I don’t know why I often find myself just soaking up the very ordinary moments of our life. It’s fun to have adventures and take trips and dream big dreams, but it’s even more fun to just live, content with what is, who we are, and how we got here. My little people, each with a different perspective can take my hand and lead me on the most extraordinary adventures of doing “nothing”, but really it’s everything. They fill my days with amazing memories, contentment, wonder, lessons and love. So much love. This is a hard job with so many unknowns and questions.On a particularly exasperating day, it was brought to my attention, through a radio interview, that as a mom, we often focus on the hundreds of little insignificant things we do, that hardly another soul knows about and feel like we are doing “nothing”. We spend the days picking up Cheerio after Cheerio, wiping dirty hands and dirty faces, laundry...so much laundry, preparing meal after meal, completing school work, taking them from one place to another and in all of that trying to teach them to listen for God, and follow Him, even in the little things. It’s often just me and them, doing day to day life, with the amazing support of their daddy. But often we forget to step back and see our life as a whole...we are shaping FOUR children for Kindgom work! That is so far from nothing! We are helping build a platform for them to jump from one day and it’s a big job. I have such big desires in my heart of what I hope our relationships with one another and with us grows into, even into their adult lives, and I love spending my days pouring myself into them, praying over them, loving on them. They are by far, my greatest earthly treasure, and I will love them through every single ordinary moment. They are enough. So much for than enough.
This year has already almost reached March! We have completed our first 6 school weeks of 2018 and get to enjoy our off week this week. After some encouragement from a friend, we switched up our school materials and have had the best 6 weeks of our school to date!! It’s been soooo good!! We have celebrated a birthday (and one coming up later this week), gone to the zoo, seen monster trucks, played (lots of playing), laughed and loved hard! In the new year, we made it a point to designate a family night...this has quickly become a treasured time we all look forward to. We have a craft, play a game, and some fun easy supper on paper plates so there’s no clean up! I’ve also been able to have a “date” with each of my littles once a month. This is also a treasured fun time! They pick the place and we get a couple hours just to talk to each other one on one. It has blossomed into the most wonderful conversations. Those are the times I see so clearly how each of them are growing and maturing. As hard as it is to let them, it's so exciting to be a part of and I am so glad to say, when I look at them now, I have not missed it. I haven't let the chaos of life sneak in and suck away this opportunity to be so deeply involved in their lives. It’s been a beautiful couple months and we are looking forward to all the ordinary moments of spring and summer and all the fun that brings!
Some family night crafts and games have been a success and others not so much! ;) but the time together is still great!
Daddy Daughter Dance 2018
They wanted snow soooo bad and the finally got to see a few flakes! Maybe next year they will get a good real snow!
My greatest treasures January 2018
Not to brag, but Mom was the ultimate cookie checkers champion! ;)
Any opportunity to jog and talk with this guy is a treasure! <3
Tuesday "Tea Time" is a new incorporation to school in this new year. It's a wonderful laid back day of learning. We rotate who plans the snacks, each person reads a couple poems and discusses. Then we do a creative writing lesson and call it a day. It's working beautifully for all of us to break up the week.
Tuesday and Friday are now our group run days, if weather permits. The kids do about 1.5 miles and play in the soccer field while Ana and I finish up our 3. They love it and I do too!
My boys!
Valentine's themed family night. Minute to win it games with conversation hearts. :)
Friday, Grady is home from preschool so we usually try to find some type of art or science to do. Nothing extraordinary and on a nice day, that may just be playing outside for hours on end.
The boys got Monster Jam tickets for Christmas and were thrilled when the day finally arrived. Fun was had by all, including the biggest boy of the house!
Analeigh is walking now and Grady is really interacting more with her. These two are a pretty great team, just as the big two are!
More running...
and schooling...
and date nighting! ;)
Riverbanks Zoo February 2018
My girls! <3
