Year in Review-2014

When writing a year in review, I normally go through a list of activities that our family has participated in. I might mention our family vacation to Disney world, Lily starting ballet, Valerie and Daphne doing gymnastics, Valerie learning to ride her bike, Jason starting a new job, my adventure in  tutoring essentials at Classical Conversations, our new foster children, Lily getting a hermit crab or many other fun events. However, I realize that those are really just events. Yes, they were a part of our journey and made things fun. However, our year was much more than that. Each year is a new chance to follow the Lord in the way that He wants to direct our lives.

Each year, I feel that God gives me a word to focus on.This year, the word was peace. After a turbulent year in 2013, this year really did start out so peaceful. It was a time when our house felt quiet and relaxing. Jason and I got to spend so much time focusing on each other. God gives us periods of rest to keep us strengthened for the journey ahead. Eventually, God started to stir our hearts and it lead us back into foster care where we got to love on two babies and have an impact on their lives. It also lead me to take on more work with Classical Conversations. Soon life felt less restful, but we still had that great feeling of peace. It was just a beautiful year of purposefully seeking the Lord and what He would want us doing. As the year finishes up, I am getting some much needed rest again and yet God is stirring so much excitement for the next year. I don't know the word that God has for this next year, but maybe it is "anticipation", "joyful", or "grace". I think God has exciting things for us this year and He will give us the grace to accomplish it all and the joy to really take it one step at a time and just enjoy what He is doing. 

To my daughters:You are Princesses!

A reminder to my daughters: You are princesses. There are many people who will tell you differently. Don't believe them!

You are a daughter to the King of Kings. Nobody can take that heritage away from you. When you gave your hearts to Him, you became princesses. There will be people that say that you are unworthy of that title or not good enough. They don't understand that you didn't have to deserve this title. Even a princess can fall down, but the King (her father) will always help her back up. You aren't a princess by your own works, but simply because your father is the King. A princess isn't perfect, but she is loved and adored. You will be blessed with riches beyond measure even though you will sometimes lose hold of those things and not be able to see them.

Some day you will marry a prince. How do I know that? Because I am praying that over you daily. You will choose a spouse who is a son of the King. There is nothing else that matters more than that one thing! Will you live happily ever after? Yes!!! Because you will choose to live happily ever after. It is a choice. You will choose to love your husband and guard that relationship so that you can live happily ever after. Now there will be dragons that try to attack your castle and maybe even an evil step-mother. However, Your Kingly Father and Prince of a husband will be by your side to fight those dangers off. Never believe the lies those enemies will tell you. Trust the King always and He will direct your path. For those that don't marry a prince: God can still use you in that place. It will be a harder path, but the King can still use you for the good of the kingdom.

Now there are responsibilities that come with the title of princess. A princess is not a spoiled girl who just sits around in luxury bossing people around. A good leader, as a princess is, will be kind and generous. She will serve the King's people. She will tell the people about the King's goodness and love for them. She will welcome people into her home and bless them. A princess will constantly think of ways to love on others. She knows that a true happily ever after will only come through serving God first and His people second.

All the people who see the princesses good works will love her. Yes, there will be some that don't, but she will still love and pray for them. She will not be easily offended, but instead will continue to believe that they also can live in the beauty of God's light! They will see God through Her. She is representing the King so she needs to try her best to be like Him!

Remember that Happily Ever After is truly an eternity spent with the King in heaven. Salvation is the most important thing for your life. Even if the road on earth is hard (think of Paul or Job), you are headed toward something far bigger and better than you can even imagine.

Lessons to be learned from Disney Princesses:
Cinderella-Be always willing to clean and keep a good castle so it is welcoming to any guest
Sleeping Beauty-enjoy God's creation by dancing through the forest
Belle-love knowledge
Ariel- Never lose your voice and stand up for what you want
Tangled-Let your hair down and enjoy life with the ones you love
Frozen-Don't try to be perfect and love your family
Snow White-Love others and serve even the littlest of men! :)

What my 4 year old doesn't know!

As I glanced in the backseat of my mini van, I saw the chubby little cheeks of my three year old daughter. She was happily telling me how she is now a big girl. She was telling me that she use to not be able to touch the window from her car seat and she couldn't buckle and unbuckle her car seat. Then she proudly told me all the things that she can do now that she is almost 4 years old. 

As much as I love watching my girls grow up, I looked back at her and I thought to myself, "She doesn't know!"

She doesn't know..... that I still see that little baby that she use to be and I always will see her that way because I know what God was asking of me when he gave her to me. He was asking me to always love her and give her patience just as she needed as a newborn. 

She doesn't know.....that I watch others moms post on Facebook and all of the amazing mom ideas on Pinterest and I am not intimidated. I don't feel guilt over not being perfect. Instead I am challenged to be the best mom ever and try to do the impossible. I want to follow the examples of other great moms. 

She doesn't know....that I feel like a terrible cook and like I don't want to waste my time cooking. Yet, I set schedules and make plans to become the next gourmet mom (like my friend Shawna who is perfect at all things domestic!). I want to teach my little girl how to cook healthy, beautiful meals so I need to learn first! Sometimes, we even learn together! 

She doesn't know....that I read books and spend hours after she goes to bed planning how to do even better the next day. I want to teach her things and be prepared for those teenage years and how to get her into the college that she will someday want to go to. Who knew there was so much homework in the job of being a mom??!!

She doesn't know...that I give her the silly part of me that very few people really get to see. I don't know why I struggle to fully just cut loose, but often my to do list is so long that I forget to just be silly. However, a three year old knows just the way to bring out that silly side of me! And I want to laugh with her! She is funny! 

She doesn't know.... that I wanted to give her sisters so that she would have forever friends. And that I daydream about the future with my son-in-laws and lots of cousins all playing together. 

She doesn't know.... that I read a book on the five love languages and that we each have different ones. Each day I make sure that I have done everything possible to make sure that I didn't just give love, but that she felt that love the way she needed to feel and experience it. 

The truth is that someday she will know! She will know all of these things because we will have shared a million or more moments together making memories and she will know because I will talk to her about everything under the sun. I will share my hopes and dreams with her and she will share hers with me. I will share my passion for God and the way I live life with her and I will connect with her whenever she wants. I want to give her relationship. I want her to know that I take pleasure in being around her and watching her life develop. I want her to see that I  find worth in her and that I will give time, money, and effort to that relationship because it is precious to my heart!  

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I love holidays! I love studying where the holiday came from. However, I also love the simple adventures and memories that can be made out of each special day. People are drawn to fantasy books. We like fiction. It is fun to dream of far off worlds and crazy stories that could never happen. I have always loved that. When I was a child, I even use to day dream about ants and would name the different trees that they lived at. Imagining what they might be up to each day. Really that is how each Disney movie has been made: someone's imagination! 

On Saturday morning, my girls woke up to a poem. I think a little leprechaun was reminding them to try to trap him! 

Lily loves a challenge!! She made this trap with her friend, Boston! They made it so that he would fall into a tunnel and land inside with no way out! 

Lily wanted to make sure that the Leprechaun wouldn't be angry so she decorated inside the trap so he would have things to do overnight! Isn't she thoughtful! 

Valerie, Bristol, and Daphne made their trap with little doll house stairs that led him in and then he would get stuck inside!

On Sunday morning, the leprechaun left them a game of sorts. He asked them questions and the whole family enjoyed spending time talking and laughing over these! I love family building activities!

On Monday, we had to wake Lily up because the other girls were excited to see if they had trapped the leprechaun. Unfortunately, we didn't! He was too clever for us. He did leave us with a sweet note and then clues!!!! We got to start our morning with a treasure hunt! 

The clues took us all over the house. The leprechuan was in our bathroom. He drove our car. He even took a nap in the bunk bed above Daphne's bed! Wow! It was so much fun! 

I would show you the treasure they found, but the girls want to show their friends themselves! I guess we will have to try to trap that leprechaun again next year! :) 

Another year...a new adventure!

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-- A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.…" Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

For a year and a half, we had the joy and honor of having our sweet, strong nephews join our home. God opened the doors for that time period and also closed the doors when it was time for the boys to go back to living with their biological family. We learned so much during that season of our life. Some things were very hard and other things were very easy. Loving those boys was the easiest part!

As we move on with this year (2014), we got to see God do something great in our hearts. Yes, change can hurt and we miss the little things that had become a part of our every day lives. It is especially hard for Daphne. She was less than two years old when this process started and she misses the boys in a special way. She only knew life with them constantly in her life. I love her little heart! We all miss them! As I was saying though, God holds us in his hands when we hurt. If we listen carefully, He will lead us where we need to go next! God has started to give us new excitement over future plans that He has for us. God is constantly wanting to use us and always has a mission and purpose for our lives. I am always reminded of the great commission: 

Matthew 28:16-20: 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

All the plans God has for us, can be brought back to that. Is what I am doing bringing others to Christ? Am I helping to disciple others? I am so grateful for a God who is with us always and is directing our path! 

Some of the fun parts of this new year have included: a new more relaxed schedule (life with three kids is shockingly easy), time with family..both our sweet little family of five and the extended family, time at Disney World and Cocoa Beach, and Jason and I celebrating our 10 year anniversary in Florida...right where we had started our honeymoon 10 years earlier! :)

The picture above is my sweet little sister who will some day be President of the United States of America!!! She is amazing! I am so proud of her and I hope that my girls watch her example and emulate her determination, hard work and drive for success!

The picture below is all about joy! I am so thankful that I get to spend each little moment with these amazing daughters that God has blessed me with. I love getting to pray at the dinner table with them, do school work with them each day, sing song in the car at the top of our lungs, and laugh over all the silly things we each do. Life is a gift!

Below was the first day of our vacation: We really needed this vacation. We needed time to connect together and just have fun! This trip had been planned for over a year and I know that God knew that this would be the perfect timing for this trip!

Disney World rocks!!! Such an amazing trip! Also this was the start of a new tradition: we went on vacation with my side of the family. We had thought about it for years and my mom once went with us on our California vacation, but this was the first time being able to get all of us organized and on the same vacation schedule. It was so great. Jason and Jordan were able to be buds and hang out the whole time. Lily and Dylan were able to play and be goofy together! Then we were all able to relax at our rental house together and watch the Olympics! We are blessed with family that we love to be with!

Some other blessings: My sister, Becca, is a party animal. She was able to get me to loosen up and go boogie boarding, she was able to encourage all of us to follow a schedule and make it on almost every ride at Disney World, Jordan and Dylan were such big helps with their little nieces and helped carry them around and make them laugh and my parents were a huge blessing and let Jason and I go on a Valentine's date alone without the kids! 

Last part of this post, Jason and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. I am so blessed to be married to my best friend, a man of integrity, a great father to our children, and most importantly the spiritual leader of our home. He has my heart and I love to follow him wherever he wants to go on this journey of life! I think we make a pretty good team! And with God as our father, I know that our marriage will only get stronger and the best is yet to come! 

Almost a new year

It is almost 2013 so I thought I would give an update on our family!

Lily who is 7 1/2 got lots of horses for Christmas. She also got a new American girl doll. I love to see how she is changing with age. A year ago, she had no interest in dolls, but now she loves the story lines that she can create with the dolls. She also loves all of the Just Dance games on the Wii and our new karaoke machine. Lily has been busy for the past few months learning how to sing properly. We have loved watching her perform. Next we are going back to practicing our violin.

Eli is almost 6 1/2...about another month. He loves the new camera he got for Christmas. He also loves drawing and building things. He really has an artistic side. He did singing lessons with Lily also over the last two months and that really helped him with his shy personality. December was a big month for him. He learned how to tie his shoes and started reading much better. We are thinking about doing swim lessons soon. He really wants to learn how to ride his bike and swim this year.

Valerie is about to turn 5 years old in just 5 more weeks! She is getting big. She loves her dolls. She always has. She is my most girly and delicate child. However, her humor is all her Daddies...need I say more! "Burp!" She just did ballet and loved it. She was still very shy on stage and not the most graceful, but she loved it! She also wants to learn to ride her bike and swim this year.

Caleb is 3years old and has fallen in love with singing and dancing. I would not have guessed that a few months ago. Now he is the first to ask to dance or do karaoke. He is still the most boyish though and loves balls and cars. He goes to preschool now and loves it. He is getting so social as long as nobody takes anything from him. Then he needs a little break. Oh and he loves his naps.

Daphne is 2 1/2 now and such a ball of energy and way too clever for her own good. The other day we told her she could bring her blankie with us on a car ride. She came to me with it and a big grin. She said, "I just bring my blankie." I look at the blankie and there is light shining through. She has hidden my ipod in it so that she could also take that on the trip. Daphne loves singing every song and nursery rhyme. She loves counting until she gets to those tricky teen numbers and mixes them all up. It is cute.

As for Jason and I, Jason is still the manager of Oxifresh, but he also started a new job at Office Concepts. He does printer and computer repair there. He is also still doing college classes so he is super busy. We are proud of all of his hard work for our family. I am doing good. Mostly exhausted with five kids, but I love it! I love homeschooling even though I feel very exhausted this year with so many learning needs to meet. I am also tutoring every Monday at CC. This year, my goal is to find extra ways to bring in money and get us a new bigger house. A girl can dream!!!!

Homeschooling...our recent challenges

I have spent the last three years telling people how easy and fun homeschooling is. I enjoy encouraging people and I also completely believe this. However, the last three months of school have changed my perspective a little. I think I am getting to see that there are challenges in everyone's homes and I only was able to see the perspective of homeschooling through my individual circumstances.

Up until this year, I only had Lily to homeschool. Lily learns very quickly and loves everything about learning and showing off. Yes, she has her moments like any child, but overall she makes homeschooling a very easy experience. This year has changed us. This year I added in homeschooling Valerie. She is much more challenging as she shuts down when she doesn't get things easily. She wants to do well, but everything has to be just perfect for her to feel able to do her work. It has been very frustrating. Also kindergarten is the most hands on year for my lesson plans so I spend a lot of time on her projects with her. Also Lily is now doing third and fourth grade work. She needs a little extra help with understanding new topics. We were working on diagramming sentences and knowing all of our parts of speech this week. We are also working on measurements and multiplication. Don't even get me started on all of our writing projects.

Another new challenge has been having five kids this year. Having two little ones around while we homeschool keeps me very busy. I am constantly cleaning up after someones mess and trying to keep them entertained with little projects while I hop back and forth from Lily and Valerie's work. Then Eli gets home from public school and I have to do homework with him so really I am educating all through out the whole day!!!

Yet another challenge is all of the appointments that come with five kids. We have speech for Val and Caleb, dance for Val, voice lessons for Lily and Eli, and there are always doctor and dentist appointments.

Then may I mention that we started really learning the classical model for education this year. It does make things easier in some ways, but really, I am still not use to changing my lesson plans and using less of a curriculum approach. So really, I feel like we are constantly playing catch up and trying to learn our material. It is a challenge for me as I am not use to memorizing or thinking this hard. lol We also have presentations each Monday that take time to plan and work on.

So after saying all of this, I want to encourage my friends that God knows the circumstances that we are each in and we are so blessed to have our children near us. Sometimes I worry too much about falling behind and not teaching enough, but really my goal for my children is for them to love the Lord with their whole heart. I know that if they have that and they watch Godly examples that everything else will come out of that. God will bless their lives. Relax more and enjoy these moments! I am so thankful to spend each day growing closer with my children. I think now that I will go lay out a blanket in the back yard and read a great book to my kids. Learning should be a beautiful process and not all work!