In all fairness, I did warn you not to get used to me posting 2 months 2 days in a row. (But does it count if it took me 2 days in row to write this one post?) So, let's just recap the last 3 months with pictures (and a few words), shall we?
Get ready for your retinas to burn.
January...
Some alone time at the beach... Remember this pic? My big camera is being held by my right hand at the top of the heart. Can't see it, can ya?!
"Wow! I see a hot guy!"
"There he is!" Try not to be jealous that he's mine.
What a gorgeous skGuy.
Upward season...
Trip to Nana's with the Sis-in-law and fam!
...and an impromptu photo shoot, with Fancy, my camera...
Nana knows everyone in town so she took us to see her friends at the firehouse.:)
On a recent trip where we drove over a mountain range we were in need of "a facility". So we pulled into a snow park where we were greeted by a lovely vault toilet (aka outhouse aka a stinky hole in the ground). I usually avoid these like the plague but when nature's calling and there's 4 foot snow drifts in all the usual hiding spots, what's a family with 3 small (shorter than 4 ft) children to do...
So I pull myself up by my fancy slippers (travel wear), take a quick breath, and escort my darling daughter to the "ladies room". Where she says..."Eew! This bathroom must be really old...like from the 1980's."
Flash forward to last night...
After creating a gourmet meal serving up Little Caesars on paper towels, we were discussing the classic show that I had found on Netflix for the kids to watch - Pippi Longstocking. I was telling them that I used to watch Pippi when I was little girl and loved it. I can tell Will is thinking something by the way he turns his head to the side and glances at the ceiling, then he says... "I didn't think they had TVs back then."
Just when I was thinking that I wasn't young but I wasn't old either, I was just a good in between...apparently I was mistaken.
Yesterday after dropping the olders off at school Lincoln informs me that he wanted to go to his school. I remind my sweet boy that he doesn't go to school yet, but when he, in all seriousness, says that he does and I ask him where, he says... "At the taco place for dogs."
I had no response.
Now don't go thinking this posting 2 days in row thing will become a regular occurence...I'm too old for that...and too busy taking 3 year olds to the taco place for dogs.
I took this photo of Billy and I on a recent getaway to the beach and thought it was perfect...
So, I made a Valentine's Day card at Shutterfly. (FREE if you enter CARD4U at checkout. You're welcome.)
Since I'm pretty confident the hubs won't see it and I'm certain y'all will keep your lips sealed, I decided to document the fact that I DO still get my semi-creative on every once in a blue moon.
(The inside reads "My heart wouldn't be complete without you. Happy Valentine's Day, my Love." I love a good eye-rolling-oh-brother pun.)
No, it won't be covering the past 4 months of our lives that I haven't blogged about yet.
It will be covering some feelings I've had over the past few weeks that reached a monumental peak last night as our family sat down and watched old home movies together. Might I suggest that if you're trying to be okay with the fact that your kids are getting bigger and growing up faster than a speeding bullet this is NOT the thing to do. If you don't want to get weepy, have your ovaries hurt, and beg your husband to reverse a certain procedure, again, this is NOT the thing to do.
However, if you do want to be reminded that this time with your children (disrespectful, stinky attitudes and all) is fleeting, a blip, and that you need to slow down and enjoy this time with them, than by all means pull out the old movies. Just like I did when once again I was reminded that someday...
I'm gonna miss...
...hopping around on one foot because the other was destroyed by tiny play things (notice the crumbs too). ...pen scribbles on the walls. ...piles upon piles of folded (but mostly unfolded) laundry.
...the view. ...what's left from trying to fill the hollow legs of my children.
...Star Wars.
...the homework, no! But the boy((s) and girl) behind the homework...a heart aching yes.
So if you see me a little less around these parts (but hopefully more often than every 4 months) it's only because I'm off enjoying those things little people that are pulling at my heart strings and at my hands to come play...
Not that you would know it based on the one, maybe two, times a month I make it over to this cyber page.
They say the first step is admission. So I'll admit that I've been just a tad too busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off living and enjoying life. And I'll admit that when I do sit down, hands positioned ready to attack the keyboard, a big idea of...nothingness comes to me and since it disturbs my husband when he finds me frozen in position, eyes glazed over looking at a blank page, I choose instead to walk away and find something more productive to do like learn my latest dance moves from SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance for those who are deprived.) fold that eleventy seventy thousandth load of laundry.
I'll try to get caught up soon on the happenings around these parts, because let's face it, it will just get harder the longer I wait...and I wouldn't want all my fans friends to lose heart and mourn the loss of Dancing in the Rain....
My Mother's Day loot: Here's what that masterpiece in the middle says:
And because sometimes as a mom you lay aside your pride (of how you look) to capture a moment in time that is priceless and that you never want to forget...
Several months ago we were approached about the opportunity to go on a family summer missions trip with others from our church.
I spent a bit of time mulling over why this wasn't the "best time for us" to go.
There were the selfish reasons: The cost, the money we'll need to raise, the vacation time the hubby will need to take, and the fact that this mission trip WILL be our vacation for the summer.
There were other reasons: Lincoln is still so young. What use will I be if I'm just looking after him the whole time? Will our children behave?
But really, these were silly selfish reasons too.
And I'm tired of being selfish. We spend our days looking out for numero uno most of the time. My husband goes to his job to support our needs. I spend my days trying to stay sane raise up my children and nurture them. I keep our house. Sometimes not very well. We have our kids involved in Kid's Club at church. There's Children's church, baseball, swim lessons, football, basketball, Men's and Women's Bible studies, weekend getaways, trips to the beach, working in our yard, keeping up with our shows, etc etc etc. None of which are bad, but when I look at our lives I realize how self-centered we live. Oh sure. We give and serve at our church, pray for others, try to practice hospitality, but what are we doing to reach the LOST?? Are we concerned for other's salvation like we should be? Do we willingly and freely give of our time and resources? Do we reach out to our neighbors? Do we live out our joy so those around us can see it? What more would God have us do?
We're still learning to listen to Him on that one. We're praying for soft hearts, eyes that really see, and ears that truly hear the "world" He has placed us in.
But for now, we took our fingers out of our ears and stopped "na-na-naing" know that God wants us to pack up our family and go, trusting Him to supply what we need. We know He will!!
In a couple of months we're gonna head out into the backwoods of Oregon where all manner of creepy crawly things reside. Where instead of towns running into towns, itty bitty towns run into nothingness which than leads to another itty bitty town. Where the kiddos don't have the same opportunities as bigger city kiddos have. Where we can serve as a family and try to be Jesus in the skin to those He will put in our paths.
We're not going far...physically. But I sure hope God takes me (us) far...spiritually. I want (us) to be stretched. I want (us) to be His hands and feet. And I know He can do that right here in The Oregon Mission Field, just as much as He could do that if we went to Mexico or Africa or Papua New Guinea.
I'm excited! We're excited...to see what God will do in our lives and in the lives of others.
So here we are, Lord. Use us. Change us.
And my dear bloggy friends, will you pray for us?!
She had a traveling party to Build-a-Bear Workshop for some friends...
Who knew that the bathroom would be the location for our best group photo op...
Her buddies putting their heart wishes inside her Princess Pinky...
The gang and their newly adopted critters...
Red Robin for sundaes, of course!
My gorgeous girl is growing up too fast...
Snow day!
...works of art.
...tape.
...the view.
...what's left from trying to fill the hollow legs of my children.
...Star Wars.
...the homework, no! But the boy((s) and girl) behind the homework...a heart aching yes.
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