Beautiful . . .

on the inside and the outside!

*photo compliments of Michelle at Angel Eyes Portraits

Still here

I am still here, just really busy and tired! We had a huge weekend, but I haven't had a chance to upload the pictures off my camera (actually, I killed the battery, so I have to go to the store and replace it and I just haven't had a chance!) to share them with you. Hang in there and keep coming back- I promise to get better, well at least try to do better.

The big "1"

I can't believe my sweet boy is turning 1!!!! Sweet Matthew, we love you and are so glad that God chose to bless our family with you. Happy Birthday, Mattie man!!

Exactly!

If you are a mom or a dad, you really need to read this. I couldn't have said it better. It is exactly what I needed to hear tonight. What a wonderful reminder of how being a mom is the hardest, but best job there is.

Just plain hard

Being a mom is just plain hard sometimes. Sometimes things are so chaotic that I feel like I am drowning. The needs of those who depend on me sometimes weigh me down so much that I feel like I can't carry the load one second more. Some days it's the day to day things like never ending laundry and picking up and pulling Matthew out of mess after mess after mess. And other days it is so busy! Like today- we had two birthday parties, basketball pictures, and a basketball game all in a two hour block! Poor Matthew just got dragged along for the ride as we dropped off, ran back home for a forgotten mouthpiece, watched a little basketball, picked up, and rushed back to catch the last 2 minutes of the game. Grace and Ella had fun at their parties, Jonathon's team won. It is hard to see the quiet at the end of the day when the noise is bouncing off the walls in the kitchen or we have spent all day in the van. But no matter how hard, chaotic, frustrating or exhausting being a mom is, I would never, never, NEVER trade it for anything!! I am blessed beyond anything I could ever deserve. That knowledge doesn't' make it any easier, but it reminds me that it is a calling that I should feel honored to have received.

too fast!

Things are just moving too fast in this house! Today I

*went to a meeting for Jonathon's first youth weekend trip (I think I sat there the whole time trying to figure out how I could go with him to take care of him!)

*listened to Ella sing Taylor Swift (at the top of her lungs- it was hilarious!!!)

*noticed that Grace was wearing lip gloss in church (she looked adorable!)

*and watched Matthew take a step (this one made tears come to my eyes! I do NOT want my baby to grow up!).

It is almost more than this mom can take! I love my kids and they are just growing up way too fast!!!!!!

Countdown #1

#1- The birth of our sweet baby boy, Matthew!

What a wonderful year!! Blessing more than we are able to count!

Countdown #2

#2- Friends!!! We are so blessed with wonderful friends!

Countdown #3

#3- Family!! We are so blessed with a wonderful family! Even though we are separated by the miles, they are so involved in the kids lives!

*this is my nephew, Caleb, who was born 13 weeks premature, but today you would never know it!! God is so good!!!!

Countdown #4

#4- Family fun! Whether we were playing in the pool or bowling or playing in the sprinkler or spending time at the park, we love just having fun together!

Countdown #5

#5- Birthdays!!! Grace turned 7, Jonathon turned 12, Ella turned 4, and Les and I got older!!

My class had a party for me!!

Countdown #6

#6- Disney on Ice! Through the wonderful gift of a friend, I was able to take my girls to see Disney on Ice. The show was great, but thier faces were priceless!!

Countdown #7

# 7- Soccer! This was Ella's first time playing a sport and she did pretty good. Unfortunately, I don't think soccer is either of my girls sport, unless they are the goalie!