Sunrise over Blossom View



"Our creator would never have made such lovely days, and given us the deep hearts to enjoy them,

 above and beyond all thought, unless we were meant to be immortal."

(Nathaniel Hawthorne)



"In growing fields of corn
The lily and the thorn.
The pleasant and the forlorn,
All declare God is there."
(Elder HIbard)

Earth's crammed with heaven.
And every common bush afire with God.
And only he who sees takes off his shoes.

(Elizabeht Barrett Browing)



Have a great Saturday and may you see God today!



Snow Day...


"The best way to prepare for the next season of life...

is to relish the one we are living in right now." (Carol Kuykendall)

Happy Snow Day....







little moments

"Because this is how you spend your one life well. Recieving each MOMENT for what it is.

Holy.

Ordinary.

Amazing Grace.

A Gift."

-Ann Voskamp-

Hope sleeping by the fire after a napless afternoon...

at rest as the world scurries around her

A snow day slowing our pace of life

Daddy reading by the fire in the evenings has become the highlight of our days this winter

Safe in Daddy's Arms...

Moses intently listening as Daddy reads "Little House in the Big Woods". The kids are captivated by the stories and we are taken back to a different era, a different way of life.

Sisters sharing a love of reading

Capturing Silas immersed in "reading" a book

little moments. everyday life. thank you God for so many gifts....

For the love of crafts...

The kids and I made these fun masks on a snow day from a kit they got for Christmas....

My kids love crafts and ask to do them all the time. I used to love crafts, art and being creative as a little girl as well and my mom would often do crafts with us. As a mom I now see craft time a bit differently than as a child and have an appreciation for my mom doing crafts with four children. Because in our house craft time goes a bit like this:

First I get everything out while the children gather around me eagerly asking over and over when we are going to do the craft. By the time everything is out my patience is already waning. Then I try to help four kids at once do their craft...gluing, painting, cutting, more gluing ...not an easy feat. Then two out of the four lose interest (usually the younger two) and while I am helping the crafters the other two are making a mess in another room. Then while I am helping the mess makers the other two still doing a craft pronounce they are done and I am left with another mess. Oh for the joy of crafts!

Thank you Mom for doing crafts with me as a girl and for still doing them with my kids. It is a true gift...

savor.

This little girl has been taking LONG naps in the afternoons and then is not ready for bed when the other kids are. So two nights this week she had some one on one time with Mommy & Daddy while everyone else was sleeping....and she LOVED it.

At first I can get frustrated. We purposely put our kids to bed early (they are tired anyways from being in school) so that Mark and I can have time to talk & connect. But I could not stay mad for long because she was being hilarious and so cute.

I am really trying to enjoy this stage of life...I know I say that all the time but when you have those crazy days you need to remind yourself to enjoy the season because it will not always be this way. Just last night Mark & I were talking about if Hope was our last child then this would be the last time we would experience this age. I really love this age and all the new things they learn all the time. It made me want to stop and savor...

"Long ago you came to me, a miracle of firsts:

First smiles and teeth and baby steps, a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away and leave to me your past,

And I will be left thinking of a lifetime of your lasts....

The last time you when you ran to me, still small enough to hold

The last time that you said you'd marry me when you grew old.

Precious, simple moments and bright flashes from your past--

Would I have held on longer if I'd know they were your last?"

excerpts from Karen Kingsbury's book Let me Hold You Longer

I REALLY want to get this and live this way more...enjoying each stage and savoring those moments when everyone is running around the kitchen while I am trying to make dinner, laughing at the toys scattered all over because they are having fun, being grateful when doing the dishes because I have a house full of hungry children....I could go on and on.

Perspective. Perspective. Perspective.

Redeemed

Yesterday was not one of my better mothering days. The kids had off school for Martin Luther King day and I spent a majority of the day irritable and distracted. It was not how I had planned for the day to work out... When I finally had a few moments to myself in the shower last evening I realized that days when I am focused on myself and my agenda and my plans are the days I am most irritated and short with the kids. Ouch. I was lamenting to Mark later on and he suggested that maybe the Lord would give me tomorrow to redeem my day.

Well tomorrow is here and I marvel at how He has been faithful to redeem yesterday's mistakes. The kids had off school today AGAIN this time because of snow and freezing rain. And it feels like as I have made little choices to focus on them the day has gone more smoothly.

I am on the computer now but it feels like there is grace for it where yesterday when I wanted to be on there was absolutely no grace. (think screaming toddler and fighting siblings) As I lay down my agenda for the day somehow I am still able to get everything done just without the irritability that it is not done when I want... which makes for a better mom and happier kids. And even if I do not get "everything" done ...its really okay.

Seems so simple...right? :)

I thank God for second chances and the fact that His mercies are new EVERY morning!

All right my time is up...back to the kids and the dishes and the laundry and playing legos with Moses.

Have a great Tuesday!

An everyday HERO

Moses came home from school yesterday all excited, "Mom, you have to shave my head because tommorow is hero day at school and I'm going to dress like Daddy!" My heart was stirred. That night at dinner he announced this to Mark who was extremely blessed. When asked why Daddy was his hero he said, "Because you do things with me."
So today he was off on the bus with his Phillies hat on backwards, Mark's business name tag clipped to my shirt which was way too big but he wore it because it is about Jesus and Mark has the same one, and a vest to top off the outfit. Due to lack of time and Mama's tiredness we did not shave his head but he was okay with that.

Here he is so excited to dress like Daddy. I am so blessed by his heart.

Perspective...

If I focus on the fact that we have had at least one person sick each day for the last four weeks....I can get a little discouraged, which is where I was at times yesterday as Moses and Sarah were both home sick again from school.


But I don't think I am to focus on that. And when I turn my focus on God's perspective I am able to see things differently.

I can see how His grace has carried us through. I can thank Him that these sicknesses have been just little nuisances and nothing major. I can see how we have rested more in the last couple of weeks. I think the kids collectively have taken more naps in the last few weeks than they did in the last 6 months. I can see Him giving me more patience (at least a little more).... ! :)

Perspective really does change things. How often am I focusing on the wrong thing?

God help me see things through your eyes today! I need more of your perspective!

"My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours."

-God (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Have a great Wednesday!

snow ball fun

snow day...

Saturday was a snowy day spent playing outside, pulling Hope in the sled, sitting by the fire reading, making bead bracelets with Sarah, and watching home videos. It was very relaxing. Sometimes I have trouble just being okay with having no agenda and just being at rest. I am learning that we need days like that and this weekend was just one of those times. Moses was sick over the weekend and is home sick from school today. Yes, I am over sickness in our house. I do not remember ever having a winter like this. Yet it slows me down which I think can be a good thing...forces me to take time to read by the fire, sit down and watch a video with the kids, or play a game of Guess Who.


"And if something ws there to be enjoyed, you always included me..."

source unknown

The kids love when Daddy plays with them outside and he loves it too. He is great at making every day things fun. I love that about him.

This girl loves the snow! She played outside as long as the rest of them. She loves her hand me down pink boots from Sarah and wants to wear them even when it is not snowing. What a hoot!

Hope loves being pulled around by her big brother Moses whom she affectionately just calls "Brother". Moses started calling himself that saying, "Here Hope let brother help you" and now it has stuck. It is cool to see the special relationship these two have.

"Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest..."

-Jesus

my little loves...

So in the beginning of December we participated in a fundraiser Hannah Siegrist was doing called "Little Loves". We just got the pictures this week and I was pleased with how they turned out, especially the ones of Sarah. I was surprised because honestly it was not one of our better moments. We had just come back from a weekend away and it was Monday morning and everyone seemed a bit out of sorts so I give credit to Hannah for capturing some good shots of my little loves because honestly I wasn't feeling much love by the time we left the studio! :)
If you want to learn more about Hannah check out her blog: http://www.cuzapicturepaints1000words.blogspot.com.

Enjoy the pictures...