and then there was GRACE...

All I could see were the dirty sticky floors, the mold in the bathroom, the cobwebs in the corners. Everywhere I looked...flaws, flaws, flaws. My external surroundings seemed to be mirroring what was going on inside. I felt stuck and out of control. Tears and more tears. I should be thankful and grateful. I have a good life. But some days I feel stuck on the negatives. 

The kids hung a rope across the driveway. Sarah wanted to have a yard sale. Dad suggested making a sign. Why don't you spell out grace. Each of you write a letter and we will hang it. Come on Mommy you can help. 

So that is what we did. I do not look so happy standing in the driveway in my pajamas holding my letter A and still feeling I should be in the kitchen cleaning up the mess from breakfast. Always something to clean up.

I helped to hang the letters across the driveway to spell out GRACE. I stood back to look at the sign hung by clothes pins on a rope between two trees. Suddenly I was surrounded by all my children hugging my legs. And it hit me. This was GRACE. I am so abundantly blessed. I am loved. I love my family. I have so much to be thankful for.

I just stood there and cried. 

"Are you happy Mommy?" Sarah asked. 

Yes....yes I am.

 "In every moment I want to escape, some hidden gift hides, if I will wait patiently and dare to live fully into that moment." ~ann voskamp~

sweet summertime.

"In order to be utterly happy the only thing necessary is to refrain from comparing this moment with other moments in the past, which I often did not fully enjoy because I was comparing them with other moments of the future." ~Andre Gide~

Oh this quote... So true. I have been loving this summer and trying to savor the moments. It is by far the busiest summer. Five kids keeps me hopping. But we are having fun...most of the time! :)

here are a few pictures, mostly from my phone, capturing moments from our summer days.

dog days of summer

a week of soccer camp for the boys!

beautiful girl cousins celebrating one of many summer birthdays :)

and this is how we beat the heat 

Eden partying it up at cousin Abby's fifth birthday

two weeks of swim lessons. completed.

swim lesson buddies

another date night with my man...two in one week. so blessed.

date morning with sarah to central market and the pottery works. 

my little artist at work.

good morning sunshine. almost three months old already.

an afternoon date with silas to mcdonald's, target and the doctor's for kindergarten day!
he is growing up!

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” ― Henry James

sweet perspective.

"Sometimes all we really need is a fresh perspective on our circumstances. We need someone to open a window and let a breeze blow into the room that we didn't realize had gotten so stuffy." ~Nancy Wilson

Perspective is a funny thing. Sometimes when you are too close it is hard to see. After a couple busy weeks of summer and some hot days in a farmhouse with no air conditioning I felt like I was losing perspective. Fast. That is when my sister offered to take the kids for two days for what she called "Aunt Liz Camp". The kids were ecstatic and Mark and I were pretty excited too. We decided to take a little road trip to West Chester area for the evening to visit the Terrain and Anthropologie stores and day dream a bit. We then ate dinner at a nearby restaurant Mark had sold stone to a year ago. It was fun night and so good to get a break. I felt like I could see life and mothering with new eyes when I picked up my little ones the next day. I really do love my kids! And I love spending time with this guy too! ;)

Miss Sarah is Seven

So my little girl is seven. Hard to believe it was seven years ago on a hot July day that I became a mother to my first daughter. I love her so much. It has been a great seven years. Sarah keeps me on my toes and daily challenges me to become a better mother!

For her seventh birthday she wanted a sleepover...an American Girl sleepover. So that is just what we did with her two favorite girl cousins Kaycee and Zion and her good friend Keziah. We had such a good time! 

Happy Birthday Miss Sarah! We love you!

twinsies

after the sleepover...looking a bit tired

matching American Girls and their dolls

me and my side kick...

photos courtesy of the talented Laura Burkholder

 Miss Eden is 10 weeks old today. She is my constant side kick. She loves to be held and snuggled. Which is awesome except when it is 90 something in the house and I am trying to cook dinner, wipe a hiney,  and break up a fight all at the same time!  But anyways...Eden is my sweetie and she is getting easier every day. In the last two weeks she has started to give us smiles and coos and I love it.

Happy Monday!

beach 2012...

Here are some snapshots of our beach vacation to Ocean City New Jersey! Thanks everyone for a great week!