Life

   We have spent the first few months of this year re-righting life a bit. With the blessing of two babies so close together I kind of let things go a bit more than I otherwise would have, promising myself that after we had _________ we would catch back up. Having somewhat recently felt convicted in the area of family planning (that we should allow God to do all of it) we have also come to the realization that it is now or never! We need to save the money now...get a hold of our schedule now...become more diligent in training the children now...because we have no idea what the next six months, or the next month for that matter could hold for us. I would hate to feel burdened by a blessing God meant for good by not preparing our hearts, home and family for whatever may come whether that blessing is the opportunity to invite in a surprise guest or joyfully accepting a new baby from His hand! So we are in the middle of a major overhaul; heart, soul, mind and body. I have great plans of sharing what we are learning and doing but it could take me a while to get them all out of the draft phase. Life is a lot of work! But if you just jump in and get it done it is so much better on the other side :). It feels good to go to bed at night knowing that you spent the day looking well to the ways of your household (Proverbs 31:27). When I see where we are right now compared to where I would like to be it kind of makes me feel a bit overwhelmed. Kind of like the feeling I got looking at our girls room a few months ago when we decided it was time to attack without mercy ;)...  

 



But in the end I know it will all be worth it when we can kind of sit back a bit and realize that we have made it over that hill and the view ahead is so much more peaceful. I imagine it will feel a bit like it did after we were done in the girls room and were able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labors...





There will always be new hills to climb, but I am so thankful that God gives them to us one at a time :).

And just for fun here is a picture of our two littlest ones...



Andrew is only six months old and Bethani is almost 23 months old, I wonder when he will bypass Bethani in size!? He is very healthy :).

Weird? Me?

   Miss Melanie from Just One Of Four! has tagged me :). Her blog is so named because she is one of four girls :). This young lady has quite the sense of humor and a heartwarming love for the things of the Lord :). Here is her list of "weird" things about herself.
So, here goes mine...

6 Weird Things About Me
~I once drove over 130 miles back home from my Mother's to make sure that I didn't leave the door open. I hadn't that time, but I have before. My sister and I put the drive to good use and went out for lunch before returning the 130 miles back to my Mother's...I now check, check, triple check, and if anyone is with me have them check the door ;)...
~I spent my childhood dreaming of the south and wishing I lived there and now I am dreaming of the day I can be back in the land of beautiful grass and all four seasons. I think I have some work to do in the area of contentment...
~My husbands name is Lee and mine is Shelby. I was born in Lee county in Iowa and he was born in the city of Shelby in NC. We have the same birthday (I was born on his third birthday). The baby of his mother's roommate in the maternity ward was a baby girl named...Shelby.
~I have moved 19 times in my 26 years and have lived in a total of seven states: Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Carolina and Indiana. You could say I've lived in Texas, I suppose, but as an unborn baby I wasn't exactly interacting with the culture. North Dakota has been my favorite so far but Lee has put his foot down and said it's just too cold up there. So, I'm OK with aiming for my second favorite, Iowa, to settle down in, though we have considered Virginia as well.
~I have been to public school, private school and I was (mostly) homeschooled.
~I collect key chains. I don't mean to, I just see one and think, "Awww, that's cute...". There are three keys among my key chains...



...and one of them is for my very first vehicle that died about five years ago so it just sits there and looks sentimental ;). But look at this one...

...isn't that neat? It's a tiny digital camera key chain! I showed it to Lee and he said I didn't need anymore key chains and then he gave it to me for Christmas ;).


6 Things I Would Like To Do Before I Die
~See all of my children and their families walking with the LORD
~Hold one of my great-great grandchildren
~Turn 100
~Read the Bible in its original Hebrew and Greek
~Travel overseas with my sweet husband. This one may be a bit difficult, I am afraid of airplanes and I'm terrified of simply the thought of being completely surrounded by water so I guess a boat is out. Any ideas ;)?
~Write a book

 "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." ~Titus 2:13&14

Happy 1st Day of Spring :)!

   Oops...I'm just  couple days late! We were busy last Wednesday celebrating the beginning of a new season. We went to the zoo and shared a "family basket". It was a very nice day even if we did get started a little late. I imagine about the time we get used to running around with four we're going to have to start all over again!







Here are our littles on the first day of spring last year...



and this year...







...what a difference a year makes!  They grow up sooo fast. See their "big sister/little brother" shirts :).

   We don't do the bunny thing on Resurrection Sunday, but we do enjoy some of the seasonal candies, namely Cadbury's caramel eggs...yum! The girls like jelly beans and we do a family basket from daddy and mommy on the first day of Spring instead of individual baskets on Resurrection Sunday. We also try to include something to inspire them to be creative, not that they really need much help. This year it was sun-catchers they can paint. We also included a special mug/tea cup for each of them just for fun this year that they will enjoy having for our special Tuesday Teas. Andrew got a sippy cup, he's not really ready for it yet but he thought he was and he knew just what to do with it! Even the majority of our sippy cups are pink after three girls.

   After the goodies had found a new home we, I mean Andrew, had fun with the basket ;).







...Bethani had fun too...





   It was very different for us the first year we stopped doing things the mainstream way. Lee and I were raised with Santa Claus and the Bunny, but once we jumped in we realized what a blessing it has been to be able to completely focus on our Savior's birth and resurrection. We still have a few traditions that we have tweaked...like the family basket on the first day of spring instead of individual baskets on Resurrection Sunday...but it is so much easier, in our experience, to point it all back to Jesus when you take the fake stuff out of it. And an extra perk? It seems to be a whole lot cheaper too...

Have a blessed springtime everyone!!!

The Time of the Singing of the Birds is Come

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. ~Song of Solomon 2:11&12

   We've had some beautiful weather here. The yard is in bloom and it is beautiful! I am so blessed to have a husband who keeps me supplied in cut flowers for the house. This is the first year we have had tulips. I love them and Lee sacrificed his dislike of them just for me, maybe I'll let you in on that story sometime... ;). Aren't they pretty? I can't wait until they are in full bloom!

Andrew got his first solo ride with his own set of  "wheels" the other day...



See how pleased he is? It was so cute!



He also had his first taste, I mean, feel of grass ;)...



The grass withers, the flowers will fade, but the soul of my baby will live forever...

Dear LORD, I feel so unworthy of this task you have set before me. Help me to train him in the way he should go and in your grace please cover over the mistakes I will make in my humaness. Hem him in behind and before and lay your hand upon him. I ask these things in Jesus name. ~Amen

I Sure Am Glad the Shipping Was Free...

   A couple of days ago Kim C. from Life In A Shoe alerted everyone to this great deal. We ordered our 5,000 sheets of white copy paper for $16.10, which is even cheaper than my husband's home office gets it for through their contract, and it arrived today.



While it was exciting to us it probably wouldn't have made it to blogging status if it weren't for this box...



In order to use the ten dollar off coupon you had to spend a certain amount and after the initial discount the paper alone wasn't enough...add a .29 box of paper clips and you've made it.
Yes, that huge box, nearly the size of the box that holds 5,000 sheets of paper, was holding a .29 box of paper clips...



And yes, that is a huge gash in the side. I'm kind of surprised there was anything in it at all by the time it got here! They really did pack my paper clips very well on their end though...



See them hiding in there?
Sooo funny!



Have you had your giggle today ;)?

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..." Proverbs 17:22a

5 Months

My Baby Boy and Me

It's three AM, they're all asleep,
and no-one's here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.

His little hand is feather light
Tucked up against my chin.
I hold his tiny hand in mine,
and stroke his baby skin.

The house about us creaks and groans,
The clock hands creep around.
He snuggles closer to me still,
And makes his baby sounds.

I love these quiet hours so much,
And cherish every one.
Store memories up inside my heart
For lonely nights to come.

All too soon he'll be grown up,
His need for mama gone.
But until then I still have time
For kisses and for song.

Time for quiet hours like this
With him cuddled in my arms,
Where I wish he'd always stay
Protected, safe and warm.

And yet I know the day will come
When his tiny little hand,
will be bigger than my own.
He'll grow to be a man.

But until then he's mine to love
With no one here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.

~Author Unknown

A Mother's Version of "Is the Glass Half Empty Or...?"

   Bethani had the play dough out again today. I try not to tell the girls no when they ask to do messy things like that and I try to say yes cheerfully. I am amazed that we haven't run out of play dough yet considering how much I end up sweeping up after they're done. Today as I swept I found some perspective...Do I see play dough all over the floor, or do I see a rainbow in my dustpan?
   I imagine I could have a pretty spotless house if I didn't have children to clean up after, but the thought of no children is terribly depressing! I would much rather clean up play dough, spilled milk and marbles (I think those marbles multiply!) than to have no little maidens to play with the play dough, to spill the milk and to roll the marbles. Life is good...and my house is a mess ;)..



Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. ~Proverbs 14:4