The Powell Family

Monday Memory Verse

2012-02-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

This week's memory verse comes from the book of Proverbs. I actually read it recently in the Bible study I am leading on Tuesday nights and it really hit home with me.

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

-Proverbs 14:30

I think if we are all honest with ourselves we can admit to feeling envious at different times in our lives. But we need to remember that nothing good comes from envy. If we're not careful, it can consume us and rob us of the abundant life God has for us. We need to keep our eyes and heart focused on Christ.

Join me this week in memorizing this short verse. You can do it!

Growing Up

2012-02-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

As if I wasn't emotional enough already about Ethan growing up, he has just left for his first sleepover with a friend. He has spent the night plenty of times with grandparents, but this is the first time he's been asked to spend the night with a friend. We had arranged for him to spend the day with his best buddy Jacob and this morning his mom asked if Ethan could just spend the night, too. Jacob had even bought Ethan a new toothbrush. How could we say no?

At first, Ethan had a hard time understanding the idea of spending the night with his buddy. As we were packing his stuff, he kept asking if it was night night time. Even with the confusion this morning, I have no doubt that he'll be just fine. I don't think he'll even miss us. (And I think Aaron is pretty happy to be our only child today!)

Here are a few pictures of Ethan waiting for Jacob. He posed for a few pictures for me then he stood by the back door until he saw Ms. Kay's van pull into the parking lot.

Ready for Normalcy

2012-02-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have those weeks where everything seems out of whack? I am definitely having one of those weeks. Part of the problem is I've been sick this week. Okay, maybe that's been the whole problem. Along with congestion and headaches, I've had a low grade fever since Monday. I haven't been able to run (even though I tried to exercise twice this week), I haven't cleaned the house like I usually do or finished much laundry. Ethan and I did school only twice this week. Our routine has been off this week to say the least and it's driving me a little crazy.

I'm anxious to get back to normal next week and I think the boys are, too.

So check back next week for Monday's Memory Verse and quite possibly a new Thursday's Thought.

Have a great weekend!

Aaron's Two Year Pictures Continued...

2012-02-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

Since the weather was so nice yesterday I took Aaron outside to the front porch to take a few more of his two year pictures. It's been tough getting any pictures of him lately since he's had such a runny nose lately. And as much as I practice, I cannot get the hang of editing snot out of photos!

I also added one of Ethan. He really didn't want his picture taken so he's not smiling, but doesn't he look so grown up? I can't think about it....I've been so emotional lately just thinking about him turning four in a few months.

Stats

2012-01-24T14:51:00.000-08:00

We took Aaron to the doctor this afternoon for his two year check-up and here are his stats. He weighs in at 28 pounds and is 35 and a half inches tall, which puts him in the 75th percentile for height. Since his last visit six months ago, he has grown 3 and a half inches! No wonder he looks so much taller!

I always like to look back at Ethan's stats to see how the two compare, especially since I don't think they look much alike. (They don't act much alike either!) At two years old, Ethan weighed 32 pounds and was 35 inches. So Aaron is a half inch taller than Ethan at that age, but also four pounds lighter!

Here are pictures from their second birthdays. Don't they look so different?

Aaron's Birthday Gift

2012-01-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

For Aaron's birthday, we bought him a buggy. Whenever we go for walks, Ethan rides his motorcycle or tricycle while Aaron sits in the stroller. Lately, Aaron hasn't been happy in the stroller. He's a little jealous of Ethan's cool rides so we figured it was time of a ride of his own. Since he's not quite ready to be completely on his own yet, we found a ride that has a seatbelt and is pushed, yet has a steering wheel and makes noise. We were able to take out for a test drive since the weather was pretty nice this morning. Aaron seem to enjoy it, but not necessarily when Ethan was pushing him. Notice the look of terror on his face in the second picture!

Monday Memory Verse

2012-01-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

I've decided to try something new on the blog...Monday Memory Verse. Every Monday I will post a memory verse that I am trying to memorize. If you'd like to memorize it along with me, great! If not, don't worry, I won't be asking you about it. (I don't know even know who reads this stuff!) But posting it every week will help me stick with it so maybe it will help someone else, too.

This week's verse is a reminder about wisdom from the book of James. The Bible has a lot to say about wisdom, including that we should ask God for wisdom if we are lacking. I like this particular verse because it explains what Godly wisdom should look like.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.-James 3:17

Happy Birthday, Aaron!

2012-01-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

Our little man turned two today. When I think about the past two years and the way in which God worked in our lives, I am so thankful. Just a month before Aaron was conceived, we experienced a miscarriage. Even though Mark and I vowed not to get pregnant for a while after that, God certainly had bigger plans. He blessed us with Aaron just a month later. We cannot imagine our lives without him and we are very happy God didn't listen to our plans.

Here's a comparison between last year and this year. He was much more excited about his cupcake last year. I think that's the last time we have an evening birthday party...it was a little rough on everyone!

Obesity

2012-01-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

As I was running on the treadmill this morning I was watching CNN. The one bit of news that caught my attention this morning was the obesity rates in the U.S. According to the report this morning, 39% of women are considered obese and 36% of men are obese. You can click here to read the article.

Honestly, I think it's sad that so many people are obese. I would be interested in learning the percentages of Christians who are obese. I'm not sure how politically correct of a survey that would be, but it would be interesting to see the numbers. Why? In my personal opinion, I believe it displeases God to see His people overweight and unhealthy.

Does that mean all believers need to be fit and trim athletes? Not at all. But I do think we need to keep in mind a few things.

First, these bodies are not our own.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.-1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I think it honors God when we take care of our bodies. Taking care of ourselves also ensures that we will have the physical capability to do whatever it is He has called us to do. If you are a believer, then you better believe that God requires you to serve Him in some way. (And if you're not currently serving in some capacity then I encourage you to ask yourself why.) If you're obese or even overweight, simple things can take so much more effort that it's usually easier to not do anything at all.

Second, I think there's an issue of financial responsibility.

Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.-Isaiah 55:2

This particular verse is talking more about spending money on things that don't last and I think food falls into that category. I would venture to guess that most obese people have an underlying issue that causes them to overeat. They are looking to fill a void. So they eat and spend money on food and it never satisfies. So there are really two issues here. Jesus is the only one that can offer true satisfaction and He desires us to be responsible with the resources He has given us. We are told to be cheerful givers (2 Cor. 9:7) and to take care of widows and orphans (James 1:27).

I hope I haven't offended or upset anyone by this post. More than anything I am saddened by the way in which Americans tend to neglect their health. And I am also saddened that this is an issue that many Christians tend to overlook, especially American Christians. That doesn't mean we can't enjoy cake or a soda every now and then. It doesn't mean we all have to run marathons. But I do think we have the responsibility to take care of ourselves and we should each ask ourselves what that means for us personally.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.-1 Corinthians 10:31

One of those days....

2012-01-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have one of those days where nothing seems to go as planned or expected? Where you have what seems like one little frustration after another? Today has been one of those days around the Powell house.

I started this morning by waking up later than I wanted. In fact, I woke up holding my alarm clock so at some point I just turned off my alarm and held it tightly. A little cuddle time, I guess. Then Mark and I had decided to work on the budget this morning since we were too tired to do it last night. And I couldn't find our budget notebook. It's nowhere to be found. We did work on the budget, but with Ethan sitting in a chair between us telling us how to get to Mrs. Rachel's house and Aaron bringing us book after book to read. Hopefully, all the bills will get paid that need to be paid this week!

Then as I was changing Aaron's diaper, I noticed poop was leaking out the top which got all over the carpet in his room. Lovely.

After lunch and the massive rain we had, things seem to be getting back to normal. Aaron was sound asleep in his crib and Ethan was half-asleep on the couch. I thought I would get a few moments to myself to get things done around the house. Then the doorbell rang....it was the man coming to measure for new carpet. So much for naps. Ethan jumped off the couch and grabbed his measuring tape to "help" and Aaron was startled awake by a strange man measuring his room. Neither would go back to sleep. Trust me, I tried.

As the boys were playing together in Ethan's room, I was cleaning out my bathroom and trying to get it back in order since we just painted it. Ethan came running in the room and told me Aaron was poopy. So I went to get him to change his diaper and what did I find? Poop spots all over Ethan's floor where Aaron's diaper leaked yet again. Thank goodness we are getting new carpet soon! Not just new carpet, but carpet that is darker and stain resistant! (Have you ever tried to clean something out of 30 year old carpet???)

So as you can see, today has been one of those days. And I admit, I haven't had the best attitude throughout the day. But then I read this verse and it really hit home. After all, my boys are watching closely to see how I respond to situations. They are listening and watching carefully. What kind of example do I want to set?

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:14-16

Update: This evening when our family gathered together for our story time, Aaron sat on my lap. When he got up, there was poop all over Aaron's backside and all over the front of my sweatshirt. We have literally had a poopy day. :)

Aaron

2012-01-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

Since Aaron's 2nd birthday is just around the corner, I started today with his 2nd year pictures. I have a few ideas, but since my boys don't usually cooperate when I have the camera out I'll have to try to get my ideas done a little bit at a time. Here is round 1....

Us

2012-01-08T10:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you've ever noticed, but I don't post many pictures of Mark and I. Neither of us like having our picture taken so we avoid it if at all possible. Whenever we take pictures of the boys you can bet that each of us will say "Make sure you don't get me in it". But here are some recent and rare shots of us, just in case you forgot what we looked like!

Week 1

2012-01-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

I have now gone one week without a caffeinated drink. And to celebrate, I have a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper in my hand. Just kidding! I have a 2 liter in each hand.....

Okay, maybe not. And you know what? I don't really want one. I had a rough couple of days last week, but overall I feel much better and I'm proud of this milestone. This is the longest I've gone without caffeine ever. Well, besides when I was a baby. Unless my mom needs to tell me something...

So I'll keep drinking my water and focus on a few of my other goals for 2012.

How are you doing on day 2 of the new year?

First Snow of 2012

2012-01-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

Ethan was very excited to look out the window earlier and see snow! And not just a few flurries, but a nice snow shower! So we all got bundled up and headed outside. By the time we all got bundled up in our coats, hats, and gloves, the snow had stopped. But that didn't affect Ethan's excitement. Poor thing even tried to make a snow angel. Aaron was just happy to be outside and chased Ethan around the backyard. Seeing their joy over snow makes the winter a little more fun!

Caffeine Free?

2011-12-30T07:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I haven't had a caffeinated drink since noon on Monday and I feel great. Better than I expected actually. Although Wednesday was rough. I was very irritable and I offered Mark $100 to get me a Dr. Pepper. He said he would only take cash, not a check from his own account. Ugh! I was also a little upset when I realized he had taken out the can of Mt. Dew we had in the fridge that was leftover from a Christmas party. I don't like Mt. Dew, but I was ready to drink the whole thing just to get rid of the headache! Apparently, Mark suspected I would cave and took the Dew to work with him. Which prompted me to send him a text letting him know he sucked! Yeah, I was irritable.

Even though I was a little disappointed, I am thankful for the tough love. I slept better last night than I have in a while and I woke up this morning feeling ready to go, not groggy as usual. I even woke up earlier. I'm sure the caffeine that used to be coursing through my veins was messing with my sleep more than I realize.

So I will continue to stay away from the caffeinated drinks and I pray I get to the point where I'm not thinking about it all the time!

New Year Goals

2011-12-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

Since we were able to spend Christmas Day at home, I had a little bit of time to write out my goals for 2012. Instead of lumping all my goals together, I created several different categories. (Mark is quite proud that he seems to be rubbing off on me! Now I just need charts and graphs!)

One of my goals last year was to give up caffeine. I'm not sure how long I made it last January without caffeine, but it wasn't long. I gave up rather quickly. Then I tried again this past July. After 24 hours with no caffeine, I woke up in the middle of the night with the worst headache ever and started vomiting. So like any normal person, I had caffeine the next morning. Makes sense, right?

Obviously, I struggle with moving past the withdrawal symptoms.

But I know it's important for me to give up the sodas, regular and diet. I know I will feel better, but I also know I need to set the example for my kiddos. I don't want them drinking sodas because it's not good for them. So if it's not good for them, it's not good for me either.

Even though it's not quite 2012 I am already on my way to giving up the caffeine. Yesterday I drank the last Diet Coke we had in the fridge so it's going on 22 hours since I've last had caffeine. Right now I feel the beginning of a headache, but I've stocked up on aspirin and bottled water. I'm determined to kick the caffeine habit this year!

You may want to avoid talking to me in the next few days.....

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

I hope you've had a very Merry Christmas! Mark and I were able to visit family this past weekend. We feel blessed to not only have great family members, but a wonderful church family. We enjoyed worship this morning with Central Baptist and we are thankful to be here in Maysville. It's amazing the peace and joy that come with doing exactly what God has planned. We know that our decision to move probably didn't make sense to some, but we can say with 100% confidence that we are right where we are supposed to be. I know that's slightly off topic, but it was definitely on my mind this morning as we were sitting in the worship service. While it is a strange feeling to be away from family on Christmas day, I would have felt just as strange being away from Central on this day.

Enjoy a few of my favorite photos from our Christmas celebrations!

Follow The....

2011-12-20T16:49:00.000-08:00

Aluminum Foil Path. Never leave the aluminum foil unattended with a 3 year old walking around. He pulled the rest of the foil out and made a path from the kitchen to the Christmas tree. He then said we had to follow the path to get to Dairy Queen. Who knew?

The Boys

2011-12-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

On Monday, Ethan wanted to climb into Aaron's bed after naptime and play. Aaron didn't seem to mind a bit so they played together for a few minutes while I snapped a some pictures. I love the last picture....notice how they both have their tongues to the sides of their mouths. And this is random, but looking at these pictures makes me miss the brighter blue walls in the old house. It may get added to my "rooms to paint" list.....

Baby Zack

2011-12-09T10:31:00.001-08:00

Yesterday the boys and I drove to Louisville to hang out with Nick, Ashley, and Zack. It's very funny to watch how my boys interact with their new baby cousin. Aaron usually doesn't even acknowledge Zack's existence and tends to be very jealous. He cries and begs for whoever is holding Zack to also pick him up. But we saw a different side of Aaron's jealousy yesterday. While Zack was lying on the floor getting his diaper changed, Aaron tried to sit on Zack's face. When Ashley told him no, he then tried kicking Zack in the head. Guess he's not ready for a baby brother or sister....

Ethan, on the other hand, is very sweet and loving towards Zack. Check out this photo....

Ethan tells all the time he wants more babies. And when asked what we should name our babies here are the names he gives us....Zack, Ash, Kate, and Adrian. Sound familiar?

How to Talk to Little Girls

2011-12-07T11:37:00.001-08:00

A friend posted this article on Facebook and I thought I'd share it on my blog. I don't have any little girls (yet!), but several of my friends have little girls and I find myself wanting to 'ohhh' and 'ahhh' over them. After all, there are so many cute, adorable outfits and accessories for little girls and let's face it, they look cute! but I agree that we shouldn't focus so much on their outward appearance. There's nothing wrong with a compliment. I mean, don't we all enjoy it when someone says something nice about our hair, makeup, or outfit? But as a woman, I know how easy it is to become a little more preoccupied with looks. We are bombarded with images daily about how women should or should not look. So even though it may be completely innocent to gush over a little girl, I don't want to ever add to the pressure they might feel to look a certain way.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-bloom/how-to-talk-to-little-gir_b_882510.html

Madness at the Playplace

2011-12-01T10:13:00.001-08:00

Every now and then I take the boys to McDonald's for lunch so they can play in the Playplace. It gives them the chance to burn some energy, especially on rainy days, and it also gives them the chance to socialize with other kiddos. But today was perhaps the worst experience we've had there. There were a group of kids there today that were exceptionally rough and mean. And I swear one of the little girls could be the poster child for bullying even though she's probably only four!

Ethan was hit in the face twice and left with a nice bite mark on his pinky. I'm thankful he came to me after each incident and told me what happened without hitting or biting back. He was not the only one who was hit or bit though. Other kids were going to their mothers and telling them they had also been hit or bit by the same group of kids.

But what really got under my skin was the response of the grandmother of one of the "attackers". She simply said, 'kids will be kids', as if that justifies hitting and biting. (This is not the first time I've had experience with this particular family, nor is it the first time I've heard her make such a remark. The joys of living in a small town!)

I believe kids will be kids to a point. Kids are curious. Kids like to push buttons to see how far they can go. Kids like to explore. Kids like to play. But you cannot use that phrase to justify or defend hitting and biting.

Kids need discipline. And I'm not talking about corporal punishment. Discipline is about training and providing boundaries. As a parent, I believe it is my responsibility to train my children in the way they treat others and the way in which they respond to others. A parenting book I recently read also pointed out that as parents we should be concerned with the heart, not just the outward behavior. So we're not just teaching them what to do or what not to do, but why.

It's not always easy. Ethan doesn't always listen to us. There are times when he hits or yells. But we don't let him get away with it. There are consequences and more importantly there are teachable moments.

Nativity Scene

2011-12-01T08:06:00.001-08:00

This past Sunday evening our church had its annual Hanging of the Greens service. Part of the service included the children dressed as characters from the Nativity scene. Aaron was a donkey while Ethan was dressed as a wiseman carrying gold. Their only job was to stand on the stage while pianist played through Away in the Manger. Aaron does not like to stay in one place so he began crying then decided to leave the stage by sneaking through the teenagers that were singing on the other side of the pulpit. Unfortunately, he was caught and put back on the stage which caused more crying. Eventually he just went limp and fell to the ground.

At least he entertained the congregation.....

Day 30

2011-11-30T09:17:00.001-08:00

This month has flown by, hasn't it? Today I am thankful for Jesus. Most people who did this gratitude challenge mentioned Jesus the very first day. I intentionally left Him for last. Mostly just to be different and not quite as predictable, but also to be able to say that because of Jesus I get to experience all of those things I mentioned throughout the month. Because of Jesus, I have the Holy Spirit that lives within me and access to God. God loves me and desires a life for me that is full and abundant. Every good and perfect gift comes from above.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.-James 1:17

Day 29

2011-11-29T12:37:00.001-08:00

I'm going to double up on gratitude today. I am thankful for answered prayers. Recently, I prayed for something and it just hit me that God answered that prayer. Not only did He answer the prayer, He went above and beyond what I expected. God is always answering prayers. Sadly, I often fail to recognize the ways in which He does answer, which also leads me to not give Him the credit He deserves.

Day 29

2011-11-29T09:01:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for the Bible. It amazes me to think about how God's word has been preserved for thousands of years and translated into different languages so that all people can know Him. The more I read and study the Bible the more aware I am of just the relevance of His word. The truths that it teaches are timeless.

Days 24-28

2011-11-27T05:14:00.001-08:00

Day 24: I am thankful we live close enough to family so that we can travel to see them on holidays.

Day 25: I am thankful for fun traditions, such as Black Friday shopping. We're probably crazy to brave the crowds especially since we are never looking for anything in particular, but we always have a blast. And we usually come home with a fun story or two.

Day 26: I am thankful for smooth rides on the way home from Louisville. And by smooth I mean two boys in the back seat who nap most of the way home!

Day 27: I am thankful for my husband. Yes, I realize he's already made the list, but I have to mention him again because of all the 'manly' things he does. Such as taking out the trash, getting the oil changed in the car, depositing his paychecks, and washing dishes. Okay, maybe that's not manly, but it's the one chore I despise yet he willingly washes all the sippy cups and other random dishes so that I don't have to. Now that's love.

Day 28: I am thankful for Christmas traditions such as the Hanging of the Greens services. We had a wonderful crowd at Central last night and the service was a beautiful way to kick off this holiday season.

Day 23

2011-11-23T11:59:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for naptime. While I love being home with the boys, it can be exhausting and it's non-stop. Ethan doesn't always take a nap, but when he does it's nice to have that break in the middle of the day. And it helps the evening to go much smoother since the naps help to prevent those major meltdowns around dinner time.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T09:04:00.001-08:00

This morning the boys and I made turkey cupcakes. Here are a few pictures of our creation. Aaron wasn't all that interested in helping, just eating the candy corn. And doesn't he look rough? Poor guy has been sick on and off the last two weeks. Thankfully, the fever is gone, but he's still not back to 100%. Both of them are ready to see family and enjoy this weekend! Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 22

2011-11-22T07:49:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my education, specifically for my college education. After a rocky start at U of L, I ended up with 30 hours above a masters degree (rank 1) that allowed me to teach so many wonderful students for five years. There are days when I really miss teaching, but my degree and experience also helps me to know how to teach my sons and has made me me much more cautious and aware of what I desire for their education.

Day 21

2011-11-21T09:15:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for the ability and resources that enable us to take care of our kids. We have health insurance which allows us to visit the doctor whenever needed. We have money that allows us to pay the co-pay and any medicine needed. Our boys are not sick very often so it's easy to take these simple things for granted.

Day 20

2011-11-20T10:50:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for encouraging and supportive people. I think we all have people in our lives that are negative or critical of us or our choices and they may tend to overshadow the ones in our lives who do offer encouragement and support.

Day 19

2011-11-19T09:33:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for the ability to read. I'm an avid reader. I look forward to bedtime each night so I can lie in bed and read. I'm thankful to my parents who encouraged reading when I was young and for all of my teachers who taught me how to read and who also encouraged reading. We love books in our house!

Day 18

2011-11-18T05:54:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for Dr. Pepper. I drink a lot of diet Dr. Pepper, but every now and then I drink the real thing and there's nothing like it. If they weren't filled with sugar and empty calories, I'd drink them all day long.

Day 17

2011-11-17T05:32:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for hot showers. There are a lot of 'luxuries' like hot showers that I take for granted each and every day.

Renewing our Minds

2011-11-16T10:42:00.001-08:00

Have I mentioned that I'm leading the ladies through Beth Moore's Breaking Free study? :) I've really enjoyed this study because I really appreciate the way in which Moore challenges her readers. Too often I think Bible studies that are geared towards women are watered down and don't require much participation from the reader.

Anyway, as you may have picked up on, this study deals with breaking free from the strongholds in our lives that hinder us from living the free and abundant life God has planned for us. As Christians, we must be centered on the truth of God's word. We must learn (and train) ourselves to see things and people from God's perspective and act accordingly. This is not an easy thing to do and we cannot do it on our own power. We must have the Holy Spirit. And we must make a choice to think and act differently.

Sometimes that takes a lot of effort and may even require a few 'tricks'. Moore gives a suggestion in week 9 of the book. She encourages us to find Scripture that relates to the specific stronghold we are experiencing, as well as Scripture that emphasizes love and forgiveness. Then she recommends writing these verses on notecards and carrying them with us wherever we go so we can be reminded of the truth. And finally, we must try to avoid as many forms of deception as possible.

I've decided to try this. In the past week I have been faced with situations where a tactful response was needed. And I have no doubt that there will be other situations in the near future. I know I need to guard myself against believing things that simply aren't true or allowing others to get my feathers all ruffled. (Did you know I was part chicken?)

So pay no attention if you see me pulling notecards out of my purse.... :)

Day 16

2011-11-16T06:52:00.001-08:00

I am thankful my husband allows me to vent when I'm irritated, frustrated, or angry. No matter how silly or insignificant (or significant and serious) the situation, he always lets me explain how I feel and he's always willing to give advice and wisdom to help keep me focused and to keep things in the right perspective.

Quote

2011-11-15T11:11:00.001-08:00

"I often hear people say, 'I can't change the way I feel.' No, but we can change the way we think, and that will change the way we feel. Every day and in every situation, we have the invitation to think according to the Spirit or according to the flesh."

Breaking Free by Beth Moore, page 214

Day 15

2011-11-15T04:19:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for sleep. I'm thankful God created us with a need to sleep. Even though I may not get as much sleep as I'd like or as I used to, it makes me appreciate even more the sleep I do get.

Day 14

2011-11-14T04:58:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for all of my family; aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, niece, nephews, grandparents.

Day 13

2011-11-13T14:01:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for our home here in Maysville. There are some challenges that come with living in a parsonage and there are days when I miss having a house that is actually mine, but I am thankful we are not paying two mortgages. This house is what allows me to stay home with our boys so I am thankful for every part of it; from the leaky toilet to the kitchen cabinets that are falling apart.

Day 12

2011-11-13T13:58:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for time alone with Mark, which seems to be something is becoming more rare! We were able to eat dinner and complete the rest of our Christmas shopping without the boys this past Friday night and it was wonderful! I love my boys and I love spending time with them, but I also really enjoy a dinner where I don't have to feed someone else or pick up food and toys off the floor every few seconds. And I hardly ever have to tell Mark to stop crawling around under the table.

Day 11

2011-11-11T06:19:00.001-08:00

I am thankful to live in a country where I have freedom. Thank you to our veterans who have made it possible and continue to make it possible.

Day 10

2011-11-10T07:50:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my health. Over the last several weeks I have been preparing for my second half-marathon. I am thankful I have the ability to run, however slow my pace may be! Being in good health allows me to not only run and participate in races, but to also run and play with my boys.

Day 9

2011-11-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for the fellowship we have here at Central Baptist. God knew what we were lacking and was faithful in providing what we needed.

Day 8

2011-11-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you heard or not, but Michelle Duggar is expecting her 20th child. So why am I mentioning that on my gratitude challenge? I am thankful for the way in which they publicly share their faith in Christ. Whether you agree or disagree with their decision to have as many children as God sees fit, it would be hard to argue that they are a family committed to living out their faith.

Day 7

2011-11-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for beautiful, sunny, warm November days. If you know me at all, then you know I prefer summer. I love hot (and even humid), sunny days. And I tend to feel very down in the winter months when I'm not able to go outside as often and enjoy the sunshine. The thought of the sun setting at five is beyond depressing! But days like today are awesome!

Day 6

2011-11-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for my brother John, my sister Ashley, my brother-in-law Nick, and my nephew Zack. I'm thankful I've been able to watch them grow through life's experiences and to also walk along side them through those same experiences. I'm proud of them and proud to be their sister/sister-in-law/aunt.

Day 5

2011-11-05T05:02:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for my parents. I'm thankful for the time I had with my dad here on this earth and I'm thankful for my mom. They both put up with a lot from me, but I think I turned out alright.... I think the grandchildren probably make up for it all!

Day 4

2011-11-04T06:20:00.000-07:00

I am thankful that my husband is able to do what he has been called to do. Since he has started as senior pastor here in Maysville I have seen a difference in him, for the better. He is so passionate about reaching people for Christ and has such a burden to see people grow and mature. He is faithful in studying, preparing his sermons and lessons. While being a pastor certainly isn't an easy job and there are definitely unique frustrations that come with it, he doesn't let those things get him down. There is no doubt in my mind that he is doing exactly what he's supposed to be doing at this point in life.

Horse

2011-11-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

This week in school we are learning the letter 'H'. I typically have a craft or coloring sheet of something that begins with the letter we are studying. Then I write the name of the object somewhere on the paper. This time Ethan wanted to try to write it himself. I told him what letter to write and he wrote them completely independent. I was very proud of him! And he was very proud of himself. He loves school time and always asks what we are going to do. :)

Day 3

2011-11-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for the opportunity to stay home with our children. We prayed that God would provide a way for me to stay home long before Ethan was ever born. Even though it didn't happen as quickly as I would have liked, God was faithful in answering that prayer. Every day I am thankful I get the chance to be with my boys and care for them. While I am certainly still working, I don't feel as if my time is divided as it was even just a few months ago. And our household runs so much more smoothly now! I know that I will never regret the decision we made.

Day 2

2011-11-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

You can probably guess what I'm going to say next, right? Yes, I'm thankful for my boys. I love being a mom and I'm so thankful that God has given me the privilege of raising these two beautiful boys. Watching them grow, develop, and discover the world around them makes me smile. Listening to Ethan's elaborate make believe stories make me laugh. Seeing Aaron get excited over Mickey Mouse's hot dog dance makes me appreciate the little things.

30 day Challenge

2011-11-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

This morning I saw someone post on Facebook that they were going to share one thing they are thankful for each day of November. Then I picked up a magazine and saw a 30 day gratitude challenge. So I decided to hop aboard the thankful train as well. Each day of November I will share on my blog one thing I am thankful for.

Day 1

My husband. We have been together for 76 months today. We officially started dating on July 1, 2005. He is the most wonderful husband and father and I am incredibly grateful for the way in which he cares for us, loves us, and protects us. I feel tremendously blessed that I get to spend my life with him.

Center of the Universe

2011-10-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here is another quote from Beth Moore's Breaking Free study. I am enjoying not only the material, but the opportunity to lead the women's group. I look forward to each Tuesday night's discussion and time of fellowship. This study is teaching me so much and I pray that each member of our group can say the same.

"If only we could realize that we make life so much more complicated when our approach to life is 'all about me'. Do you know why? Because the rest of the world never cooperates. No one else appears to have gotten the memo. When we see ourselves as the center of the universe, we live in constant frustration because the rest of creation refuses to revolve around us.

Life vastly simplifies and satisfaction greatly amplifies when we begin to realize our awesome roles. God is God. Frankly, it's all about Him. Thank goodness, He is the center of the universe. So how can we live with such a God-centered mentality? Freely! Because with God, it's all about us. We seek to please Him. He seeks to perfect us-and life works. Not without pain, but with purpose.

Without the Potter, clay is just dirt. 'The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being'. (Gen. 2:7)"

Breaking Free, page 162

Betrayal and Suffering Quote

2011-10-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

"I pray continually to be Christlike; then when He allows me to 'fellowship' in a few of His specific 'sufferings', I tend to whine and carry on. Christ experienced betrayal. If we're going to fellowship in His sufferings, we are also going to experience betrayal. Here's the question that draws the bottom line. Few of us will escape betrayal in one way or another, but will we choose to fellowship with Christ in the midst of it? Will we choose to trust the sovereignty of our Heavenly Father who allowed it? Betrayal can either hurt and hurt. Or hurt and help. The choice is up to us." (page 120 of Breaking Free by Beth Moore)

Money, Money, Money!

2011-10-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in my last post that I am working through Beth Moore's study Breaking Free and I read an article yesterday that fit perfectly with what I've been reading and studying. In the study, Beth Moore challenges her readers to think about the positive and negative influences of our parents and grandparents and to break free from the "sins" that have been passed down.

Please don't misunderstand....I am not in any way putting down my family or anyone else's family. If we're honest, I'm sure we all recognize traits or habits that we don't want to pass down to our children. Sin might sound like a harsh word to use, but anything that does not glorify God and goes against His commandments is a sin. While we all struggle with sin and always will this side of heaven, we don't have to be held captive by it. God can and will deliver us from our sins. It is possible to change and to experience the abundant life that God has planned for us.

Okay, I've sidetracked slightly.... Back to the article I read. I am a big fan of Dave Ramsey. Mark and I are on a mission to become debt free and we follow many of the principles he's outlined. This particular article talks about changing your family tree when it comes to finances. I believe we are called to be good stewards of the resources in which God has blessed us. Over the last couple of years I've become more and more convinced that it's wise to be as debt free as possible. And that's what I want to pass down to my children. I don't want our children to be burdened with our debt or debt of their own.

Brought to you by the letter "F"

2011-10-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

One of the things Ethan and I do each day is spend about 30-45 minutes doing "school". In addition to our calendar activities, counting activities, crafts, reading, singing and dancing, we are also learning our letters. This week we are practicing the letter "F". Ethan surprised me this morning by writing the letter "F" all by himself. This is the first letter he has written independently. It's exciting to see him excited about learning and watching him soak it all in.

Thursday's Thought

2011-10-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am leading a women's Bible study on Tuesday nights and we are working through a Beth Moore study called Breaking Free. The theme of the study is looking at things in our lives that hold us captive, causing us to not live the abundant, Spirit filled life God has planned for us. What I appreciate about Beth Moore is her ability to challenge her readers to go deeper in their relationship with Christ. She is definitely not one to provide you with only surface level material and this study is definitely no exception.

I thought I'd share a few points from what I've read recently. We are at the point in the study where we are looking at our past and recognizing the positive and negative influences of our grandparents and parents. She points out that we all have good, bad, and ugly in our family lines and whether or not we realize it we are shaped by our family history.

Most of us, including me, tend to think that those experiences, situations, beliefs, and attitudes simply are a part of our personality instead of thinking of them as things that hold us back or squeeze the abundant life out of us.

The beauty is that we don't have to be shaped or defined by the generational bonds that we inherit.

"The cross of Calvary is enough to set us free from every yoke; and His Word is enough to make liberty a practical and perpetual reality; no matter what those before us left as an 'inheritance'. But His Word must be applied to specific life needs. Too often Christians have sought Jesus as Savior but ignored Him as deliverer." (page 80)

Clean Undies for your Honey

2011-10-03T12:06:00.000-07:00

Having a daily schedule and routine is something I find beneficial for myself and our boys. While we are not slaves to a clock and have a rigid schedule, most of our days have a predictable flow. Our schedule seemed to develop naturally once we moved to Maysville and got settled into our new surroundings.

Recently, I googled "stay at home mom schedules" to see how other moms structure their days and to get a few ideas of things to add or change. I came across a very interesting article that I thought I'd share. Click here if you'd like to read it. Did you read it? Did you laugh?

There are parts of the article I agree with. Just because I am now a stay at home mom doesn't mean I don't work. My "job" now is to take care of my boys and to take care of our house. But there has to be balance. The reason I desired to stay home was to be with my boys, to teach them, to care for them, to play with them, not to clean or do laundry. Even though I strangely enjoy cleaning and doing laundry way more than the average person.

My husband is amazing and I am incredibly appreciative of his help and support. While most of the household chores and responsibilities fall to me, he does willingly help around the house. And not just during a crisis period. He also doesn't expect perfection. He doesn't care if the living room is filled with toys when he comes home from work, even after a long commute. He also doesn't care if we have sandwiches for dinner because it was too hectic to cook that day. We are both in agreement that our boys are my main concern throughout the day and that means that sometimes things aren't clean or that sometimes things just don't get done.

I guess that's what bothers me some about this article. The author doesn't share much about the time she spends with her children or activities she does with them. She briefly mentions schooling in the morning, but that's about it. Most of her focus seems to be on cleaning and organizing.

I also thought it was interesting that she lays out her husband's outfits for him, packs his lunch, and makes sure his cell phone is charged. I feel like I take care of my husband pretty well, however, he is a big boy. I don't feel the need to charge his cell phone for him or to pick out his "outfits" each day. If I did those things for him, I think I would feel more like a mother or maid rather than like his wife and partner. What do you think?

I do agree with the end that staying home is not an easy job, is a lot work, and is the best thing for our family. I absolutely love this season of my life and would not trade it for anything.

Thursday's Thought?

2011-09-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you've noticed or not, but it's been a while since I've posted a Thursday's Thought. I've actually worked on several posts, however, I haven't finished any of them so that I could post them. Looking at Mark's blog made me realize something. If you read his blog, you may have noticed that lately he has been posting shorter thoughts on different subjects. For those of you who know Mark well may appreciate that! (Love you, honey!)

He mentioned last night that he's writing shorter posts to work on brevity. While I don't think I have a problem being brief (I tend to be too brief....have you talked to me???), I do have a problem getting my thoughts together for a blog post. Most of the time I feel like I have to address every side of an issue before I can share what I'm thinking. I feel like I have to cover every "what if" that someone may have. I feel like I have to field every negative comment that may or may not come.

But it hit me last night that I don't have to do that. I cannot control what other people will think or say after they read my blog. I realize it's not read by many people nor is it all that intriguing, but there have been times in the past where I've been less than happy with comments I've heard concerning my blog.

But that's not really my problem. I shouldn't be afraid to share what I'm thinking or learning or feeling or doing. So you may see a few more personal posts in the near future.....

Trip to Cincy

2011-09-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took Aaron to Cincinnati Children's Hospital to meet with a GI specialist and discuss Aaron's tummy troubles. It was an interesting ride up there, but thankfully the visit itself was pretty routine and normal. The doctor asked us a lot of questions then gave Aaron a rectal exam, which didn't reveal anything unusual so Aaron is fine. The doc said there were no red flags raised during our conversation or during the exam to cause him to do any further testing. His suggestion was to keep giving Aaron Miralax and experiment with the dosage to find the exact measurement that works for him. And with time, Aaron should grow out of this. Hopefully, that will happen around the time we start potty training.

Thank you for the prayers. We feel much better having seen a specialist, although I'm sure Aaron could have lived without the exam part.

Go Cards!

2011-09-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

For the past three years we have taken pictures of the boys in their U of L gear the day of the big game. Taking pictures of our boys gets more and more interesting as they get older. Ethan has gone from turning away from the camera to now "posing" with weird smiles and awkward, gang-like hand positions. And Aaron? Well, he just cries and looks terrified in most pictures.

At least the Cards won! It's a pretty sweet win when you're living in the middle of cat country!

18 Months

2011-08-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today we met our new pediatrician at Aaron's 18 month check-up. We absolutely loved our pediatrician in Louisville and quite honestly, I missed him today, but our new doctor was very nice. He was very laid-back, interacted well with the boys, and I appreciated that he didn't rush through the appointment. Aaron is now up to 25 and a half pounds and stands at 32 inches tall putting him in the 50th percentile. Over the last three months he has gained 3 pounds and grown 2 inches so he is definitely heading in the right direction. After a slow start in the world, he is picking up steam and making his presence known on those growth charts!

Over the last several months we have had concerns over his stomach and digestion. He currently has to take Miralax every day in order to help things run smoothly. We make sure our house always has Miralax so we do not have to give him any more enemas! In the next couple of months we will be seeing a GI specialist in Cincinnati just to make sure that everything is okay. Please keep the little guy in your prayers!

First Haircut

2011-08-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally broke down and gave Aaron his first official haircut. While we had fun playing with his hair, spiking it up and making it look crazy, it was definitely time for a trim. Now he looks a little more like a toddler. Here he is with Daddy, who also got a haircut over the weekend!

Don't Judge Me!

2011-08-11T12:20:00.001-07:00

This afternoon I read an interesting article about Mommy Judging on http://www.msnbc.com/ that I thought I'd share. I think if we're honest, most of us would agree that we have judged other mothers at some point. And we'd probably all agree that we have felt judged at some point by other moms. Right??

The one statement that stood out to me was motherhood being described as a competition nobody meant to enter. The biggest shock to me after having Ethan was the (what felt like) constant criticism or second guessing of every decision I made. It got to the point where I felt like I had to defend everything I did or didn't do with him. I felt judged for choosing to have an epidural, for choosing not to breastfeed, for the brand of formula we chose, for making my own baby food, for the clothes/shoes he wore, for wanting to stay at home with him, and blah, blah, blah....you get the idea.

Quite honestly, I was devastated. I had just given birth to this amazing little boy that brought Mark and I so much joy and I felt that at times we couldn't just enjoy showing him off or enjoy sharing with friends and families all the highs and lows of what we were going through. Because apparently everyone knew better than we did and most didn't mind saying so. Or at least telling other people.

Now Mark and I are at the point where we don't care so much what other people think or say. We don't let it bother us as much as we used to and we've also learned to be very careful what we say or think about other people's parenting choices. Parenting is a very personal thing. You parent according to your beliefs and personality. The great thing about being human is that we are all so very different! What works for you may not work for me and vice versa.

But the one thing that most all of us parents have in common is a deep, unconditional love for our children. Most parents want the best for their children. We should work on supporting and encouraging each other through this important and sometimes overwhelming responsibility. Most of us have the same end goal in mind...to raise respectful, responsible, considerate, compassionate, trustworthy individuals. The how we do things may not be the same, but the why is universal.

*Does anyone else find it funny that I posted this the day after my blog post about parents not paying attention to their kids on the playground?? I don't feel as if I was judging those parents as much as I was venting about the whole situation. My venting was aimed at what parents seem to choose not to do rather than what they were actually doing. Which was my biggest complaint as a teacher. It seemed as if some parents chose to do absolutely nothing rather than be involved in their child's life. To me, that's not parenting. Parenting is active, not passive.

Thursday's Thought

2011-08-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Playground Etiquette

Have you been to a playground lately? If so, do you find yourself wanting to slap, wake up, or just find the parents of the children that are pushing and shoving your children?

Visiting the playground is a weekly outing for us. Thankfully, there are several parks here in Maysville and thankfully they are less crowded than those in Louisville, but there are still a few rude, inconsiderate children. I don't intend to sound mean, as if I dislike children. I enjoy kids....I was a teacher, remember? It's not the kids I have an issue with on the playground, it's the parents.

Mark and I are not ones to sit on the bench and just watch our boys play. At least not right now. Ethan is able to climb and manuever through most playground equipment, but Aaron still needs a lot of assistance so one of us is usually with him. The other is walking around, playing with Ethan and just generally looking out for him. We're not what I would consider overprotective, we just realize he's 3 and not quite as big as he thinks he is.

We have done our best to teach Ethan manners and the playground is a great place to put into practice what we've taught. We make sure he doesn't cut in line, says 'excuse me' when needed, doesn't push, punch, or kick other kids. We also make sure he throws away any of his trash.

To us, these are simple, basic instructions. I'm baffled (like that word?) at the number of parents who seem to let their kids do whatever they want. I can't tell you how many times Ethan has been pushed out of the way or knocked down. Other kids have cut in front of him while he's waited in line for something. He's been told by other kids that he's not allowed to play with them. Now I have no doubt that Ethan and Aaron (and any future children) will at times do the exact same things to each other and other kids. I don't expect them to be perfect. However, I'm just in awe of the overall lack of respect that some children are allowed to display. Parents seem to idly sit by and watch these things happen or they are nowhere to be found!

I'm not all about correcting other people's children (except in the classroom), but I have at times said things to kids when I notice them being disrespectful. I've told kids to pick up their trash and throw it away. I've asked kids to stop throwing rocks or mulch. I've also politely asked kids not to push my boys out of the way. Although I didn't say anything when one little boy pushed my husband out of the way!

My prayer is that our boys will be kind and considerate of others, but I know it's not going to just happen. I have to teach them how to be kind and considerate. (I also have to model it myself so I guess I shouldn't tell our neighbor's dog to shut up!)

Then these kids go to school, disrespect peers and teachers, don't do well on the standardized testing, and teachers are to blame. But I guess that's a different post for a different day....

Thursday's Thought

2011-07-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.-Matthew 28:19-20

Recently, I read the book Radical by David Platt. His book was mentioned in one of our Sunday School lessons a few weeks ago so I thought I'd give it a read. After reading it, I felt very convicted. You know how sometimes when you go to church and hear a sermon and you feel as if the pastor is speaking directly to you? Well, that's how I felt reading this book.

Basically, Platt's premise is that we (American Christians) have become too comfortable in our faith and to an extent we have Americanized Jesus. He argues that most of us focus more of our attention on achieving the American dream rather than sharing the gospel and making disciples of all nations which is The Great Commission in Matthew 28.

"...the gospel and the American dream are clearly and ultimately antithetical to each other. While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God." (page 46-47)

Platt includes statistics in his book about the number of those in the world who have never even heard the name of Jesus as well as statistics of those living in poverty. Here in America we seem to have a church on every corner so it's easy to forget that there are people in the world that have never heard of Jesus. We're not talking about those who have rejected Christ, rather those who have never heard of Him. Platt shares a story about a friend that was in a remote village full of people who had never heard the gospel. The people invited this man in and offered him a drink, which just happened to be a Coke. Platt's friend realized that a soft drink company in Atlanta had done a better job of getting brown sugar water to these people than the church of Jesus had done in getting the gospel to them.

Platt also reminds his readers just how financially blessed we are living in America. He doesn't deny there is poverty here in America, but most of us attending churches are much wealthier than most of the world. (If we have running water, shelter, clothes, food, and some type of transportation then we are in the top 15% of the world's people for wealth. page 114-115) I don't know about you, but I don't feel rich. Frankly, there are times I feel broke. But those times I feel that way are when I realize our family can't afford a vacation or to buy a newer, bigger car. However, our basic daily needs are met and we have luxuries that many around the world don't have. We are rich by some standards. And let's not foreget it's not ours anyway, but God's so we should be generous with what we've been given.

The only "problem" I have with the book is how much emphasis Platt places on global missions. While I wholeheartedly agree we should be globally mission minded, we also cannot neglect reaching out to our own communities. There are people right around us who are hungry, hurting, and in need. Ministering to those who are different from us often times puts us outside of our comfort zone, which I think Platt would agree is what we need to do. But we don't have to travel overseas to do this or to see the impact of poverty. Sometimes all we have to do is step outside our front door.

If you have not read the book, I highly recommend picking up a copy. If anything, it will hopefully encourage you to examine your own faith and point out any areas in which you need to grow and mature.

Update

2011-07-19T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well, we have now been in Maysville one month. While there are a few things I miss about Louisville (such as PNC Bank....don't get me started on the whole debit card fee thing), I feel as if we have lived here much longer. We have settled in very quickly and feel right at home. This is the most content I have felt in a very long time. The boys and I spend our days reading, swimming, playing at the playground, grocery shopping, wrestling, and whatever else we can get into. Thankfully, both of our boys have adjusted well to all of the changes that have happened over the last month. Ethan loves our new church and especially loves all of his new friends. We feel very blessed to be a part of Central and we are so excited to see what God has in store for our church in the coming months.

Here are a few recent pictures of the boys. Enjoy!

It's Baaaaack!

2011-07-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

Thursday's Thought

Prayer

Lately, the subject of prayer has been on my mind. It all began a couple of months ago when I kept coming across the name George Muller. It seemed his name came up in conversations or in articles I read and he sparked my interest. So I asked Mark if he had a book about Mueller and much to my surprise he did not. However, he was all too happy to order one for me. I read George Muller Delighted in God by Roger Steer. I literally could not put this book down. I took it everywhere and read every available second.

Muller was a Prussian evangelist and operated several orphanages. Doesn't seem like too big of a deal, right? He did all of his work solely on prayer. He did not take a salary from the churches he served in, rather he depended on God to meet all of his family's needs. He also operated all of his orphanages by praying for all of the needs to care for the children. He never raised a dime of the money needed to open or operate an orphanage. He prayed for the money, he prayed for staff members to help take care of the children, he prayed for food so the children could eat. And every single one of his prayers were answered. Sometimes they were answered at the last minute, but they were always answered. God took care of him, his family, and allowed him to take care of thousands of orphans simply because he prayed. He prayed in faith, believing that God would answer.

I don't know about you, but the story of his life leaves me in awe of our God and His power. It also shows me the weakness of my prayer life. Sure, I pray. But do I really pray in faith believing that God will do what He says? I'm a full fledged pessimist. Just ask anyone who knows me. I can find the dark side of any situation. Here's a real conversation that happened not long ago....

Mark: The weather was really nice day. Almost a perfect day.

Me: Yeah, but it's supposed to rain tomorrow.

Instead of focusing on the beauty of the moment, I was already focusing on the "what if" of tomorrow. How often are we like that in our prayer lives? We pray for something, but in the back of our minds we are thinking of how impossible our request seems or how trivial it may sound to God. Instead we should focus on the power of God. I mean, here is the One who created the entire world and at times I think He can't handle the details of my life.

After reading about Muller, I read A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. He also hit home the idea of bringing everything, no matter how big or small, in prayer to God. Since reading these two books I've tried to be more intentional in my prayers. I'm trying to make sure my first response to situations is to pray about it. From everything to our house selling to praying that Ethan makes it through the afternoon with dry pants! Not every prayer will be answered right away or even answered the way I want, but I have to recognize my dependence on God. That's what Muller did. After all, how many of us would be willing to give up salaries at our jobs and pray that God would provide for your needs? I don't know about you, but I've got a lot of growing to do.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.--Philippians 4:6

I'll Be Missing You

2011-06-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

In a little over a week, we will be moving out of our home here in Louisville and moving to our new home in Maysville. If I think about it too much I start to feel sad, emotional, and the tears start flowing. Instead I have tried to focus on the cleaning, organizing, and packing to keep my mind off the other sappy, sentimental stuff. Without getting too lovey-dovey, here are a few things I'm going to miss....

1) Our family. Mark and I both have always lived near family so Maysville will be the furthest away we've been. It's nice having family so close especially now that we have children and it will be difficult at times to have them almost three hours away. I try to remind myself that at least it's not half way around the country or world. There are some families that live much farther apart.

2) The parks. Louisville has so many wonderful parks. Our choices are a little limited in Mason county.

3) The zoo. We have definitely gotten our money's worth with our zoo passes over the last three years. The closest zoo to Maysville is the Cincinnati Zoo, which is a little over an hour away. Guess there won't be many quick trips to the zoo like there are now!

4) Restaurant choices. While Maysville has many more places to choose from than we originally thought, there are some places that I will miss. What's going to happen when I'm pregnant and have a overwhelming craving for an O'Charley's salad?

5) A mall. The closest mall is about an hour away in Lexington. Again, no quick trips to the mall.

6) Our house. I love our house. When I first walked into our house when we were just looking, I fell in love with it. I love the floors, the ceilings, the sunroom, and the crazy tree in the backyard has even grown on me. (Of course, if it doesn't sell soon I might be telling you how much I hate this house...)

7) The airport. No, I don't travel much, but I like hearing the sound of the planes and from where we live we can see the planes easily in the sky after they have taken off.

8) WAVE 3. I'm not kidding. Just ask Mark. I'm a very devoted WAVE 3 viewer, mostly because of the weather team. Maysville gets both the Lexington and Cincinnati's affiliates, but I yet to find one that I like. It's probably not healthy how much it bums me out that I'll no longer be watching Dawne Gee, Scott Reynolds, Kevin Harned, Briane Goode, Christie Dutton and the rest of the gang. Thank goodness for the Internet and Facebook!

9) Half Price Books and bookstores in general. Again, Lexington is the closest place for any shopping.

10) Krispy Kreme. Need I say more?

The End Is Here

2011-06-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

Even though my official resignation date is June 30, my last work day is tomorrow. While this day has been coming for a while, it's just now beginning to hit me that I'll be unemployed. As scary as it sounds to say I am unemployed, I am confident we are moving in the direction God would have us to go. I'm very excited about finally having the opportunity to stay home with my boys and I'm anxious to move to Maysville to begin our ministry full time, but I am sad to say "bye" to my teaching career. At this point, I'm not sure when I'll return to teaching and that has left me feeling emotional even over silly, simple stuff. (This is the last IEP I'll write until who knows when....sniff, sniff. This is the last math lesson I'm going to teach for a while...sniff, sniff. This is the last time I'll use my cool, new SmartBoard...sniff, sniff. As you can tell, everything has made me teary-eyed.)

This past year has been the most stressful and most challenging year yet. I've had to learn the ropes of a self-contained classroom, which at times was overwhelming and required much more time outside of school than I had anticipated. I had my first experience dealing with weapons when one of my students brought two large kitchen knives to school. I have lost count of the number of fights I've had to break up. And I also went to the funeral for one of my students, which is something I hope I never have to do again.

However, this year has also been my most favorite year of teaching. I enjoy challenges. I also enjoy change and new experiences. I feel like this year has given me a better understanding and appreciation of the education field which will help me whenever I return to teaching. I am also grateful for the support of our principal. Often times, special education teachers and students are left out. But here we are part of the school family. We have been included in field trips, special events, and the principal knows our students by name. I have felt very comfortable approaching him with concerns or questions and knew that he would listen to what I was saying. He understood the pressure his staff felt at times, and above all, treated us with courtesy and respect. Sadly, that's not how it is in some schools. Thank you, Mr. A.!

Now I turn my focus to all the changes that will be happening in the next few weeks....such as packing and moving. Anyone have any boxes? :)

Happy Birthday, Ethan!

2011-05-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that Ethan is now 3! There are days when I miss holding my chubby little baby, but I love watching him grow, develop his own personality, and I love hearing him tell me stories even if I don't understand exactly what he's saying. We can't imagine life without him.

Thank you to our family for making Ethan's birthday so special! He received so many wonderful, thoughtful gifts yesterday, including three bags of Oreos. It doesn't take much to make a boy happy....

All Boy

2011-05-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

Ethan is definitely all boy. He loves going to Papaw Dave's house to drive the tractor, the 4-wheeler, feed the horses, ride the horses, and to just be outside in general. When he came home this afternoon, he had brought a friend with him; Freddy the Frog. Freddy the Frog was nice and snug inside a Mason jar covered with a Kleenex. Unfortunately, Freddy wasn't very fond of his new home and we had to let him go in the grass where he belongs. Ethan took the lid off and let Freddy go free. As we were walking back in the house, Ethan looked over his shoulder and said "Bye, frog. I love you." I admit, I got a little teary-eyed.

Now I need to get him another darn frog....

Sunday Snapshot

2011-05-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

This is a picture I took yesterday while visiting my mom and Dave. I went up into the hayloft to take pictures of the Petie the peacock, but Ethan scared him away by throwing a small fit. Imagine if this was in color and there were a beautiful bright blue peacock on top of the hay bales....maybe I'll get Petie next time.

Ride 'Em Cowboy

2011-04-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

The boys and I spent some time at Nana and Papaw's this afternoon, which just made Ethan's day. At this point in time there is no one that can top Papaw in Ethan's book. And just when we thought Papaw couldn't get any higher on the list, he lets Ethan do this....

Yep. Ethan rode a horse by himself for the first time. (And when I say "by himself", I mean that he is sitting on the horse alone, but Papaw is leading the horse.) He looked quite natural up on ol' Karen.

Easter Photo

2011-04-28T05:47:00.000-07:00

I'm really disappointed that we were not able to get many pictures of our family on Easter. We were rushing around Sunday morning before church so we decided to try photos after church. And you can imagine how that went with two boys who were hungry and tired. One Sunday we will all have to dress in our Easter outfits again and try for one good family picture.

Until then, here is my favorite one of the boys. Yes, I know Aaron isn't looking at the camera, but I love the smile on Ethan's face. Every time I took a picture he wanted Aaron sitting in his lap. Unfortunately, Aaron was less than thrilled with his big brother's enthusiasm with the arrangement, but at least he didn't cry!

Here is a picture of Mark and the boys in front of the church. Aaron is chewing on a plastic Easter egg and Ethan looks bored out of his mind. But don't they look handsome in their green and blue?

Sunday Snapshot

2011-04-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! I hope you were able to enjoy the day with your family and friends. We spent another wonderful weekend in Maysville and were able to worship with our new church family at Central Baptist. Let me just say that we are very anxious to move and be there full time!

But on to the reason you check out the blog on a Sunday....here is a picture I took Friday afternoon of Baby Hayden. Overall, he was not happy with me taking his picture, but I still managed to get a few cute shots.

To Tithe or Not to Tithe

2011-04-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, I listen to Mornings with Brant on my short drive to work each day. One day last week he had an interesting conversation and blog post about why he does not tithe. When I first read the post, I agreed with what he was saying, but he left me hanging. I checked his blog this morning and to my surprise he had posted a FAQ concerning the topic which cleared up a few things I had been wondering.

Basically, Brant is saying we are not under the Old Testament law so we are not required to "tithe". He says, and I agree, that we are not bound by the law to give a certain percentage of our income. (If you add everything up in the Old Testament, it would equal about 30% of your income. Makes 10% look like nothing, huh?) Anyway, Brant argues that we are free to give generously because our money does not belong to us, rather it belongs to God. I agree.

However, in his first post, he did not mention giving to a local church and I wondered where he stood on that subject. Here is what he had to say in the follow-up post.....

So people should give to their churches?

Definitely. If you can! Do it, and do it cheerfully!

If I'm willingly a part of a church that decided to have a building, have a utility bill, hire people, offer programs -- heck, I think I should help pay for that. If your community has decided to take on these projects that cost money, those bills will need to be paid, and you're a part of that community, right?

Again, there's no "tithing" in the New Testament church. You can't find it. You do find people being radically generous, and meeting each other's needs.

The bottom line is we are commanded to give and to support our local churches. I believe it is between you and God to determine how much to give. It doesn't have to be 10%, but it could be. The point is to give something consistently.

Once I had a friend tell me she doesn't give to church because she doesn't agree with what is done with the money. That may be true for many people, but it's still no excuse not to give. If you are a part of that fellowship, then you should be committed to support it. (You should also be able to voice your opinions if you disagree since you are a family and have one common goal.) The lights of the building don't come on automatically. The water doesn't flow magically through the pipes. New buildings just don't appear. Gas fairies don't fill up the church van's tank each week. And if you want your pastor to be prepared to preach, teach, lead, guide, disciple, visit, and to do all of the other things you expect of him, then you need to be committed to supporting him. (1 Corinthians 9:14)

I'm not just saying this because I'm married to a pastor either. I'm also speaking in general terms about churches so please don't misunderstand me and start spreading rumors that the pastor's wife doesn't think her husband gets paid enough. My views on giving financially to the church have certainly changed since Mark and I got married since our livelihood depends on people giving, but I still struggle with giving at times and God continually has to remind me that my money is not mine.

Can you imagine the burden that would be lifted from churches if people freely, cheerfully, and consistenly gave financially? I believe there would be more freedom for the church to meet the needs of others and to share the gospel because there would be less worrying about how to take care of the church's daily/weekly/monthly financial obligations.

What are your thoughts?

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

2011-04-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have a very difficult time getting out of bed in the mornings. This has been an issue for as long as I can remember. Just ask my poor mother who tried desperately to make me a morning person. I can't tell you how many times I heard her say, "Rise and shine. Today is the first day of the rest of your life." My reponse? " Then I would like to spend the rest of my life sleeping."

My husband gets up at 4:30 every morning. While I think he's crazy, I'm slightly jealous because he gets so much accomplished before we walk out the door in the mornings. I'm usually running around packing lunches at the last minute, looking for my phone and keys, and eating breakfast in the car. Meanwhile, Mark is standing there waiting for me, having already exercised, eaten breakfast, washed dishes, read his Bible, prayed, written a sermon, washed the car, fed the hogs....

Where am I going with this? I need some advice. Look at the poll over on the side and tell me what helps you rise and shine each morning!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-04-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't forget to post yesterday, I was just out of town. Mark began his new position as the pastor of Central Baptist in Maysville so we spent the weekend there with our new church family. We had a great time fellowshipping and worshipping with everyone, which just makes us all the more ready to move. It's going to be difficult over the next several weeks to travel back and forth on weekends, but based on the boys' behavior and non-napping, Mark may be driving to Maysville alone most of the time. Even though Mark and I were both very stressed yesterday, we were very thankful that Ethan adjusted well to a new church and even a new home. When we pulled in the driveway last night, he said, "This house. No. New house."

Please say a little prayer for us as we continue in this transition.

This week's snapshot is one I took last week of Baby Abby, who was born on April 1 to Brittany and James. Meeting her makes me really hope that my sister has a girl!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-04-03T12:00:00.001-07:00

Today's snapshot is one I took of the boys yesterday afternoon. Since today was our last Sunday at Parkwood, we gave a copy of this picture to the nursery workers along with a thank you card. We are very thankful to those who have been faithful in watching and teaching our boys on Sundays and Wednesdays. Our boys were always happy to see Ms. Becky, Ms. Billie, Ms. Wanda, and Ms. Midge and I know they were in good hands! They will all be missed!

Xtreme Summer 2003

2011-03-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

Each year at Xtreme Summer Mark would give each chaperone a small group of youth to meet with each day to review the message and to discuss questions. In 2003, Mark put a young girl named Chasity and Nick and Jeremy in my small group. Let me pause to say that Nick is now my brother-in-law and a wonderful uncle to our two boys. Jeremy is now married to an incredible woman and is doing very well. I am very proud of both of them and have enjoyed watching them grow, mature, and change over the years. But they were still teenage boys at one time.

Our small group was always the first finished because no one would answer the questions. Jeremy just kept wondering why Mark put him and Nick in a group together because Mark should have known that they weren't going to do anything. (I also wondered why Mark put those two together in a group. I must have been on his bad list that year!) Anyway, I got a lot of blank stares and random laughter. So I would have them try to sneak out of the hotel room so Mark wouldn't see how early we finished our sessions. Mark was always in the lobby reading a newspaper (or checking out the desk clerk from what I remember) and my room was right across from the lobby area.

Then there was the miniature golf fiasco. Mark required that everyone play a round of miniature golf and we had to play in our small groups. Nick hated (and still hates) miniature golf so he complained the entire time about having to play. "Why do we have play mini golf? It's stupid."

Jeremy complained the whole time about being separated from his girlfriend. "I don't understand why Mark won't let us play with whoever we want. Why does he make us play with our small groups?"

And apparently Chasity had never played miniature golf because she spent more time chasing her ball down the hills than actually putting it on the green. It was the longest game of miniature golf ever.

And I'll never forget it.

Eat Fresh

2011-03-30T17:20:00.001-07:00

My all time favorite Subway moment happened at Xtreme Summer in 2007. I was standing in line next to one of our youth (who shall remain nameless) who had never been to Subway before. They asked how the whole process worked and I explained you told them what you wanted on your sandwich. Pretty straightforward process, right? Well, the sandwich artist asks this youth what they wanted on their sandwich and they respond with "everything". We pay, go to our seats, and begin eating. About halfway through, this youth starts picking everything off their sandwich, looks at me and asks, in all seriousness, "Why did they put all this stuff on my sandwich?"

Me: "Um, you told them to when you said put everything on it."

Youth: "Oh."

UK Basketball Prayer

2011-03-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

I came across this prayer on Facebook this morning and thought I'd share. I'm not posting this because I'm not a UK fan or even because I hope to see them lose. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me whether they win make it to the final game or not. I'm posting this because I find this prayer offensive as a Christian. And to be quite honest, I'm shocked that there are proclaiming Christians posting this on their Facebook page. This is a mockery of the Lord's prayer and as devastating as it might be to some UK fans, Calipari is not god so no one should be offering him any prayers. I realize some might say that this is just a harmless fun in the spirit of March Madness, but I disagree. What do you think?

Calipari who art in Kentucky , let basketball by thy game. Seven banners won, the eighth to come, in Rupp as it is Big Blue Nation. Give us this day our defensive effort and forgive us our turnovers as we forgive those who seeded against us. Lead us not into a shocking slump and deliver us from bad officiating. In the name of Rupp and Hall, and the spirit of Bill Keightley.

Go Cats!

Parkwood Countdown

2011-03-27T15:47:00.000-07:00

Next Sunday will mark our last Sunday at Parkwood. So as you can imagine, this next week is going to be busy and emotional as we begin the transition from one church to another. I admit I have teared up just about every time I've walked through the doors at church over the last several weeks. While I am very anxious and excited to begin serving and worshiping at Central Baptist, leaving Parkwood brings so many wonderful memories to the surface. For the next week, I'm going to try to share with you on this blog pictures and memories of my time at Parkwood.

First up.....

"What the hell?"

The above is a quote from me while playing a round of ping-pong with Justin Chappell as my partner. He had missed the ball yet again and I said, "What the hell?" I don't like to lose, even when playing a game of ping-pong with teenagers. Justin and a few other youth were quick to tell Mark what I had said. Justin also made it a point to repeat the story to several other parents the next morning at church, but he just told them "Tricia said what the ___________." You can fill in a lot of words in that blank! No telling what some of them thought! Regardless, my reputation as a bad chaperone was left intact.

Sunday Snapshot

2011-03-27T04:19:00.001-07:00

Today's snapshot is one I took of my sister's wedding dress. She had the ceremony and reception at Kye's in Jeffersonville, Indiana. If you're looking for a place to have a wedding and/or reception, I would recommend Kye's. Not only do they have beautiful facilities, but the staff was very friendly and helpful which made the evening go smoothly.

Sunday Snapshot

2011-03-20T10:08:00.001-07:00

Today's snapshot is brought to you by the letter "S". :)

I took this picture last May at my Aunt Angie's wedding. This was their cake topper....can you guess what letter their last name begins with?

Book Review

2011-03-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Since one of my goals this year is to read more non-fiction books, I recently read Gospel-Powered Parenting by William P. Farley. The basic premise of the book is if you want to be an effective parent then you need to be centered on the gospel. He gives five assumptions that we need to make as parents...

1) Parenting will not be easy, but the rewards will make it all worthwhile.

2) Parents are willing to hold God's sovereignty and their responsibility in tension.

3) Parents pursue their children's hearts and do not focus so much on protecting them from worldly influence because that is not the goal.

4) Parents do not assume new birth, rather they look for the symptoms of new birth.

5) Parents focus their families on God, not on their children.

Assumption number 3 really stands out to me, especially since our kids are "pastor's kids". I don't want our children to grow up and think they are okay with God because they have been in church all their lives. I also don't want them to feel as if they need to become pastors simply because their dad is a pastor. Our main goal as parents is not to protect them from the world. Will there be times we protect them from worldly influence? Absolutely. We do this already with our boys by being careful what they see/hear on the television. But will we raise them in some sort of Christian bubble? No. This is partly why I'm so adamant about not sending our kids to a Christian school. (More about that in another post...)

Our ultimate goal is to pursue their hearts because the heart is the center of our personality. Here is a quote from page 107...

"Parenting is about leadership, and example is the first principle of biblical leadership. When parents practice what they teach, God gives them moral authority in their children's eyes. All teaching in the Bible starts with example."

This is the most important aspect in raising children who will follow God. Now, God is the only one who can draw people to Himself, but he uses parents as means to accomplish His work. The author stated that he believes God blesses those parents who are striving to live a gospel centered life by allowing their children to become followers of Christ. I don't know how accurate that is and I'm not even going to begin to debate it. All I know is that I want to do what I can to teach our children about Christ, but it's not enough just to teach them, I also have to live what I'm teaching. Does this mean I'll be perfect and never make any mistakes? Uh, have you met me? Of course I'll make mistakes! We all do.

But the beauty of it all is that God has given us grace. We can go to Him for forgiveness and it's especially important for our children to see us ask for forgiveness when we have wronged them or anyone else. Gospel powered parenting is about putting the gospel into practice, not just teaching it.

The only hesitation I have with this book is his approach to discipline. The author is in favor of corporal punishment and makes a case that the Bible is also in favor of it. I do not spank my boys, nor do I have plans to spank them or any of our future children. (Mark is on the fence on this issue....he says he can go either way.) I think discipline is extremely important in parenting and the Bible does speak of discipline. (Psalm 13:24, Psalm 22:15, Psalm 23:13) After all, God also disciplines us for our disobedience. However, I believe there are many other ways to discipline without resorting to corporal punishment.

What are your thoughts?

Rodes City Run

2011-03-13T10:13:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Mark and I completed our second race, the Rodes City Run 10K. This time around I beat Mark by one second, finishing at one hour, 3 minutes, and 23 seconds. As we were getting closer to the finish line, Mark asked if I wanted to make our way to the outside of the pack to give us more room. I started to veer towards the right, but I didn't see Mark beside me. I looked to the left and noticed he had started to speed up! He was trying to make sure he crossed the finish line before me! So I sped up and made sure I crossed before he did. He said he was just trying to make it a friendly competition....

The next race is the Papa John's 10 miler. We have some work to do to get ready for those hills in Iroquois Park!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-03-13T10:09:00.001-07:00

Today's snapshot is one I took in our neighborhood on a snow day back in January. Snow is pretty and snow days are fun, but I am so thankful the weather is getting warmer! Bring on the 90's, please!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-03-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I got the chance to have my first maternity session. My sister's friend, Brittany, is expecting a baby girl in early April and she volunteered to be my guinea pig. Here is one of my favorites from our time together. Congratulations to Brittany and James! Can't wait to meet little Abigail!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-02-27T05:34:00.000-08:00

Today's snapshot is a picture I took last June at Jeremy and Jessica's wedding. One of the reasons I like this picture so much is because it wasn't posed. I was just following her to the church's front doors before the ceremony, she turned, and I snapped. Such a beautiful, photogenic girl!

Anthem 5K

2011-02-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

This morning Mark and I ran our first 5K. I finished in 30:33 and Mark finished one second before me at 30:32, which he has mentioned a few times. We are both pleased with our times since we weren't a hundred percent sure what to expect from our first race. I'd like to set a goal for the next race on March 12, but honestly, since this is all so new I'd really just like to finish without dying.

But I do think I'm hooked. I started mixing in running with my walking last March when I realized I needed to shed a few more pounds of baby weight to fit back into my clothes when maternity leave ended. When I started running I didn't think I'd stick with it very long, but the more I did it, the more I liked it. Running seems so different than most other types of exercise. I love how I feel when I finish a run and I love being able to see my progress.

I'm also very proud of Mark for training and running with me. I know he'd much rather read a book than run, but it's been awesome having a partner to help motivate and encourage me! And hopefully, we can continue to set a healthy example for our boys.

Happy Birthday and Sunday Snapshot

2011-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Today is my 32nd birthday! To me, 32 sounds kinda old, especially since I don't feel 32. And honestly, I'm very thankful to even be celebrating 32 years. Over the past year, several of my high school classmates have passed away either from cancer or tragic accidents and last August my college roommate almost lost her life after giving birth to her first son. Life can easily end for any of us on any given day. I am thankful that God continues to give me life and I am extremely grateful for my family and friends that I get to enjoy each and every day.

Thank you to Mark for taking me out last night to celebrate! We started the evening off by visiting the Water Tower and the Patriots Peace Memorial to take pictures. Yes, you read that right. We have gone out a couple of times now to take pictures of the various places in our city. Then we had dinner at Cheddar's and topped off the night with dessert at The Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen. Most of my dessert is in the f

ridge right now.....be right back!

Thank you, Mark, for the night out and the very thoughtful gifts!

And here is your Sunday Snapshot....here is the Patriots Peace Memorial. I admit that I am quite proud of how this photo turned out.

Sick and Tired

2011-02-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

It seems that our family has had more sickness this winter than any other year. Thankfully, we haven't had any major illnesses, just a lot of snotty noses, coughing, and fevers. I've been feeling under the weather this week yet again and last night Aaron had a very difficult time sleeping due to his fever and congestion. And if I were to give out the daddy of the year award, it would go to Mark. While I was knocked out with Nyquil coursing through my veins, he got up every couple of hours to tend to Aaron.

I decided to take a sick day today to stay home with the little guy and take him to the doctor. His fever was up to 103, which surprised me. (We need a new thermometer...any suggestions on brands/types?) The flu test came back negative so that was a praise. Dr. K said it's just one of those nasty viruses that are going around. After getting another dose of children's Advil, Aaron has been sleeping peacefully since we got home. (As I type this, that means he's been asleep for nearly three hours!)

So what have Ethan and I been up to today? Well, we have been enjoying this weather by playing in the backyard! We cannot wait for summer!

And if you need a smile today, here are a few cute things Ethan has said lately....

Earlier this week we were talking about moving to a new house. Ethan says it's because "daddy broke house. big hole." Thanks a lot, Mark, for breaking our house!

This morning Ethan came to sit on my lap while I was on the computer. I told him I was paying bills. He told me to "pay Y". Luckily, our Y membership comes out automatically. :)

Sunday Snapshot

2011-02-13T18:38:00.001-08:00

Today's snapshot is a picture of a flower I took while on our vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I love how you can see the drops of water on the petal.

FYI: While visiting Maysville today, we got a call from our realtor telling us that a couple wanted to see our house. Our realtor said the showing went well and the couple had nothing negative to say about what they saw. He also said they would let us know something by next weekend. Please continue to pray for the sale of our home. It would be completely crazy if our house sold within a week of being on the market, but it's definitely within the realm of possibility with God since nothing is impossible with God.

Sunday Snapshot

2011-02-06T10:33:00.000-08:00

This week's Snapshot is one of Aaron, taken in his first birthday onesie. He was intently studying his hairbrush...

For Sale

2011-02-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

When I pulled into the driveway yesterday afternoon, I was greeted by a For Sale sign cozily sitting in our front yard that looks very similar to the one below. I burst into tears. I knew the sign was going to be there sometime this weekend. What I didn't know was that I would have such a strong reaction to seeing the sign. (I wonder if the neighbors saw me curled up in the fetal position under the sign, crying hysterically?)

I surprised myself with all the tears. I'm not sure why though since I'm a crier anyway. I can cry over anything at the drop of a hat. Even while I sit here and type this I can make myself cry over something. Wanna see?

Okay, maybe later.

I think I started to cry simply because there are a lot of things I'm going to miss. I love our little house and cherish all the memories we have created while living here. I love living so close to our family and being able to see them on a regular basis. It's really starting to sink in that life is going to be very different in a few months. But that's not a bad thing. I'm excited to begin our ministry in Maysville, to get to know the people, and to see how God is going to work. I'm excited about staying home with my boys and one day expanding our family. I keep reminding myself that we are simply continuing our journey and that at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter where we live. And quite honestly, one day I know I'll be crying like a baby whenever the time comes for us to leave our home in Maysville. (If you want to know a secret....I cried a few tears when we moved out of our apartment back in 2007 and we only lived there for three months!)

Please continue to pray for the sale of our house. I've been asked two questions recently:

"What are you going to do if it sells before the end of the school year?"

"What are you going to do if it never sells?"

I don't know. The second question is harder to answer (and think about) than the first. As difficult as it may be, we'll just have to trust that it will sell at exactly the right time.

Sunday Snapshot

2011-01-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

Before I post today's picture, let me ask you something....have you ever had one of those days/weeks where everything bothered you, no matter how big or small, where you were so stressed out about anything and everything you felt like you could snap at any moment?

No? Me either.

Anyway, today's picture is one I took last Sunday for a couple that Mark and I met back in college. They now have three children, two boys and a 3 month old baby girl. Isn't she adorable?