welcome home

We are back from our trip.  I hope to write about that later, -perhaps you didn't even know we went! Yes, we went to California for some meetings that Peter needed to go to, and I got to go along without the kids. At first we thought we might take Ella, however, we've gotten reports that she couldn't have been any better. Many prayers were answered this week and I am so thankful for that.

However, I wanted to write because I wanted to remember this moment.  While we were on our way home from grandma and grandpas, the girls were having a discussion in the back of the car. I was having fun listening to them because they seemed to be getting along so well and Ella was happily responding to my baby talk to her :)  This was their discussion:

Maddy: .....I keep calling it stomach aches!  Its supposed to be stomach, not stomach ache!!!!!
Kate:  Yeah Maddy, just stomach. Like before you said Jesus was in your stomach ache!
*giggling*

Maddy: Yeah, he's not in my stomach ache!
Kate:  Jesus is only in your heart,  like he is in my heart. Right mom? He's still there, right?
Me: Of course Kate. He will always be there.

Maddy: But he is not in my heart?
Me: Well, Kate asked Him to be in her heart, and now He is. So someday when you want Him to be in your heart, you've got to ask Him.
Maddy: I want Him to be!!

Me: Well, when you are ready some day to pray, then you can pray for Jesus to be in your heart.
Maddy: I want to pray right now! ok?  Dear Jesus, I pray that you can come into my heart. Amen.

Maddy: Did Jesus jump into my heart???? Mom, you should pray too!

A few giggles were exchanged along with some beaming smiles and I prayed...all four of us girls in the car, in our garage, I prayed that Maddy's heart would be filled with the Spirit, and that she would grow to love the Lord, and to have a serving heart.

We are called to have faith like children.  How special it was that Maddy and Kate got to make the decision themselves to want Jesus into their hearts. I'm praying that I can help teach them what it means to have Jesus in their hearts, and that now Maddy can experience God in a new way, a new understanding, and that all our girls will have a committed relationship with Him. 

lyrics

Tonight was bath night and yesterday I had spent a good couple of hours vacuuming and straightening up the house. Today I felt a bit of nervousness as I watched the house slowly turn into a clutter zone again. So during bath time I thought I would quickly de-clutter the dining room table - it was full of cloth diapers with inserts still needing to be attached, crafts scattered everywhere, and lots of other little things. I was going to be quick though. For sure.

I got the kids into the bath and Peter was sitting with his guitar; he doesn't get to play much. I ask him if it's okay if I go clean up a bit and he says, "let's all spend time together".  I half-roll my eyes a bit- sure, a plot to get to play guitar and not watch the kids! However, I shrugged and sat down and to my surprised I was deeply blessed. I watched the girls all play together, admiring their every movement and beauty. Their cheeks. Eyelashes. Little teeth. Peter sat there, strumming his guitar to a praise song as I mouthed heartfelt lyrics. I closed my eyes for a second.  We are all so busy.  Tonight we had fun just being together as a family-bath time, hide and seek, reading, rocking and oven smores.


Beautiful Lord, Leeland

When the storm is raging all around me
You are the peace that calms
My troubled sea
And when the cares of this world
Darken my day
You are the light that shines
And shows me the way

Oh, the beauty of Your majesty
On the cross You showed Your love for me!

Beautiful Lord
Awesome and mighty
I'm captured by this love I see
Beautiful Lord
Tender and holy
Your mercy brings me to my knees
It's Your mercy that has made me free
Beautiful Lord

When my sin is all that I can see
Your grace remains the shelter that I seek
And when my weakness is all I can give
Your gentle Spirit gives me strength again
And oh, the beauty of Your majesty
On the cross You showed Your love for me

And I am lifted by Your love to sing!
It's Your mercy that has made me free!

serving

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, ⁸ because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
                                 Ephesians 6:7-8

That is something that I have been thinking about lately. Whether it's my work that I do for the church or around our home.  Whatever I am doing, I ought to do it the best I can as if I am serving the Lord. The NLT says to "work with enthusiasm".  That is hard sometimes, especially if it's the same work that's being done day in and day out. I've also learned that if you can find joy in your job, you are doing God's will and this is your reward! (Ecc. 3:12-13)  It is so encouraging to find joy in homeschooling and when I'm with my kids. It makes me feel like I was made to do this. It's also motivation to strive in this ministry I'm in- to do the best I can. To teach them how to love, be kind; about the bible. And I can see the seeds growing in their mannerisms and politeness. The songs they sing.  It is important to remember as I sometimes grumble about the things "I" don't get to do, or go, or be..... this is what I am called to do right now; this is my ministry. And I want to do the best that I can!

this week

In our homeschool this week…

Homeschooling went pretty smooth this week. I finished my 4-day-curriculum in 3 days... knowing that we would be gone on Thursday. Also last week I did a couple things on Friday for this week in case I wasn't able to finish it.  I have also been reading a couple books for bedtime instead of during the "school hour".   A few days ago we also worked on our reading words after supper, which was a nice change.

My favorite thing this week was…

reading our devotions every morning.

My kiddos favorite thing this week was…

going to MOPS playdate and touring Pizza Ranch and making their own pizza!

Things I’m working on…

laundry, organizing, organizing, organizing.  Where to even begin!?!

I’m cooking…

new recipes that I've pinned from pinterest. I am also trying to menu plan 2 weeks ahead and cook ahead to make more than one meal out of one recipe.

I’m grateful for…

the mornings I get to spend in Gods word.

I’m praying for…

Direction in a few areas of our lives. Continued homeschooling journey-- direction for our kids if this is what we are to do next year.  Finances and what we should do to our house, planning for the future (future home, etc) Of course the safety and health for our kids- Maddys' eyes corrected, Ella's developments, and that I would be spirit-filled each day.

I rewarded my kids this week by…

They got some ice cream on the way home from our pizza-making. We try to do fun crafts each week and because I'm so behind on everything I fight that a lot - it would be easier to try to clean up the dishes - but instead I try to do more of the hands on things for them that they would get to do at school.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share (silly, serious or both!)…

Hmm, I have been TRYING to do some editing but i've only gotten a few done. 

enJOY

I'm really enjoying my new pumping schedule. I have taken out my 10:30 a.m. pump and am going 4 or so hours in the morning. Oh dear friends.... that has given me so much more time! Even though it only is 30 minutes more of free time, I no longer have to quit activities because they might interfere with pumping (then I end up wasting time actually because we'll quit early with something and do pointless things, like check facebook) Now we can keep going and I can start lunch in the kitchen while she's doing her phonics or her math.  It is truly great. I do, though, have a shadow behind me of guilt because I've somehow lost an oz a day or so by doing this. I don't know how, but - I've always known my supply was so very touchy. I get really disappointed when I've pumped a 1/2 oz less - it's so discouraging.  I am so excited to be done yet I think it will be very hard to be done with such a routine that I've had for 8+ months!  Right now it's just a part of life, so it's not hard to me anymore. I just do it. Life would be a lot easier, though, if I were done.  I am praying for peace and not to feel guilty for allowing myself more time in the morning.

I get up around 6, pump, and try to go to the fitness center, but sometimes Ella will wake up and then I don't get to, but either way, I will make oatmeal, read my devotions/bible and shower. Then i pump again around 8:15 and set up breakfast for the kids. Sometimes they will eat with me in the living room with their fun little tray or they will finish eating in the kitchen while Peter is getting his coffee. While I finish pumping, they get dressed, make their bed, and then I will come behind them and actually have time to make mine! AND brush MY teeth (along with theirs)!!!!! 1000 gifts. 

We then start school. Ella's schedule is different every day - depending if she wakes in the night to be fed. If she does, then she sleeps longer. If she doesn't, then she is up and ready for a nap by 8 or 9. This is the sweet time of day- when I can be with my two girls on the couch, reading their devotions, teaching them about God, and reading other school books full of information for their little minds. Yesterday they learned that hens eat insects, giraffes eye lashes are long b/c of dust storms, and that manure can be spread on fields to help fertilize.  That has been a blessing.

This week has been FULL of great meals!! Peter has been swooning and I have been organized and happy in this department. I even had time to make a meal for a friend who came over to visit. She brought it home with her. I had cookies, biscotti, a crock pot meal, and two hot dishes made yesterday-- all because I got up early and prepped. And I meal-planned. 

I just wanted to share with you those exciting things this week. I've also been learning new things spiritually that I hope to share soon too.  I want to also do a post on products that have made life fun and easier.  I'd love to learn some of yours, too.   Off to make my bed!

Merry......Christmas?

Oh dear. It's been a long time since I last wrote.  We had a nice Christmas... it was a nice long break and I was encouraged to take a couple weeks off of homeschooling. So, I did.  I didn't even feel guilty.  It's been sort of hard to get back into the swing of things... this week was our first "full" week in quite a while. I ended up doing a few days last week so technically I didn't take two weeks off, but that's okay. It was still a nice break.

The days are still packed with things to do. I am so thankful we don't have ballet right now.  There are basketball games, meetings that Peter goes to (that we tag along, too) home school group meetings, MOPS that we are starting to go to, appointments, play dates..... and daily chores. I've been working out, too now, the past couple months. It feels great and I think it helps my mood tremendously. It has helped my self esteem too. I still have a long time before I fit into pre-pregnancy clothes, but I am hoping to get there soon.

I am really trying to, as well, stay organized. Or, ........ I guess the first step is to organize, and THEN stay organized. Soon I am planning to tackle the toys upstairs. I need to purchase a bunch of bins or something and throw out a bunch of things. I just need to simplify and pick up after myself right away. I've learned this to be true: A load of laundry a day, keeps chaos away!

the busyness...

I can't believe it's already December 19th.  Where does the time go?  It sure does fly when one is busy.  So often I try to stop and just enjoy and be more aware of what's going on....but it's so hard. There's school to teach, babies to rock and feed and dress; meals to make, laundry to wash. How do you stop and enjoy?  Recently I have been going through flylady again to help simplify and get small amounts of cleaning done each day. Extra cleaning other than the daily grind.  I have been trying really hard to get a load of laundry done a day. That truly helps.

 The past couple weeks we got to watch Kate and Maddy in their ballet recital.  That was so much fun. They were really excited too.  It was fun for them to go, but I am really happy to not have one more thing to do. I am still deciding if I will let them join in the spring, too.   We probably will but we'll just see what happens.

Tonight I am hosting some ladies over for supper and appetizers. Of course the weirdo in me wants to re-arrange the whole house, make it perfectly organized and in order.  I realize that will not happen. Today I read about dying to self and not loving the world.  I was going work out this morning; I got up at 6 to do so. But the last 5 minutes of my pump, Ella woke up. So, I cuddled with her instead. I felt like God wants me to not care about what people think of the messy house. So today, I will do what I can, but I am also going to read Christmas stories to the kids, do a baby Jesus craft, and sing Christmas songs with them.  I'll do some crafts and school too. What I can get done, I'll get done, and it will be fine.  No one will care.  My goal is not to impress people, but to welcome my home as a way of fellowship and to spend time with friends, which I dont get to do very often.  I am really looking forward to it!