Baby Steps!

Up the hill....

Again and Again....

On a bike too small.....

FINALLY.....

She did it!

On her own.....without a lesson....she took off....

She was so proud of herself.

She ran in and got me and Daddy and brought us out and made us watch as she rode her little sisters bike without training wheels!

Way to Go!  So proud!

Her learning to ride is like she does everything else.  In her own timing.  Cautiously.  Carefully.

She goes tearing down the hill and then realizes what she is doing and stops.....just to make sure she can.  I can see her wanting to let go and fly and yet trying to hang on and make sure she won't be hurt.

Itty Bitty Baby Steps......You Go Girl!

I love watching you grow!

Stones of Remembrance

One thing I have REALLY wanted to do for the last year is setup something tangible to show to my kids as part of our families story of how the Lord works in our lives.  Then I read Joshua 4 where Joshua sets up 12 stones taken from the Jordan and goes on to instruct the Israelites that when future generations ask "What do these stones mean?" to tell them........

So these are our families stones of remembrance.....

1.  A calendar on February 10......this is the day our precious baby Matthew was stillborn and it is also the day my sweet Twinkies were born 5 years later.  I want my children to KNOW that God cares about them....personally.  I want them to KNOW that he cares about the specific details of their lives and that he WILL allow pain......and he DOES allow suffering......but there is BEAUTY from the ashes.

2.  A small plastic croc....this will remind us of the day the Lord provided in the most unusual and fun way.  Jackson "needed" a new pair of crocs.  We went online to search for coupons and found out about a grand opening of a croc store.  We went.....we were "randomly" (not) chosen.....and got to run around the store grabbing shoes for 2 minutes.....Jackson ended up with 2 pairs of Crocs....and so did Lydia and Audrey......and Mommy and Sophie ended up with 3 pairs each.....and Andrew ended up with a pair.....and well poor sweet Daddy....didn't get any....but that is another story!  I want my children to KNOW that God WILL provide.....and sometimes in the most unusual ways.....

3.  A  check....again the Lord provided....on time....Randy has been out of work for 6 months.  It has been difficult.  HOWEVER.....It has been AMAZING to see the Lords provision.  It was 2 days before Christmas.  I checked our online banking and freaked out!  I had a bill scheduled to go out that I thought was scheduled for AFTER Christmas.  It was totally my mistake!  It was on oversight!  It was our largest bill.  I was short $150.  I tried to change the date.....I couldn't without 24 hour notice.  I tried to call the bank to get them to change it......they couldn't without 24 hour notice.....I tried to call my in-laws....because when Randy lost his job and cashed out his retirement we put the money in their bank account so that we wouldn't dwindle it away and would have to really think before we used it......and they were out of town visiting Bob's mom and we couldn't get in touch with them to access the money.....SO...I had a sick feeling.....I prayed and washed my hands of it and chalked it up as a lesson learned......THEN....the phone rang and a friend wanted to drop by and had a gift and when we opened it.....it was a check....and it was money to cover the bill AND then some!  WOW!  So obviously I rushed to the bank......and deposited the check......and the bill was paid.......and from this I want my children to KNOW......God is ALWAYS on time!  He has a plan.  He will provide.....and it is in HIS TIMING...which is perfect.  We will NOT be forsaken.

4.  A small paper bag and a gift card and a match box car.  I can't tell you how often I have left church LOADED in paper bags.  Oh thank you!  This Wednesday night 3 different people brought stuff for my family.  One single mom brought 2 big paper bags FILLED with clothes for my oldest.  Nice clothes.  Needed clothes.  Another mom brought 2 plastic bags LOADED with clothes for Jackson.....from Gymboree!  Mostly church pants.....his closet is filled!  Another sweet family brought games and toys from their playroom.  Bounty!  My kids have already thoroughly enjoyed those!  I am ashamed that I would ever worry....when God has proven SO FAITHFUL!  He LAVISHES blessings on us. When Randy lost his job we also lost our second car....he had a company car.  Our neighbors had just gotten a new car and GAVE us their old car.  Yes GAVE!   I can't tell you how often we would get a gift card.....or a gift.....or hand-me-downs....or invited to go to dinner or the beach......or a check.......or even a car!  It truly has been humbling.  God is so good and so often God's hands are people.  We are his body.  Flesh and Blood left to meet the needs of those around us in the sweet name of Jesus!  I am STUNNED with the way he has provided for us.  I want my kids to KNOW that God USES PEOPLE TO CARRY OUT HIS PLAN.  I want them (and me) to be sensitive to what the Lord leads them (us) to do and how he wants to use them (us).

So Joshua 4:4-8a says, "So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan.  Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you.  In the future, when your children ask you, What do these stones mean?  tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.  When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan were cut off.  These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.  So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them."

Yes it may look a bit strange.....but I want my children to KNOW.....

Update on My CrAzY Life!

Well.....The beach was fun.....and life was waiting when we got back!

Monday-was school and Odyssey and Sophie Basketball Practice, and Andrew Guitar.....

Tuesday-was school and Andrew Basketball Practice and Grandma to the doctor and Lydia Dance....

Wednesday-was school and errands and Andrew Basketball Game and Church.....

Thursday-was Co-op and Audrey Dance.....

Friday-was Grocery shopping, and paperwork for my daycare, and school and House Cleaning and Laundry and a brief visit with my parents, and Andrew Away Basketball Game......

Today was Jackson Pictures, Jackson Practice, Jackson Game, Sophie Pictures, Sophie Game, Andrew Game, Drop Andrew and Sophie off for sleepovers........and I've done NOTHING and Saturday is quickly coming to an end......

I didn't finish cleaning, I didn't make the hair bows I wanted to make for Sophie's basketball team, I didn't visit (or even call to check on) one of my friends who is recovering, I didn't make stew I was wanting to put in the freezer, I haven't planned school for next week.  I haven't planned my week or my menu or my co-op lessons.......I haven't taken pictures.....I haven't bathed the dog.....I haven't cleaned out my car......I haven't gone to Goodwill......I haven't called about 10 friends that I'm sure think I have dropped off the face of the planet......I haven't done so much......

I haven't blogged.....but now I am.......

My forever list!

I did hug my kids and kiss them and cook for them and cheer for them and take a 30 minute power nap........

So much done.....so much undone.......So much to do......

It was a week.....and it is going, going, gone.....

I'm REALLY excited about this coming week......
Cause guess what???????

RANDY HAS AN INTERVIEW ON WEDNESDAY AT 9:00 am......SO PLEASE PRAY!!!!!!!  WE ARE SOOOOO HOPEFUL!  PRAY, PRAY, PRAY :)

I guess that is it for now.....I must whip up a gourmet dinner of left over mac and cheese, frozen chicken nuggets, and fresh apple slices for my kids :)  then baths, a movie, and bedtime!  I may get something done tonight....the biggies are away so I can do an early bedtime for the littles and hopefully get ready for next week.....

Here are my measly pictures from the week:  This is the schoolroom at the end of the day.....

Now it's ready again for tomorrow!

I did take pictures of Jackson's team....

So sweet!

Can't believe the weekend is almost over!

Kim

You're Invited!

One of things I am most excited about this year is a new start to pondering.  Last year Shay led a group of "ponders" through some GREAT scriptures.  It was so neat to see how God would allow me to learn so much each week and how personal and applicable the passages always were.  So I thought it would be the same this year.

However Shay decided to mix it up a bit!  This year we are going to ponder the book of Ephesians.  Sometimes we will read one verse sometimes more and then we think about it and ponder on it. He will post his thoughts on it each Friday. Sometimes other ponders that blog will also post on it.  This year he is also personally working on becoming a better prayer and going to share that process with us as well by posting on Wednesday's.  I am so excited....Why?

1.  Because Shay and Linda (his wife) are some of my most favorite people on earth.  This is his brain child so I obviously want to participate.  Why?  Cause they are awesome and real and legit.....you can read more about them here:

A Rabbi, Sweet Linda, and The Lesson

I'm of the opinion you become like the people you hang around....so I like to hang around them.

2.  Because Shay and Linda and Christy (their daughter) had what could have very well been a fatal accident over Christmas.  You can read the details on their daughter Christy's blog.  It seems to have had a huge impact, understandably, on them and I think what the Lord is going to do through them as a result is going to be a blessing to those around and so again....I want to hang around for the journey.

The Scooter Accident

and click here if you want to see the beginnings of how God is using this in Shay's life:
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
and part two
Lessons Part 2

3.Because I grew so much in my understanding of scriptures last year.  When I slowed down to ponder and didn't just try to get it done the Lord REALLY was able to reveal things to me personally.  I truly believe time in God's word is the best spent time.  It is not wasted....it is an investment.....in yourself....that will benefit so many around you!  My kids often tell me how mean I am and I assure they are right....can you even imagine if I didn't spend time in the word?  I would be even more of a nightmare!

4.  Because I need a plan or I'm just random.  The structure of having a weekly plan helps me.  Otherwise I'm all over the place.  I'm too ADHD.

5.  It's easy.  You don't have to pay.  You don't have to find a babysitter.  You don't have to show up at a certain time.  Yet it does have a community element in the postings and the comments and the commonality of sharing the study of scripture together. 

So that my dear friends is my best sales pitch....and Why would I try to sell this?  BECAUSE it is sooooo good!  I promise you will not be disappointed.

So you can see a more detailed plan....when we start......and how to follow along.....by clicking on the link below:
Pondering and Praying in 2012

Whew that was a bunch of links.....anyway......You're Invited!

Love,
Kim

Guess what I did this weekend????

Guess Where Randy and I Spent the Weekend.....

Yes!

We were invited by some of our buddies from church to go to the beach for the weekend!

They said they wanted us to join them as their Christmas present to us!!!!!

How SWEET!

Thank you Denny and Debra....You guys RoCk!

We rode the SkyWheel!

Look-No Hands!

The ride was amazing!

Fabulous View!

We spent all day Saturday window shopping at Barefoot Landing....

We found a candy store!

WOW!

We posed at lots of cut outs!

Sherri and Chris are looking good!

We saw lots of funny T-shirts....

and searched for the perfect hat....

I think we may have found it!

We fed the fish

well....we tried to feed the fish....we actually fed the birds....

We couldn't claim false advertisement....

The birds came right up to Debra.....

Not sure what Chris is doing.....some kind of bird dance????

We laughed sooooooooooooo much!

We ate....

and ate....

This is us at our favorite seafood joint......Olive Garden!

and

We ate some more!

We prayed

We talked.....

We continued to pose at random cut-outs.....

Denny wowed us with his magic tricks....

We planked....

We enjoyed our friends!

We needed a weekend away from our crazy house....

Love my crew....but whew.....they are full of energy....

We walked on the boardwalk and enjoyed the perfect weather.....

We RELAXED!

So nice!

Huge Thank You to Denny and Debra for their amazing generosity

AND

Mama and Daddy for taking over managing my crazy life for the weekend.....

They took great care of my 5 kids including getting them to one basketball practice, three basketball games, one Odyssey meeting, making sure some school work got done on Friday AND had them all in church this morning.  Came home to a happy, bathed bunch of kids.  Ya'll are the best!

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU GUYS!

A Real Mask

I was talking to a friend today and I mentioned how much I liked a mutual friend.  I was thinking about why I liked her so much and finally decided I liked her because she was real.  One of my biggest pet peeves is fake people.  I am so drawn to real......and then I thought of this quote from one of my all time favorite books: The Velveteen Rabbit.....

“What is REAL?" asked the Velveteen Rabbit one day... "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When [someone] loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.

"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand... once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always.”  

I just love that quote.  While it is not absolute truth....I do think it has some truth to it.  I do think real is beautiful.  I do think real is rare.  I do think real takes time. 
I want to be real.  I want to be genuine.  I think there is something deeply beautiful about being real.  One of my favorite gifts that I got for Christmas is a Bible commentary on the book on 1 John subtitled Be Real.  I am so excited about reading it.  One of my goals this year is to become more real. 

Why is realness so appealing and on the flip side....why is hypocrisy so appalling. I think when people risk transparency....and don't feign perfection.....it gives me not only a sense of relief....that I'm not the only messed up, weak, struggling person out there...but also it also gives me a door, an opening, a window into the persons life.  It gives an opportunity to know and to be known.  It offers hope.  It showcases the work of Christ.  Where I am weak he is strong!  Hypocrisy is appalling to me because first and foremost I think it is most likely the biggest turn off to non Christians and their number one excuse to not want to visit church or know Christ.  Hypocrisy is the antithesis of authenticity.  Hypocrisy is pretending.....being fraudulent.......and guess what.....I tend to want to put on my mask.  I tend to want to please.  I tend to want to hide....because while I love the vulnerability of realness in others.....it scares me in myself.  It exposes me.  It opens me up.  When you are real....you risk judgement.  You risk rejection.  You risk disappointment. Yet I strive to deliberately peel off the mask.   I want to be real....because I love real.  I am one hot mess......I want my mask....and I want to be real!  Whew....a work in progress!

New Year....New Plans!

Happy 2012!

I'm excited about this year.  It is hopefully going to be a year with lots of new and exciting adventures in our little corner....

We rang in the New Year Family Style....

A Little Dancing, Lots of Movies, Some Cards, Homemade Brunswick Stew, Store Bought Brownies..

Good Times!

Here's a Little of what I am excited about:

The hope of Randy finding a new job!

We are also excited about a BIG new adventure for THE BOY....

He will be starting highschool in the fall....and we are thinking now that we will be sending him to school. 

We think this will be a good transition for him to make before college. 

He is excited....and so are we!

I am also excited to announce that I am opening a home daycare. I have openings for 2 children.  This is something I have thought about doing off and on over the years but with my children being so young....I felt like I was already running one!  Now that they are older and we are in a groove I feel the time is right! 

I am REALLY excited about this opportunity....so if you know anyone looking or are looking for yourself you can email me at momto5@nc.rr.com and I can answer any questions you may have or get you some additional information!

A new year is alwasys very exciting for me!  New adventures are always so appealing!  Looking forward to 2012!

Happy New Year!

Kim