Let Summer Begin...

The girls on the last day of school...

I can NOT believe the school year is over.  Every year flies by faster than the one before and the kids keep growing and I get new age spots... like the one taking over my left eyelid! 

We are already totally enjoying the relaxing schedule of no school!  We have enjoyed late mornings at the pool followed by a big late lunch followed by an afternoon nap and then more fun and a late dinner.  It is amazing how much more fluid the day is without running about on a schedule.  I LOVE IT!

In honor of the last day of school, here are some long over due pictures of the girl's Spring Fling this year.  It was really cute and they had a blast.

Starting off with a little square dancing...

T and one of her best friends... sweet girls!

Marc's favorite activity... chowin down!

Abby bobbin around the tree for an apple... I was impressed!

"Pie" eatting contest that consisted of being the first to "find" a jelly bean in the whip cream!

Abby found hers before I did!

Then the REAL fun began... and it involved a little bull!

My fearless girl was ALL about it! 

This little bull rider was very happy with herself and I was glad she didn't get hurt!

This little one needs a little encouragement with it comes to adventure... but with some reassuring and cheering from mommy... she went for it too!

I LOVE her face and her foot gripping on in this shot!  She was having a blast!

She hung on for a good long while and then...

She went DOWNNNN!!!!!!!  It was great and she was very glad she did it! :0)

Marc scootered around most of the time and he and Dusty looked for food on the ground!

Afterwards... a little stop at Rita's for a TREAT!

It was a good good good night!  We are so lucky and blessed... we get a lot of those! :0)  And so many more to come...

Come Undone


Today was the last day of school. The day started out with promise. It started out with cinnamon rolls and a bowl full of cherries.

Then something happened. Something snapped. And every speck of dirt in the house started screaming at me. I saw it everywhere. On the door to Abby's bedroom, on the cabinets, on the fridge, on the floor, on the bathroom mirrors... and I started to come undone. The feeling of weariness started coming in the spaces inside that were just previously filled with joy. And I started getting crankie.

As we tried to leave for the school, the garage door won't close. After numerous attempts, I finally had to keep my finger on the button until it was all the way closed, go back inside, walk out the back door to only walk out the gate that is still lying on the ground because it no longer fits the fence since the new sidewalk has been put in. As I go to pick it up, it bangs into my shin and my hand gets covered with fabulous red Georgia dirt. And I come undone.

As I sit in the kitchen floor, wiping cabinets with clorox wipes and holding back tears, I think about a blog that gives me hope and encourages me almost daily... A Holy Experience. There is a link on the right side of my blog.

So I leave my wipes and head to the computer... hoping that she can help me get through this moment... because she overflows with His light... and I wanted to sit before it for just a moment. And in a sweet gesture from my Father... her post today spoke to me unlike it would on any other day. She, too, comes undone and she shared it... and she shared how the Spirit walked her through it.

And I hear Him say to me... "It will be ok," and "You are not alone."

Some of the same words my husband spoke to me as he walked out the door to go to work.

"It will be ok."

And I believe them.

And He saw it was good...

I found two tiny tiny baby birds in the back yard last night, dead.  I was so full of sadness.  Something must have gotten to the eggs, as one was still in a tiny little ball.  I went inside to get a paper towel and my heart just flooded with how these tiny creatures were "safe" inside their egg, growing, living, getting ready to sing a song God placed deep in their knowing... and an enemy came and took it all away... and they were helpless.  And I was heartbroken.  I was sad for the mommy bird who returned to her nest to find it empty.

"And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind."  And it was so.  God made the wild animals, each according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.  And God saw it was good."  Genesis 1:24,25~

Life.  Beautiful life that God created... they give glory to Him by their very presence.  Oh how I long for eternity where harmony will lie over animals like the warm soft blanket of God's love.

"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them."  Isaiah 11:6~

Lord, I praise you and thank you for the animals you have created.  I thank you for the tenderness, strength, emotion, and love they possess and share.  I marvel at the endless variety you have given us.  I marvel at the joy they bring my soul.  I see you all over them... all in them... and all around them.  I am so thankful for the deep appreciation for them you have planted deep inside me, for I know it is a reflection of your heart... a piece of you.  I mourn at the ways man can disrespect, hurt, abuse, and destroy them.  Dominion or not... you never intended such horrible misuse of your creation.  And I know you do not overlook it.  Justice is yours.  But my heart still mourns. 

I can't wait to be the zoo keeper of heaven... the zoo with no cages and no walls... just precious animals and peace! 

"Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do His bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds... Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and heavens."  Psalm 148:7-10 and 13 ~

P.S.  Thank you for my Dusty Poof... I love the way you love me through him!

Fun, Fun, and more Fun...

I seriously need to reveal the back yard soon... and I will.  But since no one has left me a comment in eons, I guess no one is reading anymore and so there is no rush on the reveal! :0)

In the meantime, here is my dream project for the backyard now...

I would never leave... it would be like having vacation in your backyard.  I'd have a daybed in there along with a wooden dinning table and chairs and some lovely wicker furniture.  And then I would never leave!

I can't believe summer is just moments away.  Where has the year gone!?  I am excited to do some really fun things with the kids this summer.  Here is one fun little activity and treat...

as well as making these with a large hole punch and paint chips...

in pinks, fresh greens and orange and yellows of course!

I can't wait!  Got to go move the sprinkler...

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday I taught Sunday school at church.  The lesson was on how God is Great.  The second part of the lesson was on how we praise God.  My 3rd - 5th graders listened.  I love it when I see them listening with their eyes!  And I taught them about the book of Psalms... read them several... and then had them write their own Psalm.  I was so touched as they took the time and wrote BEAUTIFUL psalms to the Lord.  It was one of the sweetest classes ever... just second to the class I taught on fruits of the Spirit!

Yesterday we made pleas for children who need love, who need to know God is great, and need to be taught how to see Him and how to praise Him.  They need help.  They need hope.  They need love.  They need families.  And the response to our pleas were nothing short of beautiful.  Today is the last day to commit to the hosting this summer of these kids... and God was moving mightily and I can't wait to see what happens today!

Today I got to go back to bed and sleep.  I got to sleep until 9 a.m.  I needed that sleep.  My husband is so sweet to let me sleep.  And today we have an appointment somewhere that may bring hope with it as well. :0) 

Today I am in love with God who shows Himself to me over and over and over.  I am in love with my friends who have hearts so big and full that I am the luckiest and most blessed girl to be friends with them. 

"We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.  In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.  May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."  Psalm 33:20-22~

"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;"  Psalm 37:5-7~

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:13~

Honesty

 

The day started off badly when A wet the bed for the third time this week.  I had no patience.  I hate it when I am that way.   A had gone two months without wetting the bed and I voiced that aloud last week.  And then like a "Oh Yeah...!"  she wets it three times... and last night there was no water proof mattress pad on her bed (from the accident the night before) and so it was all over the nova foam topper and the mattress.  I just wanted to lay in the floor of the hallway and cry... loudly.  M has been potty trained for a year and out of the blue he will have these spells where he just pees in his pants like he knows nothing different.  He peed his pants twice yesterday.  I just want to lay in the floor and cry... loudly.  I can't even keep laundry done much less keep all the pee washed away.

A was mad I woke her up.  She is nine, you know, and doesn't need me anymore.  And it was besides the fact that at 5 a.m. when we were I was cleaning up pee that she was playing around with her alarm clock and turned it off.  It doesn't matter that she was supposed to be up 15 minutes before I went in to wake her up and that she would not have woken up on her own.  And she also didn't want what I made her for breakfast... since she often first looks to see what has been made for breakfast and then starts declaring in a fabulously whinning voice that sounds close to nails being drug down a chalk board that she doesn't want whatever has been made.  This is followed with anger that she is being made to eat what has been made and then she starts declaring how she loves everyone else in the room except me.

It is on days like this I want to drive away.  I want to pack a bag and some books and get in my car and find a little room in a b&b with a white puffy goose down comforter, lots of soft floral pillows, a window overlooking a grove a wonderful old trees, a cd player, and a lock on the door.  I want to walk into that room and be alone.  No one screaming my name at 5 a.m.  No pee to clean up.  No one looking to see what they can get me to do for them.  No laundry.  No meals to prepare and clean up after.  No floors to sweep and mop for the millionth time.  No toys to pick up.  No errands to run.  No fights to break up.  No back talk to listen to, try to discipline, and then shake off.  No words to deflect from my heart.  No moments of flesh to fight when I am pushed to the wall for the 20th time that day. 

But I can't.

And so I cling to the words above and beg for the presence of the one who spoke them... and keep walking forward.