LJ is loving that MC is walking so well...the funny thing about this is AC used to to rely on B to push her around on a similiar toy at this age
Hey, Mommy!
These girls are so precious...love them to no end!
11/12/11
11/11/11
11/10/11
11 years ago today T and I were busy with wedding rehearsal events and getting ready for our wedding the following day.
I knew T was "my one" within 15 minutes of our first date and I can remember telling my roommate "I've met my husband," when I got home that night.
I love that God gave us 4 years to figure out how to be a couple before we were parents...He certainly knew we needed it. They were sweet, sweet years and we learned so much and grew up alot.
I can remember our first disagreement as a married couple...it was over the proper storage of ketchup once it was opened....in the pantry or the fridge...a quick call to my parents confirmed what I already knew...the fridge, of course.
We really learned to look toward each other in those years. I learned the solution to a disagreement wasn't, "I'm going home," but that my home was now with T.
When God gave us the gift of a baby, we were both excited and terrified. When that pregnancy resulted in an ectopic pregnancy, which resulted in me coming very close to death because my tube ruptured and I had internal bleeding for days, we faced the first of many obstacles.
After having AC and B
Our first days as parents weren't easy... both babies in the NICU + 2 unexperienced parents= lots of tears and a hormonal momma screaming at a nurse who dared to give her baby a bottle when she was trying to breastfeed. Luckily, T loves me despite my quirks and had learned how to deal with them.
AC and B's 4th bithday party
The past 11 years have been filled with so many blessings, including struggles that I now consider blessings because we had to trust and depend on each other to get through them.
playing dress up
AC's Fancy Nancy 5th birthday party...T and B were the butlers
Us with the baby girls
I remember a friend asking me how the married life was about a year after our wedding and saying, "It's the best thing ever. I didn't know it would be so fun."
After 11 years, I love that I still feel that way.
11/8/11
A Heart for Giving
So, last week I posted about Katie and I am still blown away. I read through parts with AC and B because I wanted them to see how someone so young can make a huge impact when they are willing to follow God's plan. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that at times, so I'm sure their 7 year old brains do too.
T and I have been brainstorming about additional ways to teach our children the importance of giving. This came up again over the weekend while we were at the mall. AC and B asked for every little thing they saw. They were fine when we said no, but I was shocked by how much they wanted. After a stern talk, that included reminders of the children they had seen in Uganda who just want a meal that day, we continued shopping.
While walking through a department store, we made a little detour to the handbag department so I could visit with a bag I have obsessed over for months. As I was picturing myself with this love of a bag, I saw AC and B watching me. Talk about a moment of clarity. It appears I too need a stern talk. The cost of that bag could likely sustain one of those children for a year. And while I would probably never run out and buy it for myself, no wonder my crew is asking for everything....their mother is visiting a handbag.
Which brings me to this, what do you do to teach your children to have giving hearts? We are thinking of having plain rice for dinner once a week and using that money to sponsor a child...or something along those lines, so they (we) can really feel the sacrafice to give. Other ways we give don't usually mean that our children have to give something up. So let me hear from you, I want (and obviously need) some ideas!
T and I have been brainstorming about additional ways to teach our children the importance of giving. This came up again over the weekend while we were at the mall. AC and B asked for every little thing they saw. They were fine when we said no, but I was shocked by how much they wanted. After a stern talk, that included reminders of the children they had seen in Uganda who just want a meal that day, we continued shopping.
While walking through a department store, we made a little detour to the handbag department so I could visit with a bag I have obsessed over for months. As I was picturing myself with this love of a bag, I saw AC and B watching me. Talk about a moment of clarity. It appears I too need a stern talk. The cost of that bag could likely sustain one of those children for a year. And while I would probably never run out and buy it for myself, no wonder my crew is asking for everything....their mother is visiting a handbag.
Which brings me to this, what do you do to teach your children to have giving hearts? We are thinking of having plain rice for dinner once a week and using that money to sponsor a child...or something along those lines, so they (we) can really feel the sacrafice to give. Other ways we give don't usually mean that our children have to give something up. So let me hear from you, I want (and obviously need) some ideas!
11/7/11
Today...
today consisted of:
1. Waking up to a non-working dipose-all that backed up while the dishwaher ran during the night,
2. A very fussy MC who is getting 6 teeth at one time, resulting in a diaper rash like I've never seen.
3. 2 very tired 7 year olds who are feeling the time change.
On a positive note:
1. The plumber was super perplexed by the fact that a very teensy-tiny stuffed bunny manged to find it's way into our dispose-all...m ?Never blinked an eye. We aim to please at on the job surprises.
2. MC has found her power with walking..she is a lady on the move and loves to raid big sister's closet for handbags and sparkly shoes... she props that purse on her shoulder and attempts to put the shoes on and watch out!
3. Early bed times...Amen and good night!
1. Waking up to a non-working dipose-all that backed up while the dishwaher ran during the night,
2. A very fussy MC who is getting 6 teeth at one time, resulting in a diaper rash like I've never seen.
3. 2 very tired 7 year olds who are feeling the time change.
On a positive note:
1. The plumber was super perplexed by the fact that a very teensy-tiny stuffed bunny manged to find it's way into our dispose-all...m ?Never blinked an eye. We aim to please at on the job surprises.
2. MC has found her power with walking..she is a lady on the move and loves to raid big sister's closet for handbags and sparkly shoes... she props that purse on her shoulder and attempts to put the shoes on and watch out!
3. Early bed times...Amen and good night!
11/4/11
That moment every parent fears...
Today we took a field trip with AC and B's class to Stone Mountain for the Pow-Wow Festival. It was a lot of fun, and the kids really enjoyed it.
A few minutes after buying that bow and arrow, I was so thankful I did.
It was really, really crowded which made keeping up with everyone difficult. While walking through a huge crowd of people, B got seperated from us and turned around. I couldn't find him. I looked one way, another mom went another way, and another mom looked another way.
He was no where.
I was really starting to panic, which AC picked up on and got really upset.
I found someone who worked there and told them the situation. He got on the radio and asked me what B was wearing. As I told him a navy fleece and blue pants, I was looking around at other kids and saw a sea of navy blue. Then I told the man he was also carrying a bow and arrow.
He led me over to the main office and another woman came out and said they were searching the park.
After what seemed like a hour,but was actually more like 5 to 10 minutes, she said they had a boy who had approached another worker saying he was lost and needed help finding his mom.
We walked in the office and there he was!
I have never been so happy to see someone and burst into tears. He was perfectly calm and said he knew I would find him.
Honestly, those 5 to 10 minutes had me shaken for the rest of the day, but I am so proud of him for knowing to approach "an adult in charge", but I'm still recovering from that awful feeling.
11/3/11
Just in time
While having lunch with a friend yesterday, she told me about the book, Kisses From Katie. While looking around her blog I was absolutely brought to tears by the works she is doing and by the self-less way she lives life.
I also read something on her blog that had me looking up and thanking God for leading me to the words...I sure did need them and he knew that.
"My dear children, I am with you. I watch closely as you struggle for holiness. Often, you are uncertain of your spiritual condition. You strive to serve but feel conflicted by the times in which you are serving. There are some things that all humanity deals with regardless of where in history they are placed. First, there will always be a difference between the world’s path and heaven’s path. These two paths, while they can run along side each other for increments, will always separate. Ultimately, each man will have to choose. Every man, to a greater or lesser degree, will have to contend with choosing first good over evil and then he will have to make another choice and that is the choice of choosing My plan for his life over his own plan for his life. After that, the choices become even more studied in that the man must choose My plan in each day, in each task and even in each moment. You may say, dear apostle, that this is a difficult call for a man, to study his actions in each day. You may say, this is asking a lot. You are right. I, Jesus, am asking a lot of you. I ask for your full commitment and I do so without apology. Dearest apostles, if you give me your full commitment, there is no limit to what I can do. Look at your life. You have said yes to me on many days. Examine what I have done with your yes answers. Consider what I am building with the commitments of so many children of God who are willing to be directed by the Saviour, their King. I am building a structure of love. I am building a structure through which many are returning. Truly, your hearts, open and filled with My love, call out to others. You provide for Me a welcome to those who feel separated. If they can be taken into your heart for even a brief moment and experience Me, with My love, then they will have the courage to both approach Me directly and to accept Me directly. Please, do not count the sacrifices when you consider your service. Do not count the loss of worldly respect. Count only the souls who are comforted and consoled. Count the repentance and healing of so many who have been restored to unity with heaven. Count the humility that I have bestowed on you, dear apostle, since you began to learn about true holiness. I am your King. I can give you anything. I choose to give you peace and holiness. I choose to make of you a resolute servant. Accept My will in your life and you will then be able to accept all of the graces heaven has stored up for you. "
Message from Anne, lay apostle
I also read something on her blog that had me looking up and thanking God for leading me to the words...I sure did need them and he knew that.
"My dear children, I am with you. I watch closely as you struggle for holiness. Often, you are uncertain of your spiritual condition. You strive to serve but feel conflicted by the times in which you are serving. There are some things that all humanity deals with regardless of where in history they are placed. First, there will always be a difference between the world’s path and heaven’s path. These two paths, while they can run along side each other for increments, will always separate. Ultimately, each man will have to choose. Every man, to a greater or lesser degree, will have to contend with choosing first good over evil and then he will have to make another choice and that is the choice of choosing My plan for his life over his own plan for his life. After that, the choices become even more studied in that the man must choose My plan in each day, in each task and even in each moment. You may say, dear apostle, that this is a difficult call for a man, to study his actions in each day. You may say, this is asking a lot. You are right. I, Jesus, am asking a lot of you. I ask for your full commitment and I do so without apology. Dearest apostles, if you give me your full commitment, there is no limit to what I can do. Look at your life. You have said yes to me on many days. Examine what I have done with your yes answers. Consider what I am building with the commitments of so many children of God who are willing to be directed by the Saviour, their King. I am building a structure of love. I am building a structure through which many are returning. Truly, your hearts, open and filled with My love, call out to others. You provide for Me a welcome to those who feel separated. If they can be taken into your heart for even a brief moment and experience Me, with My love, then they will have the courage to both approach Me directly and to accept Me directly. Please, do not count the sacrifices when you consider your service. Do not count the loss of worldly respect. Count only the souls who are comforted and consoled. Count the repentance and healing of so many who have been restored to unity with heaven. Count the humility that I have bestowed on you, dear apostle, since you began to learn about true holiness. I am your King. I can give you anything. I choose to give you peace and holiness. I choose to make of you a resolute servant. Accept My will in your life and you will then be able to accept all of the graces heaven has stored up for you. "
Message from Anne, lay apostle
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