Saturday, January 10, 2009

The Aunties came to town!



If you've called me and I haven't returned your call........texted me and i haven't responded....emailed me and wondered if i got it....well, i've been a little checked out and having good girl time with my best friends who are truly like my sisters and my kids call them their aunties! It is so fun! 

Sometimes friend are just more than friends...they are family!  And these ladies are it! Aunt Panda, Rachie, T, Wendy, and Christy!!!   We've had a blast together this week, toured austin's finests and all stayed together in our home remembering good times!! I love you dear friends!! You are gifts to me and my children!! Thank you for coming to see us!!!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Gospel...according to WesleyGrant

ME:  "Good morning wesleygrant...would you like some cereal?"

WG:  "Yes, mommy, thank you...." (pause)  "mama, I love you"

ME:  "I love you too, son!"  "I hope you always tell me you love me, WG"

WG:  "Yes, mommy....I will always love you..."  (pause)  "I will always obey you too, mama!  ALL TIMES!"

ME:  "That is wonderful, WG, but I have to tell you that you will not always obey me..."

WG: Quickly..."Yes I will!"

ME: "Do you know who did always obey?"
   as i was attempting to "share the gospel"...exciting thinking wow! i can share the gospel with him....he interupts and attempts to share with me....

WG:  "Mommy, It is just like the boy who ate the pig food (prodical son)....he ate it but then he went back to his daddy. (the father) and his daddy hugged him."   "He obeyed mommy...."

ME: I attempt to tell him that is right and further explain, but he keeps talking....

WG: "mommy, remember when i had poopoo stuck in my bum? (poop in his bottom, ie constipated)

ME: "yes, you needed more fiber..."

WG:  "well, a bee catched my poop and didn't let it come out...so i had to eat fiber"

Sally comes in...

ME:"Sally you want some cereal?"

Sally: "Yes"

WG: "sally, i will share my cereal with you and make you some apple pie later!"

Sally: "NO BUBBA!!" (yelling)

ME: "Sally, that is not loving..."  "WG, can you share the gospel with sally and help her understand how to love."

WG: "yes..."  "Sally, We obey all times like the boy who ate pig poop and then caught his father...and then poop came down inside of me and the bee caught it...I had to have Jesus and then it came out! "

ME:  "thank you wg..."

Sally, very confused...but no longer yelling....

wow...and that is the gospel according to my wesleygrant...=)

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Neal and Christel's Wedding!










Today was the BIG day!! Our sweet friends and now neighbors got married!  Neal and Christel got married at the Allan House downtown and it was beautiful!!   My kiddos did great! I was so proud of them...they even managed to steal the dance floor and create an audience! oh my goodness! so funny! It was so fun! We love you Neal and Christel!!! 

Children, Part 1


I've been reflecting a lot on my role as a mother...every year I go away and evaluate it...pray over it and beg God to help me.  This year I have been moved by the thought of "building a home"...with every little thing, I am building something...

But most of my days look pretty much the same.

I get out of bed each morning so that I could do everything I did the day before. 
I wash the dishes so they can be dirtied again.
Iwash and iron the clothes so they can be worn and wrinkled again
I wipe noses so they can run again. 
I pick up toys so they can be played with again.
I sweep and mop the floor so mud could be tracked on it again.
I cook meals so that I can go to the grocery store again.
I make beds so they can be slept in again.

Some days I wonder: if I do all I do, only to have it undone, am I really doing anything?

I got this and used it to describe my day EXACTLY from a blog entry I read from Carolyn Mahaney.  Then, she encourged me when she spoke from experience and after her girls are grown...

"I realize that all of the mundane, repetitive days were actually full of significant, enduring work. A home was being built. A family was being knit together. Four souls were being shaped for eternity." Carolyn mahaney

So, I am pursing with hope all the days seeking to build my home to glorify God, knit my family together and shape souls for eternity...may you mothers be encouraged as I am...more later...

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Traditions for Christmas



This Christmas we have enjoyed "old traditions" and some "new traditions".  

Here is what we did:
Old Traditions:
Our advent calendar that tells the Christmas story 
Christmas Card tree
Breakfast Cake Christmas Morning
Christmas Memory book to record our time
Shopping for gifts for others and Angel tree gifts
Traditional Meal- Rotisserie Chickens and Homemade Pound Cake for dessert
Manor Christmas carolling
Christmas lights
Christmas Eve Service at the STONE

New Traditions:
Christmas Tree Farm in Elgin
Gingerbread house
Intentional gifts (we decided to give our kids one gift that would encourage them in something to be or work on in the coming year...WG-TBall set "team player"  Sally-Apron and pots - "Serving Others")
Acting out the Christmas story on Christmas morning


We truly felt the Joy of the truth of Emmanuel who came for our souls!  Merry Christmas!!