How is it September?

I feel like this summer just flew by. It was wonderful and amazing and we made such wonderful memories. Between getting to go to camp and serving as the nurse there, to a wonderful family reunion that was many years in the making, to a wonderful vacation home to see our friends and family, God just blessed us so much! This summer we had two vacations, three birthdays, a wedding and many many other wonderful experiences. We are now fostering two cats, which the kids are absolutely loving. And now that school is in full swing: I have two in middle school and two in elementary school. Three kiddos playing instruments, one playing soccer, and a partridge in a pear tree LOL!

Seriously though, this summer was so incredibly busy but so blessed. It is easy to get in this rut of running around like crazy staying ridiculously busy, and forget to enjoy the moments. Forget to enjoy the snuggles, the laughter and the experience of being a mom, the experience that God created for us. It’s easy to jump in your Mom-mobile and hit the ground running every day without taking a moment to take a breath and praise God for the moments you are experiencing. I am so guilty of this, and am trying so hard to model the behaviors for my children that I want them to focus on…. The behaviors of God first, family second, and everything else falls in after that…..

Several times here lately, we have gotten up and ready for school, and I have forgotten to pray with the kids before they walk out the door, that’s not to say that I don’t pray FOR them, but sometimes I forget to pray WITH them, my goal this year is to focus on GOD and to help the kids do the same. Have you developed a routine that helps foster this? If so do you mind sharing? What types of family devotionals do you do? What does your morning look like before school? How do your kiddos feel about the morning at your house? Is it crazy chaos or is it a place of prayer and strengthening before they head out to the world?

The kiddos were in our babysitters wedding

A brand new year of possibility

I am one of those mom’s who loves my kids, loves having them home and is sad when they have to be gone all day long…. this summer has been full of great adventure and lots of happiness. This summer has also been incredibly bittersweet. Knowing that all of my babies would be staying at school all day. I have lived this crazy chaotic life of working overnight and coming home and taking care of my kids while Matt is at work and trying to juggle taking a nap and watch the kids. I have closed all the doors to a crawler in the living room and just laid on the floor too exhausted to move and just been a jungle gym for them. I have stayed awake for more than two days when we didn’t have a sitter to watch them so I could nap. But truly? I wouldn’t give back a single moment. I do wish I could have stayed home and not worked, and been able to enjoy all the moments when I wasn’t tired. But that was not a part of God’s plan for our life. So here we are embarking on a new journey. A journey where I have no preschoolers! A journey where I can come home from work and go to sleep and sleep until I wake up. A journey where I have time to be me. It has been twelve years since I brought Sam home. We have had a crazy wild roller coaster ride. And I love my life. I am sad that this phase is now behind me. I am sad that the schools have my kids longer awake than I will.

But I am also excited. Excited for the friendships that will be made. Excited for the learning that will occur. Excited for the adventures, sports, art projects, concerts, and growing up that they will do this year. I am excited to see all that 7th, 5th, 2nd and kindergarten has to offer. I AM EXCITED TO SLEEP 🙂

But I am also concerned. Concerned for the children who are raised in loveless angry homes. Who come to school bitter and angry. The kids who haven’t been taught to be kind and loving and respectful. The kids who have never received love or who don’t know how to love. I am concerned for the teachers that are tired, that are burnt out and don’t receive the support and supplies they need from their district. I am concerned for the parents who don’t parent their children, and don’t correct poor behavior that will affect other children.

But you know what? God knows! God knows our hearts. God knows our needs and sees those who are broken hearted. As I sent my babies to school this week my prayer has been that God will literally shine through them. That when they see kids that are struggling that they will be the nice kids, the kids that help and support and encourage. We spoke about bullies, and we spoke about how bullies probably also are hurting, and that bullies don’t need people to be mean to them, they need people to love on them and be kind and most importantly to pray for them. So that my friends is what I ask you to do. If you are reading these words. PRAY! Pray for our kids, our teachers, our administrators. Pray for the education system in America. Teach your kids to be kind and loving to everyone. God will be with them. God will go before them. God speed my beautiful babies! I love you more than you will ever know! May this be an incredible year!

The End of another year

cannot believe we have completed another year of school. This year has been one of many challenges for our family. Financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually God has really met our needs. I cannot say that things have been easy or that we have always been happy and focused on the knowledge that God would meet the need when it was needed. But HE DID! This year for me I struggled so much with the finances. Having chronically ill children has put such a tremendous financial burden on our family. But God!!! That is all I can say! When I couldn’t figure it out He did. When I lost my hope He gave it back, when I felt like I was too tired and couldn’t work one more extra shift, and not sleep, He gave me what I needed to press on. And here we are these beauties of mine had a great year, well to be honest this year was a challenge for Sam, but he did it and did well, and God blessed him with some good friends, which was so needed.
Sam survived his first year of middle school. I can say it was as bad as I feared unfortunately. And the terrible thing is that it wasn’t about the kids that made it bad, it was the teachers. Sam is an incredible student and he made superintendents list all year (>95 in all classes) in honors classes. But there were two teachers that were just terrible to him. And it broke my heart. I might have unleased momma bear on one of them …. things improved after that. But Sam has struggled more this year with fatigue and stamina so as he is aging the medical is starting to play a bigger role in his life again.
Sophia finished the fourth grade with a great group of friends, with great grades, and with lots of excitement about being the oldest in the school in the fall! She continues to thrive and be social and make friends so easily. She is athletic and funny and loving. God is molding her into an incredible young lady.
My sweet little Preston really found himself this year. He struggled so much in kindergarden and I was so worried that this would be a terrible year. But God grew him so much and he thrived this year. He has surpassed grade level expectations and did amazing. He still fatigues easily and struggles when his immune system is down, but he did it and I am so proud.
My littlest love started Pre-K this year. She was so ready to be a “big kid” and go to school. We were so blessed to send her to a school where the principal and many of the staff were believers and weren’t afraid at all to share it with the students. I remember the first day walking into the school (public)_ and being over the moon excited to see scripture and Christian beliefs displayed. Paisley became such a compassionate child this year. She experienced being on the other side of being sick. There was a child in her class who had had a stroke and was in a wheelchair, she always helped him. Several teachers on several occasions reported that she helped whenever someone was hurt or sick or needed help. It blesses my heart so much to know this.
I look at these kids with such awe. I still cannot believe that I have been chosen to be there momma. How did God choose me? Yes these days can be so long and so exhausting but more than that they are a blessing, it is a blessing to watch what God has planned for these four incredible kids! I cannot wait for the fun summer adventures. The time that I get to love on my babies, in a hopefully less busy schedule. HAPPY SUMMER 2018!!!!!