Summer

I am not totally sure it is calendar official, but it is smelling like, feeling like, looking like summer! All I can think of is the pool, lemonade, bright nights and of course traveling. We have literally been at the pool every chance we can and my kids have already gone from honey skin tones to cinnamon skin tones. Cola's little curls are already looking blonde at the ends!

We just attended one baby shower for my cousin and will attend another soon for her sister! The picture above is Cola at the shower. She loved the balloons! We are going to a wedding in Cleveland this weekend and I can't wait to be reunited with one of my very favorite families I haven't seen in a long time. I also get to see my family and hopefully a few friends.

I have about 6 invitations on our fridge for weddings or showers and I don't know what it is but it makes me happy. Although I can't attend all of them it excites me to see so many people starting their lives together or sharing it with a little one! Cleveland this week, NY next week! My heart is so excited I can't seem to slow down. Pics and updates to come sooN!

So fresh and clean

Laundry.

It's one of those words I could type and press publish and it could tell an entire story, explain my mood better than any adjective and be one of the most relatable blogs I've ever written.

There are heaping mounds of it everywhere. Once the dirty pile is diminishing the clean pile begins to build an empire in need of sorting and folding and once they are sorted and folded then they have to be put away or hung up. And once all of that is done somehow the dirty pile has already dominated it's little (or in our case rather large) corner.

I found myself standing over the washer watching the water spiral down over a hefty load of colored clothes and I begin to think, "How can I make laundry stop or at least not do it so often??" I realized I'd have to move to a nudist colony to eliminate it completely. Totally, out of the question.

Maybe it's laziness or maybe I'm starting to realize it doesn't really matter, but when my son insists he wants to run around in his undies I no longer argue. I immediately exhale and think that's one less shirt and pair of shorts I have to wash, fold and put away! And don't you just love summer!? The season where socks are totally forgotten! Bring out the flip flops!

And then of course there are the entire days by the pool where you only use your bathing suit a towel and pajamas after you shower. So maybe I should just move somewhere where it's summer all the time!

Gotta love the cute sundresses with the built in bras. Any dress line that makes built in panties? Could you imagine everything you need all in one peice of clothing!? That would be amazing!

And I'm hoping only moms are reading this because they are the only ones that would understand going to those desperate measures just to illiminate some of the laundry!

One Year

Happy Mother's Day! As we celebrate Mother's Day in our home we are also celebrating the close of one year in Florida. As hard as it's been living in an apartment as a family of four, driving one car, having to always pay a babysitter and being so far from friends and family I do feel I can exhale and say we did it. I'm not sure what we've done or even done well but we are still here, making everything work.

I don't give myself enough credit and I am sure I am not alone in that confession. Looking back over the last year I think I may have had like two people tell me they are proud of us. I surely could have heard that more but I didn't. So to all of the mother's who sacrifice SO much everyday JUST holding down the house you are loved, appreciated and you are doing a great job! And for those mother's who hold down the house AND work you are stronger than me! Keep doing what you are doing, someday the reward will be great. At least that is what I tell myself.

Do you ever feel like, the older you get the less affirmed you are? Sometimes I feel like the older I have gotten the more affirmation I need. Just in case I am not alone in that confession either...God is proud of the work we do as mothers. If no one else tells you throughout the next year I'm proud to be a mother because I get to share the title with so many amazing women just like you. Together we can rear some amazing children, share great recipes and always give heads up on coupon savings!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

The art of distraction

Cola is in this very stressful phase. She's biting, hates wearing a diaper and a few days ago (if you can believe it or not) I found her two shelves high on our built in bookshelves on the wall. She is beginning to very loudly and boldly express frustration without talking rather screaming, crying and more biting.

Dalen is in the fighting stage....still. Last week the nursery had a talk to me about Cola biting and this week I got the "your son thinks it's ok to hit other children" speech. How embarrassing.

These problems are not one time occurances they are phases that will last and last and then be over. Today was not the day for them to end so I thought we need a nice, fun distraction. I came across this bubble blower and it literally blows TONS of bubbles at once. We let it blow until it ran out. It was a nice distraction for a bit.
Somedays I think it's better to distract yourself when you don't know what to do. I can't make these unfortunate behaviors disappear but I feel as though somedays I allow my frustration entertain them. I have to get better at that.

During the bubble time there was no hitting or biting. A lot of laughter and fun swats at the bubbles whizzing by. If you don't have one I'd suggest one. They are lots of fun!

Processed

Wow, what a week for our nation. Devastating storms, families left with nothing and the death of Bin Laden. To be honest I feel as though my brain is in a current state of processed mush. I haven't even seen the devastation in person but the pictures and stories are enough. My heart is moved and my mind just can't fathom what these vicious storms did to my hometown and so many other places as well.

I have to say loud and proud, I have some AMAZING friends and churches and family members back home who have literally volunteered day in and day out. I must be very clear I know Heaven is moved when we comfort those who have lost, feed those who are hungry and clothe those who are naked. To any volunteers reading, you are great examples of Christ. Bless you all.

I woke up to the news about the death of Bin Laden and I quickly learned why people say I don't talk about politics. Wow, I couldn't believe the anger felt by some and the victory by others. Such extreme spectrums! I will say this, when I saw hundreds gathered at ground zero at midnight saying the pledge and waving American flags I literally got chills and pride rose within me. Do I celebrate death, no. Do I celebrate justice, OF COURSE! And sometimes justice involves fatalities.

I do not like some of the things I have heard said by Christians and non Christians. I don't like when people say we should have grace towards Bin Laden, as if we didn't. HELLO???? I think him dying a very short death compared to the suffering many of our American citizens endured and are still enduring is VERY GRACIOUS. I will say this grace and justice can coexsist and it did on that day.

I also don't like when Christians exaggerate to make a point. If you have to exaggerate scripture to make a point you don't have a point at all. Then there are the Christians who ranted we aren't the ones who should judge Ben Laden's punishment but then they turn right around and predict because of American officials he is in Hell. I think that's judgement. How do any of us know he didn't come to senses and breath one last prayer?

And of course we have all heard of the argument, it was sheer ignorance to take this man's life because now we will endure more attacks and terrorism will never end. So, we should just let any country cross our borders and do whatever they darn well please with no consequences???? I don't think so. We rejoice when a rapist is sentenced, not because the sentencing of one individual will stop rape but because justice has been done and the victim can live somewhat in peace. How is this any different?

I think Stephen Furtick said it best, "I unapologetically celebrate multitudes of people who will live because of the death of one man. That is good-THAT is victory."

I AM proud to be an American.

The Coward In Me....

I think I mentioned last weekend was awesome at our church. Partly because it was Easter and when you are celebrating a resurrected Christ it hold a very intense celebratory atmosphere and partly because of the production that was done and all of the souls that were moved towards Heaven because of it.

We were challenged to invite 5 people to one of the 4 services our church had scheduled. I had my 5 people which I thought were going to be a challenge for me and then I realized as a stay at home mom I encounter more people than the average working person does because I am out and about.

We had super cool invite cards (which my husband designed, I had to throw that in :)) and one particular day we set out to do our inviting. I became really insecure once I realized 3 out of the 5 people we were inviting weren't connections I had made but connections my three year old had made. He meets people everywhere we go and invites them to our church and sometimes to our house (hence the reason I will NOT teach him our address). I really felt like such a coward.

My three year old, who is just learning the REAL facts of the Crucifixion story was doing more of the connecting with possible lost souls than I had been. In fact, before I could say anything to two of the people he had handed them the cards and invited them. Wow, my son, a three year old, missionary to the mall. Seriously, who was I kidding!? I am a youth pastor's wife, called to ministry myself and I was a little hesitant about inviting 5 people to service.

I really had to talk to God about that. Of course God wants all of us to do witnessing, we are ALL called share the good news, that's the GREAT commission. But I really saw for once in my life that my son knew what to say and how to invite and what details to give because I had once gave them to him. I really felt encouraged when I went back a few months ago in my mind to the Sunday where I bent down to ask Dalen if he wanted to ask Jesus in his heart and he said, "Mom he already lives there." I'm not sure who walked him through that prayer and who beat me to leading him in it but chances are it was someone in our church and he wouldn't have been there if it weren't for me!

Ministry has to take place in our home first! And now, because three out of the four of us are saved God has really shown me that we are a team effort. Dalen may do the talking, but I am going to do the interceding while he does it and I am also going to do the driving to the person he talks to. Of course, this doesn't let me off the hook! I know there will be times I need to do the sharing and Ican say I am ready and more motivated because if my three year old can do it, so can I!