Months gone by...

Our Maggie...growing so fast...

Her birthday....


One month old....

Two months old....

Three months old....

Four months old....

Five months old....

Six months old....

Seven months old....

New things everyday...

Yesterday Max and I were reading his assignment for AWANA this....yes, yesterday was Wednesday and yes, AWANA is on Wednesday...the weeks fly by!!! Anyhow, there is a little story to read first and then on the next page there is a lesson and a little review question. Well, somewhere in the lesson was the word 'disciple'. As I was finishing up the lesson Max was losing attention. Just when I read the word 'disciple' and I thought I had completely lost Max's attention span, he steps back into the kitchen and says,

"Hey Momma, Jesus had 12 of those."

"12 what, baby?"

He looks at me like I'm crazy.

"12 diciples Momma."

Praise Jesus!!!
___________________________________________________________
Molly's new phrases:

"I'd appreciate that."
"I'll remember that."
"I'm so frustrated."
"Told ya."

Oh she is her momma....we're in trouble!

Notes...

I am absolutely loving Beth Moore's bible study on Esther. http://www.lproof.org/NewBibleStudyView.aspx Whether or not you have ever done a Beth Moore study before, you need to do this study if you are a woman. Check out your local churches and see if any of them are offereing it. You won't regret it. It is terrific. Beth is such a fantastic teacher. I would love to go see her in person one day. I hear that she is just as kind and genuine as she seems on that screen.

Since feeling scared, angry, cynical, and sad these last couple of days this study hit right to my heart.

God offers up courage to each and every one of us everyday. All we have to do is take it from Him.

A few notes from this weeks study:

• We can protect ourselves right out of our callings.
• Are you heading the way you want this to end up?
• She spoke on lyrics from a song. "Today I feel like I'm one mistake away from you leaving me like this". God will NEVER leave us. Never.
• We may decide we are one mistake away from telling Him "just leave me here".

I have felt that. Wondering when God is just going to give up on me. Is it going to be the next time I yell at my kids. Will He say "That's enough. I'm done with you?" Is it going to be the next time I nag my husband? Or will it be the next time I fail to go to my knees in prayer asking Him to take it all from my shoulders?

• I may be one brave decision away from the most important step in my destiny.
• Most common command in the Bible. DO NOT BE AFRAID.
• Can you imagine living without fear?

Imagine this conversation with your Lord.

Lord: What is your worst case scenario? What if? What would you do?

Me: I give Him my worst case scenario. I tell Him I would want to go too. I would scream and cry and be angry and feel lost.

Lord: Ok. Then what?

Me: I wouldn't get out of bed. I wouldn't be able to eat or move or do anything productive.

Lord: Ok. Then what?

Me: Then I would remember that I have a family to take care of...I would still be sad and angry.

Lord: Alright. Then what?

Me: Then I would crawl out of bed, get my kids to church and school and find my way to Your Word. Because I know that my God is my comforter and my protector and faithful.

Then what? Then what? Then what? God. God. God.

• Don't allow the fear of death to have such a stronghold on your that you don't live.
• Why don't we LIVE until we die?
• We get to choose HOW we are going to the WHAT we're going to do.

Esther had all of those people fasting for three days for her.

What if we asked all those people to fast and pray for that courage and didn't take it.

TAKE THE COURAGE GOD GIVES YOU! BE BRAVE!

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18

Early Spring in Southern Kentucky...

Spring has arrived this week here in good ol' Kentucky! We were blessed to be able to spend yesterday morning praising Jesus. Walking into the worshipping hour from Sunday School, I really felt the Holy Spirit. Even Our Redeemer Lives sounded a little different when the choir sang.

We spent some of the afternoon napping. Then we opened the windows and did some very minor spring cleaning. The kids have sort of taken over the living room since Christmas. A corner here, a huge box in a corner there...my good ol hubby took care of that. On one hand his...for the sake of the story let's call it pickiness....drives me crazy....on the flip side...I would truly hate to see what my home would look like without him!!! After our little cleaning spree we headed out to one of the state parks. The kids made a few friends & Maggie got to take her first shot a real swing! Can she really be coming up on 8 months?

I spent the evening and wee early morning hours instant messaging my oldest friend in the world. She is currently half way around that world travelling and learning so much. I love reading emails from her. It's just like we are sitting across from one another in her living room. I was on the computer "talking" with her until almost 3 a.m. Of course, when I went to bed I couldn't get my eyes to close. I laid there for about 45 minutes until I heard Maggie chatting in her crib. I finally got her settled down after a few trips to her crib. I crawl back into bed....3:47 a.m.
"Um...Momma, I need some juice...some with the cherry on the front."

Of course I head down to get it for him b/c it's seriously late and I need to get to sleep before my kids come to wake me in less than 3 hours.

The last time I looked at the clock it was 4:17 a.m.

Aaron woke me at 7:17 a.m.

Perfect.

We got some breakfast for Maggie and then got her down for her one nap today. (I don't think she naps like a normal 8 month old...if we stay on this track she'll be done with naps by June.)

Oh how I wanted to nap right along with her. Instead, I dragged my hiney into the shower to wake me up. It worked.

I decided that I am going to start working with Molly on more of a curriculum. We usually read and color and do our shapes while Max is in school, but nothing following any sort of curriculum. Through my sister, I found the blog The Mom with Brownies. http://www.icantbelievemylife.com/

It is a FANTASTIC blog. It has recipes, menus, money-saving tips you won't believe, homeschooling resources, FUN stuff!!! From this site you can link up to her Preschool Homeschooling page. It has a 26 week plan. Everything is spelled out for you...links...lists...songs....poems. We started today. Max and Molly LOVED it. I am going to try and do it in the afternoon (if we can get that baby to nap in the afternoon like a normal 8 month old!) so that Max can participate. I highly recommend it.

We spent some time outside this afternoon. Playing with chalk, stacking cups, bubbles. After dinner we headed to the park again for some swinging time. It was such a great day. And I ended my evening by attending Beth Moore's study on the book of Esther. More on that next time. It was eye-opening...the topic was on being brave, having courage, taking all that God is willing to give us.

My grandpa has been gone 8 months today. The first picture is one of him and me...I think I was about 2 there. I LOVE that photo.

The 2nd photo is one of Max with his Great-Grampa. He was about 6 months in this photo. Grandma & Pop were in town for Steph's baby shower. The last picture is one of Molly with her Great-Grampa. It's also the last time I saw my grandfather. They were in town for Molly's 1st birthday. She'll be 3 in 2 short months. Maggie was born 11 days after my Grandpa died.

My Grandma and I like to think that this is what Maggie and her Great Grampa looked like hanging out before he sent her to us.

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits and in His word I put my hope."

Psalm 130:5