Random Love

My Uncle Zane sent the kiddos a halloween box with candy - Gummy Body Parts & Gummy Bugs, stickers, glow in the dark teeth, slap bracelets - it was great! They were so excited. Here are a few pictures of them going through their new stash. Thank you, Uncle Zane!

The girls before going to school on Halloween

Ross up on the roof cleaning the chimney. We feel more and more official every day :-)

Mason with his crew on Halloween night (Noel, Isaiah, Mason and Ella)

Crazy Hair Day (as if you needed an explanation)

I thought I'd include a picture of Ross right before we dropped him off to go hunting. Doesn't he look like he belongs in the woods? We dropped him off about 4 miles from home in the foothills of the mountains and he said he was going to "hunt his way home". Pray he gets us some meat for the winter!

November - A good time to remember to be thankful

November 1. Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is fast approaching. It is time to start thinking about being thankful. Thankful for what? Thankful for whom? Thinking about why I don't spend more time being thankful :-)

Can you think of 28 things you are thankful? (28 days till Thanksgiving)? I realize that I am:

thankful that I can run
thankful I have a warm bed
thankful for Mason's teachers
thankful for our neighbors who take my girls to school in the morning
thankful I am able to ride my bike to school in the morning when the car isn't here
thankful I have a bike
thankful I have a car
thankful Mason has a little buddy to play with that just lives across the street
thankful for the year we overlapped with our good friends here in Lakeside, even if they are moving next week
thankful we are all healthy
thankful I have friends to cheer me up when I'm sad
thankful Ross got home safely and in good health from Nepal and India
thankful Ross had the opportunity to travel to Nepal and India
thankful for my girls who went to school today with "crazy" hair
thankful for club 3:16 (an evangelistic after school club at the elementary school)
thankful for grandparents who love Selah, Kiera and Mason
thankful that I still have all my grandparents still alive
thankful that my brother may be thousands of miles away, but he is still close to my heart
thankful for the perspective that Ross gives me when I'm having a tough time
thankful for God's provision - constantly
thankful for the blessing of friends and family who support us through notes, gifts, encouraging words, cookies, mustard, candles and gifts
thankful that my good friend just got married (about a year after she had given up all hope of marriage)
thankful for Eliza in our lives (our nanny from DTS is now back for 9 months!)
thankful for Debbie, a wonderful mentor and friend
thankful for John and Sam Hudson - founders of 100 Fold, friends of the Lackeys
thankful I have a momma who thinks I can do anything
thankful for Selah, Kiera and Mason
thankful I'm married to an awesome man

May I be this thankful each day. May gratitude and thanksgiving be part of your day.

October Wrap-Up

YWAM had a "Harvest Party" on Friday night with a cake walk, costume contest, pie cook-off and lots of goodies! The kids had a great time, they ate more candy and cupcakes than I could keep track of and ran around with their friends all dressed up. Kiera wore a clown costume that I wore as a little girl (I think my mom even made it), Selah was a black cat and her tail was also mine when I was little and dressed up like a cat. Mason was a snuggly truck-attacking elephant. Here is a picture of Kiera (the clown) and some of her friends.

(left to right) Allie, Kiera, Asher, Isa, Kristal

Ella (age 3) and Selah, both dressed up like black cats

Selah and Kiera 

Mason, Selah and Kiera

One night before bed, the kids got the crazies and started putting underwear on their head and pjs all over themselves and then danced around the house, it was VERY funny (if only I wasn't trying to get them to settle down and go to sleep :-)

Ross was asked to speak at a Thursday Night Community Meeting here at YWAM. The topic was "The Kingdom of God" - no pressure :-) They asked 3 people to each share on what the Kingdom of God looks like to them - it was really interesting to hear the very different ways/things that each one spoke (about) and yet, each one had a central theme of Jesus and Love. Perfect. Ross did great! He is a born presenter, speaker... and he is passionate about this topic, so he thought it was really fun. I was nervous just watching, but he enjoyed it.

Kiera helping stack wood. She loves to help and is a really good, strong worker. I like having her by my side,

Pumpkin carving day. The girls getting out the insides of the pumpkin. Mason just annoying them by riding his bike through the pumpkin goop each chance he got.

Selah's pumpkin

Ross carving (Eden, Mason, Selah and Kiera watching). He asked them to draw the face they wanted him to carve. Selah ended up drawing the faces for each of them, so they all looked the same. Ross made Kiera's mouth bigger and then just changed Mason's completely to be happy!

Kiera's pumpkin (Funny Story: We walked outside to leave for school one day after the pumpkin had been outside  for a few days and we noticed that a big bite had been taken out of the pumpkin's face. The next day, the pumpkin was completely gone! You guessed it! Those pesky deer! Kiera was SO SAD!)

Mason's "happy" pumpkin

This Morning

Hello! After 3 month break from posting blogs I thought it was time to get back into the groove :-)

It has been a busy couple of months - I'll do some catch up postings - but in general: we moved, kids started school, had some wonderful visitors, took a trip to Calgary and Banff, Ross has traveled to Israel, I've been working consistently in 100 Fold, Selah started hip-hop and Kiera started ballet.

This morning I thought I'd write about this morning. I have been getting up earlier in the morning so that I can have a few minutes of quiet time to read, shower, plan day... before the kiddos get up. I find that this sets the tone for my whole day and helps me to be more loving and patient towards the kids. Normally the kids get up at 7, so I get up at 6:30. Great idea, right? Wrong... It worked for a few mornings, but now they get up with me. They sit at the kitchen table with me and ask me what I'm reading, what I'm doing, what I'm writing. They tell me they are hungry, they fight, they complain that they are tired (even though they are the ones who got up so early :-) This morning I was smart and I set my alarm for 6:15. I'll get up even earlier today, I thought. But guess what? They both got up at 6:15 this morning, also - so today, I stayed in bed. I prayed, I planned my day, I snuggled with my husband. I just couldn't start my day that early with fighting, whining and questions.

Once I did get up it was a internal fight to keep a good attitude and remember that I am thankful for my 3 wonderful blessings. I took a picture to show you what was going on at our house before 7:00am.

It actually was great - Selah was teaching Kiera how to make scrambled eggs, Mason was stirring the oatmeal and I was getting lunches ready. No one was fighting (at least not when the picture was taken), everyone was contributing and all I had to do was stay calm.

Now, with everyone at school, I'm taking those much needed few minutes to myself. Mason and I leave for the preschool field trip in 5 minutes and I'm so excited to spend the day with he and his classmates. Thank you God, for a few minutes of alone time each day - even if it didn't look like what I wanted, at the VERY beginning of the day. God is teaching me to be more flexible, to not be so set on my expectations. It is a good lesson, but a hard lesson.

Florida

Visiting Nana and Grandpa in Florida was one of the highlights of the trip. I loved being in my childhood home and the kiddos loved that there is a "big pool" and a "little pool" (a spa) in the backyard. They swam at least once if not 3 times a day. Check them out in their new googles from Nana and Grandpa. While we were there, we also spent a day at Disney (a few pictures below) and celebrated my daddy's (Grandpa) birthday.

Momma and Selah on the Aladdin ride

Grandpa and Mason on the Aladdin ride

Kiera, Mason, Selah and Grammy (their great-grandmother)

Mason and Selah swimming together

Nana with her girls, on the boat ride back to our car after a long, fun day at Disney

Grandpa and his boy on the boat ride back to the car

Last picture of the day before going home - we were all pretty worn out by then

Charlotte

We got to visit my brother, sister-in-law and their two children, as well as my cousins and grandparents in Charlotte. Here are a few pictures from the time together.

Releasing a lantern with Grandpa

Aunt Ana curled Kiera's hair

Aunt Ana curled Selah's hair. Selah with her cousin, Mallory.

Driving to the beach - the girls in the middle row

Driving to the beach - the boys in the back row

Birmingham

We had a wonderful very full visit to Birmingham in June. We spent one week there, and then returned at the end of the trip for a few more days. Ross wasn't able to be with us for the whole trip, but he was at the first Birmingham visit and then to Charlotte to see my family. Here are a few pictures from the visit. I think most pictures must be on Ross' phone, but here are some of the ones that I had.

Selah with her cousin, Payton, meeting her for the first time. Payton was such a chill, happy baby - all my kiddos loved her immediately!

Proud Uncle Ross with his baby brother's, Carter, first child.

Visiting my dear friend, Amy. My 3, her 3 out of 4, and one visiting friend :-) (Kiera, Addi, Karis, Mason, Selah, Lily, Emerald. Missing: Amalie)

Kiera and Addi

Karis and Mason

Selah and one of her favorite friends, Lily

At Homewood Park. Mason pointing out fish to "little Selah"

Selah and her friend, Natalie

Sisters

Lane, Ross, Don and Helena (good friends who have cheered us along from leaving Birmingham the first time till now.

My friend, Channing, with her daughter, "little Selah", with myself and "big Selah".

What makes you smile that that? Waffle House!!!

A day at my friend's pool. And yes, there were a few children who were missing from the picture. It was crazy, but so fun!

Another one of those perfect days

Yesterday, Ross and I went for a run with the kids. Normally, he pushes the double stroller and I push the single stroller. Well, yesterday was different. Ross pushed the double stroller, I pushed no stroller and Selah rode her bike. It was so fun! There is a wide path close to our house that we ran/rode on and at one point we were all in a line across the path - Selah on bike, Lane, Ross with stroller. Then, the best part... Kiera and Mason started cheering, "Go, Momma, Go!", "Go, Selah, Go!", "Go, Daddy, Go!". I wanted that moment to last. It seemed like my kids liked each other, they were encouraging and cheering for one another - Selah was saying, "Thank you" and grinning ear-to-ear. Those are the moments to hold onto when the fighting and name calling seems to be gaining hold of the day.

The other precious part was when Kiera and Mason got out of the stroller to run (they were so excited to have their turn). Selah rode her bike next to Kiera running and now it was Selah's turn to cheer. And she did! "Go, Kiera, Go!", "Kiera, you are doing a great job running!" and for Mason, "Mason, you are so fast!". Yes, this is what I value. I value time with my family outside. I value being active with my husband and kids and giving them the gift of loving the outdoors, being active, spotting animals, catching butterflies, encouraging each other, laughing because the day is so wonderful that there is no other suitable response. Yes, that is what I value.

Prayer Requests - 7/14/13

Prayer Requests - 7/14/13

Before any requests, I would like to update a few things - We are getting a house on the YWAM Campus - house #20 :-) We aren't sure of our move-in date yet, probably around mid-August. We are so, so excited to be close to work, school, the lake, our community! Thank you to everyone who prayed for this. It has happened faster than I thought it would (I was expecting October) - so this is a huge blessing and a wonderful surprise!

Also, our trip to Birmingham, Charlotte and Tampa was wonderful. The kids did great, travel was relatively painless, only one ear infection, but no other sicknesses. Super tired kids, but they had a good attitude most of the time. Thank you for your prayers for this also.

Request -
A church home. We have been "church shopping" for want of a better title since we arrived here. I feel like we've been to every church in town that has been recommended and a few that we've just seen while driving by. I long for a church home where we can have consistency in our worship, teaching and fellowship.

One of those days

This morning was one of those days. One of those times I never want to forget. My brother, Stephen, and I were at the beach with our 5 children. His daughter, Mallory, and son, Cruz, and my 3 children, Selah, Kiera and Mason. All 7 of us spent a few hours at the beach this morning – digging holes, searching for shells, jumping waves, swimming and most importantly, laughing. For a good chunk of time all 7 of us were in the water jumping waves and splashing and laughing and there was nothing else in the world. There wasn’t thinking about needing to pack up and leave in a few hours, not thinking about my grandmother in the hospital with a broken back, not thinking about the family I wished were there with us (Nana, Grandpa, Ross and Ana), not thinking about the fact that I hadn’t shaved my legs or if my stomach was sticking out or that my hair looked crazy in the wind. The only thing I could think of was the feeling of contentment and joy. The peaceful, beautiful smiles on the children’s faces. The way Kiera said to me, Mom, isn’t this fun?, I replied with a grin on my face, “Yes, sweetheart, this is the most fun!” I played with my kids today and I enjoyed it. Thank you, Lord, for softening my heart. For allowing me to go on vacation with my children and enjoy them. To not have to think about all the “things I need to do”,  to not think about what’s for dinner or laundry or phone calls, but instead to just simply be present with my kids. What a gift. I long for my days like today and I wonder what simple changes I could make in my day-to-day once I get back home to capture this feeling – to play with my children and not be plagued with a to do list. Possibly a simpler dinner? Less commitments? Looking to God for my fulfillment and value instead of what I get done? Enjoying time with my children instead of seeking friends to fill holes of loneliness that only God is meant to fill?

Selah in the sand

Zoning out after a morning of swimming

burying Mason

The crew burying Selah

Uncle Stephen, Selah, Kiera

Mallory

Cruz