Thank you for laundry

Thank you Lord for laundry - piles of dirty laundry, piles of clean laundry, laundry scattered throughout the house - where there is laundry there is life and little adventures that get clothes dirty.

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Proverbs 14:4

Day 6

Today I am thankful for

1.) our wood stove!

2.) the way Evie pumps her arm when she runs.

3.) jasmine green tea and beet root sugar - yum!

Day 5

I am thankful for

1.) a hubby who can cut wood

2.) the ability to play music for kiddos nap

3.) the return of our vocal, blustery, fall wind.

Day 4

Today I am thankful

1.) that I have had the ability and privilege to breastfeed all of our babies for so long, such a blessing.

2.) for my cozy sweatshirt and actually needing it today!

3.) for my fantastic spider killing husband.

Day 3

Missed my thankful yesterday -

1.) the sweet soothing sound of a steady rain during nap.

2.) the brave people exposing PP

3.) Breathe essential oil! My kiddos received relief and the ability to sleep.

Day 2

Today I am thankful

1.) that my husband has a job, and that even though it's hard I am able to stay home with our children.

2.) that although our parental rights are often in danger they are not gone - I still have the freedom to homeschool my children and vaccinate them as I see best.

3.) for baby raspberries.

Day 1

The sermon this weekend was about reaping what you sow and being conscious about the little things you sow - which then become big things later in life.  We were challenged to pick a few things we needed to be conscious about sowing and practice them daily for the next 52 days.  I want to be more grateful - and y'all can help me be accountable.  I hope to post 3 things I'm thankful for daily (or at least the days I'm on FB).

1. I am thankful I am not a Syrian refugee.

2. I am thankful my children are whole and well.

3. I am thankful there are cows in my backyard.

Oh what a privilege

I don't always feel this way - sometimes I am too tired or distracted to see the bigger picture.  But then, God gives me a glimpse of what exactly it is that I do day in and day out - and I feel so privileged and under qualified all at the same time.

Day in and day out I have the privilege and responsibility of shaping my children's hearts and minds, nourishing their bodies and souls.  Interpreting the world and events around them into language and imagery they will understand.  Limiting exposure to harmful inputs and lifting them up is the constant theme of my days.  Realizing that this tiny hand belongs to an infinitely valuable heart and an eternal soul, that holding her hand impacts her for eternity.  I am humbled and awed at the trust God placed in me when he made me a mommy.  And I desire to daily fall at His feet begging for grace, wisdom and strength I do not possess on my own to complete this all important task.

Jesus, draw me to yourself, draw me deeper and show me your unending favor so that I might show my children what it means to passionately pursue you and find all our worth and strength in your unmerited favor.

Breakfast discoveries

Yesterday Evie discover toe jams - during breakfast - and they were so distracting!

Today she decided apples should be eaten like oranges.

I love this girl! She cracks me up and keeps me on my toes!

Pulling Up!

She just a few days shy of 6 months and crawling really well - and pulling up like a champ! Not cruising yet, but super proud of what she does!

Evie is 2!!!

IOh y'all, two years I've been blessed to be this little girl's Momma.  Evelyn Hope - my Evie Bear- has stretched me as a momma, challenged me and won me over heart and soul. My adventurous, loud, strong, sweet, sticky, 'hold me', growing up in a hurry, rough and tumble, loving big sister, passionate little girl - I cannot imagine my life without you. Here's Evie's first two years in 25 pictures....

Thankful in the middle...

As I sit here with a slightly aching back and head from a full day of managing our home, keeping the peace, training and feeding our babies and feeling like I didn't quite get it all right, I become more aware of the small body in my arms.  This completely trusting, dependent and beautiful child the Lord has entrusted to us.  I am amazed at how a brand new eternal soul is here against me - how much God loves and trusts me to give me such influence over this little one's life.

Thankful seems too small a word for the emotions that realization brings.  But thankful is the only word I have.  I am so thankful for the lives of each of our children, I can no longer imagine my life without them and my heart quails at the thought of losing one of them.  

I am so thankful for chubby cheeks, dimpled hands and dreamy smiles.  I am so thankful for the perfect weight, tiny diapered bottom and sleepy head resting in my arms.  I am so thankful for dark eylashes, downy soft hair and a tiny nose.  So thankful that in spite of my sin, shortcomings and fears, God has blessed us again with a new life and promised that He will provide.  He will provide grace when my patience has run dry, He will provide peace when direction is unclear, and above all He will call their hearts when my life is an imperfect example.

Thankful just isn't a big enough word tonight for the security that we are not alone in the parenting journey.  That we serve a God who knows the future and holds our babes in His hands.  That I don't have to rely on my strength alone to raise and bring my children to salvation.

But thankful is the only word I have.  So in the middle - when I can't see how the story ends - I content myself with a heart full of thanks.

Ya Wanna Sandwich?

I love seeing Eb and Evie's imaginations developing in their play!  Today they were pretending the fan was the counter of their sandwich stand (or restaurant?).  They would take turns coming to the counter and the one making the sandwich would say 'Do ya wanna sandwich?' A quick yes please, some pretend slapping sandwiches together and the happy customer would walk away munching air!  So fun!

Catching Kitty's Tail...

To Infinity, and beyond!!!

Treasured interruption

Laying in bed trying to go to sleep - bump bump kick... No it's not Chris, it's Little Peep!  I am especially savoring this interruption tonight.  I really just started feeling Little Peep move on a regular basis this last week (18 weeks), so feeling her roll around is still a new thrill.  So that's one reason to savor the moment.  I also love feeling my tiny ones move because it is reassuring to me that all is well.  Finally, we have had several close friends and family members lose their tiny ones early in pregnancy the last few months - these loses have been heavy on my heart and a reminder that it is only God's grace, not any might or merit of my own, that sustains this new life I get to carry.  I can't think of a better reason to be kept awake than an active tiny person rolling around in my belly!

Lies I Believe

We all believe lies, some have more impact than others, some we know are lies, some we don't recognize, but that doesn't make them any less damaging.  Sometimes the ones we don't recognize are the worst.  They disguise themselves as noble and good, or necessary even, they are able to entrench themselves so deeply in our psyche to go against them seems like a betrayal of our self.

What do you do when one of these lies is revealed to you? Do you try to pretend like you don't see it because change is too hard?  Do you make another lie to excuse the first? Or do you tackle it head on?  I like to think I would face it head on but that can be a lot harder than it sounds, especially with well constructed lies that have wormed their way into daily life - like the one I just discovered.

"I'll do it (play with kiddos, bible study, read that awesome book, exercise, blog, sew, call/email friends, cook freezer meals, make homemade health care products, etc.) as soon as I'm caught up."

Doesn't seem like much does it? But it has undermined so much in my daily life! It has pulled me from my kids and from time I could be investing in their lives, it has taken my eyes off the Lord and focused them on futility, it has generated unnecessary stress and guilt over what has been done and what was neglected in the process.  Even when I do take time to play with my kiddos, the pressure of unfinished tasks distracts me from fully enjoying and focusing on them.  The to-do list keeps me from doing things that in my mind are high priorities, but don't come out in my actions.

The truth is the ever present to-do list will never be finished.  There will always be dishes, laundry and sticky floors.  There will always be a project needing done in the house or yard.  It is held out in front of many Moms as a dangling carrot of distraction by Satan.  A promise that doing these things, presenting a good front, will make others like me more, will fulfill me, will make me a better Mom.  

The truth is my babies are only this age for a fleeting moment.  Eb will only ask me to play with him so many times in his life.  Evie will only want 'up' a little while longer.  I will only be able to rock and sing them to sleep for a few precious years.

So I declare this lie, and I am going to do my best to renounce it every day it rears it's deceptive little head by acting on my priorities.  By playing with the babies first, by exercising before vacuuming, by putting people before projects and y putting the Lord above all.   

Said by Eb

All of us were snuggling in bed and Eb gasses quite obviously,

Me: Eb, did you toot?
Eb: Pause - No, it was Dolly.




After a long day, coming home from Grandma's house,

Me: You know Grandma is a good Grandma?
Eb: Yep.
Me: Deborah is a good Aunt too.
Eb: Yep, and your a good Mommy.
(I turn into a puddle.)

Our Month in Pictures - March 2014

Hanging out outside on the first nice day in ages!

Look out world - I can pull up!

Using the school desk Granddaddy brought up!

Cruising and making lots of noise!

Catching a ride!

A toof!

Who needs a trampoline?

Eb's new doll that looks like Evie 

Mmmm Butter!

Precious snuggles while rocking to sleep...

Swimming!

Mmmm Grandma's amber necklace is tasty!