The big 3-0!

It feels a little weird to say that I'm thirty. Not sad or depressed or whatever else people seem to feel and deal with when they reach a certain age. Maybe when I hit forty...who knows.
So funny how when you are a little thing you can't wait to hit 10, then you can't wait to be a teen! And your teenage years....well those last an eternity! I'm pretty sure they felt like an eternity to my older sister too :)
I could NOT wait to "grow up". I still can't believe that I have 3 kids...is that possible? When did I turn into a responsible adult with 3 children? And that question brings along a other set of questions and request.
Am I raising them the way I should?
Am I teaching them to be responsible? honest? kind? patient? God-loving? Graceful?
Am I modeling all of those things to them?
Shouldn't I be able to do all of those things by the time I'm 30?
Pretty sure I'm failing in the teaching patience department. I have been asking God to be with me during those "on the brink, I only have one nerve left" moments.
And...talk about time. During this stage of my children's lives can I please have the clock that I had when I was a teenager? I want time to slow down like it did when I was 14.
Time is FLYING!!!
I remember sitting in my 2nd grade classroom in 1985 talking with the boy sitting next to me about 1996....the year that we would graduate high school. I can still see us sitting there. (Even though I don't remember what I had for lunch today.)
What a great 30 years though.
I was just e-mailing my dad about one of my favorite times as a kid. I never understood why my dad was always up so early. Now that I have 3 kids, I know. Getting up at 4:30 a.m. is the most peaceful time of the day! Sunday mornings were my favorite mornings waking up. Sometimes my dad would come storming in, turn on the lights, and say rise & shine if we happened to sleep in too late the particular morning. Most Sundays though we would all find our way to the kitchen table at a decent hour. We would have regular old cereal for breakfast or my dad may have gone out early and gotten donuts and bagels. Steph would eat one that had sprinkles. Why do I remember that? Then we would systematically ruin the nice piles of newspapers my dad had made during his peace & quiet. I loved Sunday mornings. Maybe that's why one of the biggest things I miss doing with Aaron is going out to breakfast, or any meal for that matter, and sit and read the paper to one another like we did...before kids. We still buy the paper everytime we go out breakfast only to have one of us hold it and then stare at the other and say, "what we were thinking?" Oh, I digress.
My 30 years...playing on 8 acres, tree houses, playing house, basketball, college, marriage, 3 kids....am I really playing real-life house??? Wouldn't want it any other way.
Can't wait to see what the next 30 years holds for me and my family.

Happy August 2008!

God is at work...

Our family is so blessed. God is SO good. Since the moment I knew that we were moving here, I have been praying to the Lord to lead us to a church and to please send me some moms. He has answered those prayers.
I was thinking tonight of the Garth Brooks song, Unanswered Prayers. The song about how we pray and pray and pray about something we feel we need so very badly. And just about the time we think God hasn't listened and has failed to answer our prayer...He has answered it...just not in the way that we had thought or wanted him to answer it. God answers our prayers. We just have to ask.
In my quiet times I had given up the idea of being a part of a church and being involved in ministry. I had kind of settled with the idea that we would drive an hour and 15 minutes to church every Sunday morning and that would be it. Not that that isn't important and a good thing to do, but I saw this move as an opportunity to be involved in our church in a way that I failed to do so many times back in Michigan.
This weekend I was like a school girl. I loved all of the wonderful people the Lord sent to me this weekend. I was busy enjoying our friends from Michigan and their two children. Around dinnertime Friday evening 2 members of the church we had visited came to our home, hugged us, invited us to their Sunday school class and their dinner that they will be having tomorrow night. That evening I checked my e-mail and received 2 e-mails from two women at church. One I have met and one I can't wait to meet.
We went to bible study this morning. The kids couldn't wait to go to their Sunday school classes and we took Maggie with us. When we walked into our study group everyone stood and introduced themselves to us. It was wonderful. I am trying to make it a point to remember everyones' names.
Tonight we went to a cookout at the church. I met another wonderful lady, a mom of 4. Talked with her about raising her 4 kids, the schools, our shared naturally curly hair and how it drives me crazy. At the end of the night she gave me the numbers to her hairdresser, who knows how to tame this crazy naturally curly hair in the Kentucky July heat. She also gave me her number. I can't tell you how many cell and home numbers I have received this week. We spent the evening listening to gospel music, eating burgers, hot dogs, & wonderful homemade desserts. The time flew by while meeting new people, talking with Molly's Sunday School teachers, watching Max make new friends, enjoying fellowship. It was a perfect ending to a great weekend.
I LOVE our new town. Our bible study teacher called this area the "bible belt of Kentucky". I love that I live in that belt. I love that no matter where our children attend school they will have the influence of God loving teachers in their lives.
Oh...I have also been invited to a sleepover with other moms. How fabulous is that??? Of course, I can't go all evening but I am looking so forward to that visit and meeting all of these God-fearing women. Who would have thought I would get so excited about a sleepover on my 30th birthday?!?!
Lord, thank you for answering my prayers even if it may take me a second or 2 to realize that it's You working in my life. Please help me to see the ways in which I can use the gifts you have so freely given to me to work in the lives of others. Amen

God is good...all of the time.
All of the time....God is good.

Blessings from God...

Our Maggie is growing. Her "Just Born" onesies no longer fit her. Yes, apparently they have "just born" sizes now. Those come before 0-3 month clothing. They worked perfectly though. You think that the 0-3 look so tiny until you put your newborn inside them and they are swimming. She is now following Aaron with her eyes while he walks around the room. A few smiles. I'm pretty sure that they are the real thing. They could just be gas smiles though. I can't wait to hear her giggle for real.

We met some friends at the park today. It feels good to say that...friends. They are those people that you know for a few hours, but feel as if you've been friends forever. I feel as if I've made a few from church as well. Already e-mailing like old buddies. A woman at the church invited me out to a woman's night out. I feel like God is showering me with everything I need and have prayed for. He is so good.

I woke up early this morning...well an hour and 10 minutes after I said I was...it was still before the kids woke up. It wasn't enough time for a shower, but I did get my quiet time in the Lord. It truly did make a difference in my day. Ask and you shall receive.

Oh and the pics above...this is how I found the kids when they were supposed to be sleeping. Molly has on her new "church" shoes. I guess her church outfit every Sunday will have to be put together around her shoes instead of choosing the shoes to go with her outfit. That's our Molly.

The first picture is of Max reading to his sister. He has been terrific with her. I'm not sure that I've written too much about that. He is wonderful with her. Talking with her, kissing on her, always wanting her nearby. He thinks everyday that she would love to watch him while he has his computer time. He is getting very excited about learning to read so that he can read to his sisters.

Is he really going to be 4 in a few months?

Since we'll probably never have pets...

I think it's safe to say that we will probably never have a dog or a cat so maybe that's why we've named our children the 3 most popular pet names. I saw this in the newspaper and then looked on-line.

The most popular boy pet name?

Max

The 2 most popular female pet names?

Molly & Maggie

A busy week...

I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted. We've had somewhat of a busy week. I think Monday we spent the morning at the bread store and Aldi's. This is why I need to post every 24 hours. Not that 20 years from now I'll need to remember how we spent July 14, 2008, but the important stuff I'll want to remember. Like spending Tuesday cleaning the van with my kids, getting it ready for our trip north. How Max got his chalk and creating a "parking lot" for his matchbox cars. How he built the "perfect" construction site with chalk, loose stone, dirt, and a sippy cup full of water. I still haven't quite figured out which material makes it the "perfect" construction sight. I might not want to remember how we spent Tuesday afternoon and the whole day Wednesday. Let's just remember the highlights...Tuesday evening ended with me filling 3 trash bags with all of their toys. Max watched in horror as I filled each one with their precious treasures. Molly couldn't have cared less as her eyes opened and closed until finally she drifted fast asleep. Before she fell into that deep sleep though, she whispered to me with eyes closed, "Good night Momma. I love you. I'll try again tomorrow." She and Max did try the next day to empty each bag one at a time and clean their toys. Well, try as well as a 2 year old and 3 year old could. Wednesday afternoon came to a close with me cleaning their room. I emptied all three bags, their toyboxes, bins, and bookshelf. I left only a few books to read. The other toys will now have to be taken down from their closet shelves by their momma and daddy until they learn how to clean up each toy after they are finished. It hasn't been as effective as I had hoped. It's about as effective as me saying "I'll throw your toys out". They know I won't do it. We spent the hours before dinner planning our schedule for every day for the foreseeable future. We ended up having a pleasant evening.
Thursday started with our new routine. The kids did pretty well with it. I went to the Dollar Store the night before and bought posterboard and made a schedule for upstairs and downstairs. It started off without a hitch. That is until Max realized that we had to be ready for the day before anyone headed downstairs. Max insisted that we eat breakfast in our p.j.s. I told him that was true before, but that we had to start practicing for when school starts. Aaron and I finally convinced him. The rest of the upstairs routine went well. Then Aaron asked me when all of this (this being all of us getting ready, out the door, and off to school). I replied, "Well school starts at 8 and it's 8 right now, so...that's why we are starting to practice a week before school starts. Hopefully, we'll knock a few minutes off of our time by the time school rolls around".
Oh! I just remembered what we did Monday. We spent the morning at the park. Actually we tried leaving that morning, but didn't get out the door until about lunchtime so we packed and ate at the park. When we arrived we went straight to the picnic area. There were some other children there with their mom. Immediately, a little boy came over. He was standing by Max. All of a sudden one of his sisters came over and started spanking him. I had no idea why. THe little boy had bitten Max. Hard. I told her it was ok. That Max would be ok. Max just looked at him. Stared at him. Max doesn't usually tell on people and if he does he usually does so by pointing and not with his words. Anyhow, he survived and was off playing in no time. Meanwhile, I got on the phone with my sister and asked her if I should be worried b/c there was blood at the surface and it was all swollen inside of the full set of teeth imprint on Max's calf. As I was on the phone with her the little boy went up to Molly and bit her on the butt. Molly immediately started to cry. She just looked me in amazement through her tears and just kept saying, "Momma, he bit me. In the butt." She couldn't believe it. After the second biting I have to admit I was a little ticked. Later on I just felt relief that I don't have biters. Maggie, don't prove me wrong.
Ok...onto Friday. Friday we actually did make it to the park in the morning. We ended up meeting a mom, her almost 10-year old daughter and 5 year old son. We talked for awhile. The daughter was wonderful. Sounding wise beyond her years. The 5 year old has some speech issues. I watched as my son and him played as if they had been best friends for years. It didn't matter to Max that the boy couldn't really talk with him. Before we left the park the mom and I exchanged phone numbers and promised to get together. She also thanked me for allowing Max to play with her son. I thought it odd that she would thank me for something like that. She explained though how her son doesn't have a lot of friends because they don't know how to play with a boy who doesn't talk very well if at all.
I started thinking on the way home how often I long for the quiet times in my day. What would it be like not hearing Max's giggle or his questions on EVERYTHING? What would my morning be like without hearing Molly say "Kentucky y'all!"? I can't wait to hear Maggie start cooing and giggling herself. Just as I was thinking this I passed a man in his yard. We shared hellos and how are yous? He answered, "Better than most". And I replied with something...can't remember... He in turn said, "It's all about attitude". Oh how it is. How true.

Aaron asked me tonight if I regret moving here. Again, no. Although I was looking at pictures of our house tonight. It immediately brought tears rolling down my cheeks. Not because of the thousands of dollars we are going to lose in selling it but because seeing my kids rooms empty...no crib, no bed, no paintings, no books...it makes me very sad. That was the house that I brought my babies home. I remember bringing each one through the front door. I remember Max coming home from my sisters after we returned home with Molly.
Then, Max did a good thing for his momma tonight. He got on the bed and was flicking through the pics on the computer. Aaron asked Max what that place was on the screen. Thru all 12 pics he said he didn't know. That made me feel much better. If Max doesn't miss it then I don't miss it. I think maybe it makes me sad because we can't really have another house to call "home" until it sells. I guess it truly doesn't matter where we live after looking at the first picture above.

I am really feeling God's presence here too. Where I was feeling as if my relationship with the Lord was falling to the wayside these past few months and feeling very discouraged by it....I am feeling him again and am finding ways to have my one on one time with Him. Of all of the lists that I have started in every room in this place...He isn't on one of them. I have had to remind myself that He comes before everything. I think I kept waiting for this block of time to "schedule" Him into. Now I just take the quiet times I do have and share with him. And my not so quiet times? I talk, no beg him, to put patience in my heart.
I have been attending a Beth Moore bible study at a church in town. It has been wonderful. It's not an in depth study, but the study has been speaking right to my heart and that's what I've needed. I've also met some wonderful women. We attended church as a whole family for the first time in quite a while today. The kids enjoyed Sunday School and the message was "Stepping Out in Faith". It was like God was speaking right to us. The pastor was talking about hard times and trials and how we have to take faith and leave it in God's hands. Then he said, maybe you aren't going thru hard times, but God has blessed you with a new job. However, the job is far away from family and friends. Hello!!! Aaron and I just looked at each other. It has taken a bit of trusting God these past few months. I'm afraid I haven't trusted enough. I think God has brought us to a church home for now. It feels as if a weight has been lifted from my heart.
Well, my Maggie is sleeping right next to me and I think maybe I should get ready to do the same. My Maggie is growing so big. She is a TERRIFIC sleeper. She is letting me sleep at least 6-7 hours a night...that is if the other 2 stay in their room.

Lord, thank you for blessing me with such a wonderful family. Thank you for showing us the way to our new church and giving us the opportunity to dive into your word. Once again showing us that your way is the right and only way.

Summertime...

July has arrived! It was HOT today. Thank goodness Max's last t-ball game was at 10 am and not at noon today. About 15 minutes into his game he looked like he had been working on a farm somewhere for hours. His little face was all dirty from his sweaty hands rubbing his cheeks. He had so much at his game. I think it was because there was anywhere from 4-6 kids playing on his team at any one time so he was always doing something whether it was hitting, catching, or running from base to base standing on each one proudly. After his game he was presented with a trophy. Molly also got one from the coach. He said that she was at more of the games than some of the actual players so he gave her the extra one he had. She loves it. I think she might be ready to play next summer.
After the game we decided that might even be too hot of a day to spend at the pool, especially with little Maggie. We decided to head out to a garage sale and let the kids pick out something. Max picked out a ridiculous looking Spiderman button down shirt, but that's what he picked out with his 4 quarters. We got home and decided to turn movie night into My little Maggie and I took a nap during movie afternoon. Then we hung out on the couch after dinner. She seems so serious...as they all do when they are 3 weeks old...serious and bored out of their minds. I think she is going to have the dimple on the one cheek just like her cousin Joshua. Adorable. Right now, I think that she is going to be my very serious one. The one who is going to take a look at her brother and sister and let them know exactly how ridiculous she thinks their behavior is. We'll see what I think in about 6 months.
I am so blessed

God's messengers...

You know how sometimes God tries to tell you something in the most subtle of ways over and over again until He has no choice but to do something so drastic you have no other choice than to recognize it. Today I was lucky enough to get the message before He had to resort to those above mentioned drastic measures.

The last couple of days have been rough. I think my hormones were out of wack, my kids could smell my fear and took full advantage, and I was tired. I think I've worried Aaron a bit and maybe even myself, but today was a hundred percent better. (Which my sister and I agree that an awesome day behavior wise is almost always followed by a terror filled one...we'll see) Anyhow, the kids and I had a good day. They got up and got dressed. Molly even brushed her teeth without a single grunt or cry. They were all ready for the day before their feet hit the bottom step. They had a nice breakfast and cleaned their dishes on the first request. They helped me go through all of the recycling. Of course, Molly put her mouth on every bottle and can before putting it in the respective bag...gross! We headed out to the recycling center, the bread store, and the grocery store.

Again, I have a story of the kindness we have found since the minute we moved down here. The gentlemen have always asked if I needed any help at the recycling center. I figured it might have been because I was 9 months and huge. Today was no different. They were all so kind to me. Plus, an elderly gentleman also waited for me and asked if I had anything else left to bring in and told me he was going to help me bring it all in. I had gotten it all in one shot, but thanked him for his kindness. Now, that I have written 3 paragraphs I completely got off track of the first paragraph and how God sends His messages.

We got to the grocery store and I opened the door and unbuckled my oldest so that he could unbuckle the middle child. As I was taking my youngest out an older gentleman, maybe 75 or so, said "oh she's a new one" that she was beautiful. He asked if I had 2 and I told him 3. He looked at my 3 kids and told me how beautiful they all were. He told me to enjoy them because they grow so fast. He continued to tell me that I looked too young to have 3 kids and when I informed him that I would be 30 in a few short weeks he said that I could still pass for a teenager.

Bless his heart. I wished him a wonderful day.

And before he went on his way he touched my shoulder and said "I can tell what a good mother you are just by looking at your kids".

Thank you Lord for sending him.