always be near her...

Peeking out of the darkness...

to share a little story overheard in our car yesterday...

Dax: Finny, use your powers to stop that car!
Finn: Ooooookaaaayyyy
Dax: Great Job! You did it Bud!
Finn: I stop Cars!!!
Dax: Whoo Hooo...stop that one!
Finn: whoosh whoosh shusshh whussh
Dax: Wow, Bud! Great powers!

Hmmm.....and I thought it always had to do with those round green and red things hanging on the poles, little did I know...

Heard a bit later...

Dax: Finn! You stopped that house!
Finn: Yeeeeaaaahhhh!

Magical powers. If only we didn't outgrow them!