An attempt to start blogging again...

It's been quite a while since I posted anything here. Summertime makes it harder, quite frankly, because I can't think straight long enough to get my thoughts sorted out to type them, particularly with my rowdy little boys running circles around me and needing stuff. I love being a mom, but it doesn't make for quiet times of reflection when we are on break from school. :-)

I haven't known where to start again, but I've felt the need to start posting again, whether anyone else is reading this or not. I like getting thoughts written down, especially ones that I think might impact someone else the way they've impacted me.

I was just reading in Romans and read a verse that puts into words something I know I was taught, but didn't realize was stated so well in just one verse, even though I'm sure I've read it several times in my life, and I thought it worth sharing:

Romans 3:20 says, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."

I think perhaps now that I have kids to whom I am working hard to teach the Word of God, there are certain things that are standing out to me now as I work to convey these principles to them. This is one of them. We all sin. We all will keep sinning. God's grace is what saves us through our faith in Him, believing that He died on the cross to save us from our sin, raising to life again, and coming to live in our hearts when we trust Him and ask His forgiveness.

Romans 3:22-24 says, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ."

Justified FREELY by His GRACE!

I pray my children understand this the best our human minds can comprehend.

"Motherhood as a Mission Field"

A friend posted a link to this blog today, and it really spoke to me. I wanted to keep it accessible to me for re-reading. And maybe it will speak to anyone else who happens to read my blog.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-as-a-mission-field

For the Good of Those Who Love Him

I am so thankful for the many ways God blesses me. I feel like I say this a lot, but it's true, and I'm just going to keep on! As I have mentioned before, our family of four will be moving to Tokyo, Japan by the end of this summer. (As of today, we are expecting to go over in August. This is subject to change at all times. Thus, the constant state of prayer and readiness.) :-)

Well, God has his hand in all that goes on, and I am loving how obviously He is showing it to me. There are two families also going over there on the same project that I am excited about getting to know. I have never met these two families, but thanks to Facebook, I am getting acquainted with the ladies. Ironically, one of the families is who we bought this house from. It's all crazy, I know.

What I am most excited about is that these families both love the Lord and serve Him and worship Him! God knows that we will all need each other, or at least I will need them! One of these ladies messaged the other two of us yesterday asking if we liked Beth Moore and would be interested in doing her Bible study on James once we were all there and settled. Ummm...that would be awesome!!! So, that is something else I can look forward to.

I am so thankful for these things and the way God is using this whole experience of moving to another country to teach me so much about Him. Just since we decided we were going on this huge adventure, before we even leave, I feel like I have grown so much spiritually. I am amazed daily at what God is doing in my heart and my life through all of this, and so grateful for the way He is "working all things together for our good."

Baseball!

I will just admit now that I LOVE watching my kids play ball! So far, they love it too. They play football and baseball mostly. We are currently in baseball season, and I'm loving it. I have always loved it. I even loved traveling around watching my little brother, who is now playing professional golf, play ball (basketball, baseball, even some golf on occasion). I eat this stuff up!


It is so fun to see them develop. Tyler has been practicing and really improving. He's playing first base mostly, and getting some good hits. He's playing coach pitch, which makes it easier to hit the ball. Kid pitch will be a whole new world. He's doing great, and he has a good team, which makes it more fun. (Let's be honest here. It's just more fun when you win some games.) Of course these boys are 7 and 8 years old, and their minds can still wander while they're on the field. But they're doing well (3 wins, 0 losses, 1 tie), and having a good time.


Tucker had his first t-ball game on Monday. His second one is tonight. THIS is a hoot! There are a lot of 4 year olds and some 5 year olds on his team. He and maybe one other boy have a clue what is going on. It's funny when he's on base and he will get to second base, where there is no coach to tell the kid to run (with a slight shove to get him going), and Tucker is standing there telling the kid to run so he can get on the bag. 


There are kids running all over the place! One runner from the other team knocked Tucker over in front of the pitcher's mound trying to get the ball. Yes, he was that out of place. MANY of them were lost, and it was quite frankly hilarious! I hope they begin to learn soon, but it's so entertaining too. Tyler even admitted that it was more entertaining than his games, even though they were better. :-)


Here are a few photos of the boys looking absolutely adorable in their uniforms (says their mama)! I'm going to have to get some more in the next few weeks.

He is Faithful!

I am amazed at how much God has blessed me. I may have written this before. But I just feel so blessed. I have a loving husband who works hard to provide for our family. I have two amazing little boys who are healthy and fun and bring such joy to our lives. I have a beautiful home that I enjoy with my family. And I am able to be a stay at home mom, taking care of my wonderful family and home. I am so blessed.


I also love the time I have in the mornings, once I've sent the kids to school and the husband to work, that I get to spend with the Lord. It is so quiet and I can really dwell on Him. It has made such a difference in my life, and I am thankful for this time. 


"Jesus Calling," by Sarah Young, said this today: "Be still in the light of My Presence, while I communicate Love to you." As a mother of two little boys who are full of life (i.e. loud and active), it is essential that I find time to "be still" and really dwell in His Presence, allowing His Love to surround me. My whole outlook on life, but particularly the daily things that may seem insignificant, is truly impacted by this. I have found true joy and peace in Him.


Now, this is not to say that I don't still have days when I feel down or overwhelmed. But it does mean that I have hope, and that I know where to turn when I feel this way. It's not always easy to get back up, but knowing where to go for help makes all the difference in the world. As much as I love and depend on my husband, he is not the one I should turn to to pick me back up. Only Jesus can really do this. People fail. God does not. This is a promise that I can rely on. God is in control of my life, and I can depend on Him to help me through anything I may face, big or small. For this, I am so thankful!

Surgery #4

Tyler will be having a tonsillectomy tomorrow. He's had three surgeries in his life already, so this will be the fourth. They've all been "routine" surgeries, and he has done well with each of them. He's had 2 sets of tubes put in, adenoids removed, and the last set of tubes had to be surgically removed. This tonsillectomy will be more painful afterwards...and for longer than these others. All 4 of these surgeries have been with the same ENT, so that's comforting. We like her. And we know he hasn't had any trouble with anesthesia. Of course, my mommy brain still makes me just a little bit worried about it. It is a surgery, after all.


And did you know that it is possible for adenoids to grow back? I didn't know that, but it's possible. So they'll check for that too. If they've grown back, he'll have those removed again as well. I don't imagine that will add any more discomfort or pain than he'll already have. I have been advised to keep the pain meds in him on schedule before he needs to ask for it.


His first surgery was when he was only about 20 months old, I think. The next one was at age 5. The third at age 7. Now his fourth is at age 8. I don't think he's nervous, but we'll see for sure tonight and in the morning. He knows this doctor well enough since we've been seeing her since he was a baby. She has boys his age too, and is good with him. 


He is most looking forward to missing school. (No offense to his wonderful teacher.) But we did plan it for when he will not be missing as much. They are out of school next Monday through Wednesday for Mardi Gras - a perk to living in Louisiana, although their Spring Break isn't until Easter. So, he will maybe only miss 4 days of school. 


Cammie (my Mama) will be getting here sometime tonight to be here, particularly to help with Tucker for the first few days. He's going to miss his constant playmate while Tyler is sleeping and recovering for a while. He's really excited that Cammie is coming to play with him, especially the painting part. :-)


Well, I need to get ready to go to the store. I've got to stock up on ice cream!

Peace

On this rainy day here in St. Francisville, LA, God still gives me a few peeks of the sun to help me know He's with me. As I was journaling a prayer to Him, sitting in my glider by the windows of our sitting area, the sun peeked through at a particular time, for just a few seconds, and I really felt God's Presence with me. Isn't it amazing how that can happen when we are focused on God? We can really recognize Him.

I also took a little walk down to the pond this morning after bringing the garbage cans back up to the house. It was soggy from all the rain, but it was so peaceful. There are geese and ducks by the pond. And I watched the two ducks waddle back into the water and swim around, side by side. It was nice. Nature is just so beautiful, peaceful, and calming. And I needed that. I've always enjoyed just sitting in the quiet of nature. It can heal.

There are so many things changing and so many decisions to make, that it's just good to see the beauty of God's creation, to feel His peace. I guess that's part of the reason Jeremy likes to go fishing down there after work. Or why he's always enjoyed fishing and hunting. Just to be in nature, away from the worries of life and decisions and responsibilities, and enjoy time in the beauty God has given us.

I thank God all the time that he's given us this home to enjoy as long as we are here. We are surrounded by this beauty and quiet. He knows what we need and when we need it. He's in control of our lives, and I thank Him for it!

Blessed

I am just feeling blessed today. Well, really I'm blessed every day. But today I just feel like sharing this feeling.

I am so thankful to God that I get to be a stay-at-home mom! This has been my heart's desire for as long as I can remember, and I've been able to do it since Tyler was born (8+ years now). And the Lord has made it possible. I have an amazing husband who loves me and takes care of me. He has a good job that provides for our family. We have two amazing little boys that I love. I am just so thankful that I have this opportunity.

I love being able to participate in my kids' lives, whether they are at home, at school, playing ball, whatever. I love being able to go to the school and have lunch with them when I want. I love going on field trips with them. I love going to their classrooms to help with stuff and get to know their friends. I love watching them play football, baseball, LEGO's, fishing, or whatever else they do.

I also love being able to go grocery shopping "unassisted" when there are not so many people at the store in the middle of the week during the school year. (Let's be honest now.) I love being able to take care of my home. I really don't mind most of the housework, except for dusting. I hate dusting. I love being able to take care of things that Jeremy needs me to take care of while he is at work. I love being "Mom."

I am also thankful for the other moms in my life, whether they "stay home" too, or not. My two older sisters are the ones I go to for advice and prayer first and most often. I know and love and trust them, and I know they will pray for me. I also know that they are in the "trenches" of motherhood, just like me. There are others that live around me that I see and talk to occasionally, who help me to feel like a normal mom whose kids aren't perfect but no less precious. There are blogs I read that encourage me in my marriage and in motherhood. Then there are my Facebook friends, who post the funny, crazy, or challenging things their kids are doing. These things all help me.

There is much encouragement in sharing life's joys and challenges with those around us. None of us is perfect. And neither are our kids (or husbands). I appreciate the shared misery (ha ha!), the inspiration, and the challenges that other moms give me, as well as the prayer, support, and encouragement. Thank you, fellow moms!

Christmas 2011 (a month later)

Yes, I realize it is the end of January. But I just realized that I still had pictures from Christmas on my camera as I was getting the recent fishing pictures off of it. Well, better late than never, right? I'm going to let the pictures tell the story (with just a bit of narration).

Spreading the reindeer food; I love how the flash on the camera caught the food flying through the air! And yes, it's warm enough on Christmas Eve to be wearing short sleeves.

Look what Santa brought! This thing is amazing, but they still haven't put it together and made it work. It's a robot that you build with LEGO's. It has software that makes it work and talk and obey commands. I think Santa brought it for Jeremy as much as for the boys!

These boys LOVE their football cards!

And the new Madden NFL 2012 for Wii

Yes, he's excited.

A big ol' box of Lincoln Logs

Happy Boys!

New Nerf guns! You can't have too many of those...or can you?!

I think he likes it.

And of course, the LEGO's

Santa also brought them scooters, which they love.

 Now it's time to build the new LEGO sets.

This is not nearly all of them.

We also went to visit Jeremy's brother, Pete, and his family and in-laws to have Christmas with them. This little cutie is Jackson, Pete's son. The boy LOVES tractors!

This is what we got him. They were all excited about it. 

Older cousins helping out

Isn't he just precious?!

Tucker's fish

Well, after the 8 lb bass Tyler caught on Friday, the boys were fishing again on Saturday. This time, it was Tucker's turn to catch a good one. He was proud of his catch. Jeremy said it was about a 1 1/2 lb one. Good catch for Tucker, particularly since he doesn't stick around long enough to actually catch anything. A 5 year old needs constant activity, and fishing just doesn't always do that.

But on this particular day, he hung in there long enough to make a catch. Perhaps he'll be encouraged enough to stick with it longer next time he goes out there.

Here's the proud boy with his catch:

Tyler's Big Fish

Tyler caught the biggest fish of his life (so far) tonight. This bass was 8 lbs!!! And 23 inches long! They were fishing at the pond in our backyard just as it was getting dark. Tyler and his Daddy were quite proud and so excited! Tyler came running into the house to tell me to get the camera and bring it out. I was not expecting something so big. I mean, this is something the professional fishermen would be excited about. (I know, because I've seen the fishing shows.) :-)


Tyler and I were running back and forth up to the house to get things we needed. We had to get the camera, a flashlight (it started getting dark), the scale, some string, and Jeremy's boots because it was muddy and I was fussing at him for getting his good shoes muddy. We needed the string to keep a hold of her in the water because Tucker had fallen asleep, and we were trying to keep her long enough for Tucker to wake up and see it. I ended up just picking him up and carrying him out there to see it.


It was quite exciting, and Tyler wanted to be sure I showed everyone the pictures! So, here they are...

Tyler, the author

Last Friday, Tyler's teacher sent me a text message to let me know that Tyler was a 1st place young authors winner!  He won 1st place in 3rd grade for non-fiction at his school.  Now his writing will be sent to the state competition, which will be in the spring.

Needless to say, I had a big, proud smile on my face.  We are all excited for him.  His writing was a class assignment near the beginning of the school year.  There is some exaggeration to make for "juicy" writing, as they call it.  Here it is.  (And for the record...his daddy does have time to help with dinner, particularly helping to clean it up every night.) :-)

Tucker's first tooth

Well, my 5 year old BABY Tucker lost his first tooth yesterday!  He came home with a "big surprise" from school yesterday. His little baby tooth was in a ziploc.  He said he pulled it out himself, just like Tyler did with his first tooth one day in kindergarten.  There was no drama, no blood.  Just a very proud 5 year old with a tooth, ready to put under his pillow that night, along with a little note for the tooth fairy saying how excited he was. :-)

My babies are growing up too fast.  But I am proud of the little boys that they are and the young men they are going to become.  I love them with all of my heart!

He got tired of me trying to get a picture of the space in his teeth, so he doesn't look too happy. His teeth are a bit crowded, so it is a small space.

Here he is at bedtime ready to put his tooth and the note under his pillow for the tooth fairy. :-)

Football Boys

My boys LOVE football and everything associated with it. They especially love the Saints. :-) But they just love football in general. They also have an insane number of football cards, along with some baseball, basketball, and maybe some other kinds. But they each have 500-600 football cards. And it's kind of crazy how much they, even the 5 year old, know about the game of football and so many of the players in the NFL.

I ran across these photos and just wanted to share them because I think they're good pictures.