Taylor's K4 Orientation

I never dreamed that I would be sending my little boys off to school.  Never.  But when God gave me a job that provided the income to allow our children to attend private school, both Mike and I agreed that this would be our plan. Registration was easy.  Getting information in the mail was okay.  School shopping wasn't quite so easy and now, orientation has come and gone and that was not easy.  I don't even want to think about tomorrow morning.  Where has the time gone?  Why does it have to go so quickly?  I want him to stay a little boy that needs me for everything and at the same time, I desire with all my heart to see him grow into a wonderful young man.  It's so hard........I already miss you, Tay Bear.

Little Coley.....

I found my little boy on the floor of his bedroom this morning curled up with his pillow pet and his blanket.  When this happens, I always wonder if he has had a bad dream......I just love his little person!

Softball Rides :)

Grandpa is a big hit with the kids at softball.  When he comes over with the golf cart, he is ambushed immediately!  It's so cute!

MY softball player :)

Cousins :)

Lunch with Nick and Kaylee

Lunch outside anyone?

The boys have loved being outside enjoying the beautiful weather and we tend to each lunch out there most days. I was getting Zach his food and had left them outside to figure out where they were going to sit and came to the door to find them like this. I had to just capture the pure innocence of a summer day when you are young.

 

 

 

Kiddy Pool Time!

Got out the pool today in celebration of the warm weather! :) The boys thoroughly enjoyed it. 

I think this will be staying up all summer!  Yea summer!

Preparation

I am a "list writer". I tend to make sure that I am prepared beyond prepared for most occasions in my life. I like to know what's going to happen by schedule and I enjoy having a planner. I'm a planner. So therefore I plan! This is really deep, huh? :) I guess the thing that has hit me recently is that the only thing I don't really prepare for or plan out is how God is going to be the center of each day. I seem to think that it's just going to happen. And maybe sometimes it does. But on the days that fall apart and everything seems to be going wrong and I feel like I am not accomplishing anything, I tend to turn around and blame the Lord for not helping me that day. When in all seriousness I'm the one who left Him behind. My pastor's wife illustrated it so beautifully during a Bible study one night. God is always sitting in the "study" of our heart. He's waiting to have that morning coffee with us and plan out our day. But most mornings we walk by the study focused on what's in the kitchen or laundry room or who's in the bedroom or bathroom and we say to ourselves that the time in the study isn't the most important thing that day. And He waits. Patiently. For us to realize that it is. How long will it be before we are in the "study" with Him? Meeting with Him and asking His guidance on what we should do for the day? For me, it's random. And I'm disappointed. Disappointed that I left Him waiting. Oh how kind He is! Oh how undeserving I am of His grace!
I wish I had been more understanding of what a great partner He is! He is the ultimate day-planner!!! Can you imagine sitting down with Him and planning out the day? What advice you would get on time- management! :) I'm hoping that more days than not I walk directly to that study and meet with my Personal Advisor. I want to plan my days with Him.

Not enough media....

Or maybe too much! We have a 46" flat screen that is connected to Netflix but what do they choose to watch? The Netflix account on my iPad......go figure. :)

God Provides...

...even when I am not worthy of His provision, He still blesses me beyond what I deserve.

There are so many things that I have been praying for lately, things that have filled my heart sometimes with deep sadness and an overwhelming sense of loss as to where to go and what to do to handle that particular situation.

One of the things that I have been asking the Lord's guidance on was an opportunity that He would see fit to provide me with a way of bringing in an income. There are so many unseen changes ahead for our family as our church continues to grow and with the possibility of the house that we are currently living in being sold that it is sometimes hard to trust that He has everything in control. But when you can't do anything but trust......that's when He has the most control. I'm slowly learning that :)

I was not sharing this concern with anyone, just silently asking God to provide in the best way and after months of praying, without any doing of my own, without seeking it out and pushing for it to happen, within 6 days, from initial conversation to last interview, God provided a job where I can use my training and knowledge from my previous occupation, stay home with my children four days a week and work full time! It was all HIM! HE did everything! He answered every little prayer concerning this, every facet of this was already done and HE did it! I cannot praise HIM enough! At this point, in the middle of my first week working, I still cannot believe that it has happened. HE is so good to me! To us! To our family! Thank you Lord......

Oh What A Reason

I've been blessed with so many things, God's been good to me

I have family and friends who share in all I do

But if I lose it all and I am left with nothing

If I have the Lord I know I'll make it through

 

He's the only reason I live, but oh, what a reason

He's the only reason I live, but oh, what a reason

There's nothing in this world worth living for

It only leaves you empty and longing for more

Oh, He's the only reason I live, but oh, what a reason

 

Now you may have tried a lot of things to find real happiness

But if you've looked very long, then you know it can't be found

Until you find the Lord, in the power of His Spirit

Jesus will be your reason to live and He'll never let you down

 

Well, there's nothing in this world worth living for

It only leaves you empty and longing for more

Oh, He's the only reason I live, but oh, what a reason

He's the only reason I live, but oh, what a reason!

Worst Christmas Gift Ever!!!

This is old news but even still I feel that I should post about it :) maybe I'm just looking for more sympathy since it all seems to have died here at home and on Facebook :)
On Christmas day, near the end of the day, I was bringing Christmas goodies upstairs and I had already arranged them on beautiful glass Christmas plates. As I was walking across the kitchen, going around the corner into my boys' bedroom, I stepped on a Thomas the Train take-n-play and there I went. An hour later I'm in the emergency room getting X-rays and 10 stitches, learning that I've broken the tip of my bone, shredded my middle finger with multiple lacerations with the possibility of losing all sensory nerves. Unbelievable.
But God knew that it was the best time for something like this to happen - Mike had this whole week off and was able to be caregiver, husband, father, laundry woman, dishwasher and all around handy man. He was absolutely amazing!!! I am slowly on the road to recovery.......it is very hard for me to be immobile......very hard...........

Night Sounds...

The time on this post will not lie. I have been awakened by my 5 1/2 month old who has decided that now is the perfect time to toot and talk! He's just cooing away with little interruptions of toots. I've never been one of those very sentimental people that joys to hear their sleeping infant awaken in the night because it's a moment to bond but hearing this has made my heart melt.......and now I think he's back asleep! Oh cuteness!!!

Happy New Year's!

I am all about new things and new goals and new adventures! I may not be the most spontaneous person there is but I do love looking forward to things! And a brand new year is one of them. I wouldn't say that I have any resolutions but more along the lines of aspirations. God is good to me and in that goodness I want to live. In those blessings, I want to try to bless others through Christ. And in His mercy, I will do the best that I can. This year could possibly bring many changes to my life and instead of fearing what those changes might be, I want to embrace them. Even as I sit here typing without the use of one finger, with three sick little boys, missing the first evening church service of the year, I am still surrounded by the warmth of God's never-ending grace and His ever-flowing love. I am blessed!