Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014 Got here fast and flew by.  Last year we were in China and kind of "missed Christmas"  It really put a new perspective on things for me.  We just ran out of time and didn't to purchase all the gifts we usually purchase.  We didn't attend work parties, sunday school parties, friend parties, etc.  We were in China with Miles and were even separated from our kids Christmas morning and didn't get to do "Santa" with them. Although I missed that time terribly and wished more than anything on Christmas to be all together, we still had the reason for the season.  Perhaps last year we felt the joy of Christ's birth on Christmas all the more because HE is all we had.  We had plenty of time to worship, be thankful, and to reflect on Christ, the perfect gift.  Being gone last Christmas made this Christmas all the more special.  As crazy and busy as this season was, I tried to reflect on the important things about Christmas and the most important thing, Christ's birth.

The grandkids on Christmas Eve.  Wow!  Watching these kids grow and know that times are changing.  Trying to enjoy every minute of it while it lasts.

Ethan, Syd, Miah, and Miles around the tree before they went to bed on Christmas eve.  Wearing their Christmas PJ's

A very sleepy Miles on Christmas morning.

Zach partaking in his usual role of toy assembly on Christmas morning

\

Miah trying out her Karaoke Machine.  I think it was a favorite

Mom and Miles enjoying some nice weather Christmas day.  It was one of the only days it didn't rain the whole Christmas break.

Sydney passing out presents at Grandmas on Christmas night

Ethan playing a video game he got for Christmas.  This year was full of airsoft equipment!  Even thought this picture shows him on the couch, I am proud to say he was outside playing by 9am.  

Thirteen, How did you get here so fast?

Sydney!  Oh wow, thirteen years old. Are you sure we are ready for this.  You get to be my first and I am sure I will do all the wrong stuff and say all the wrong things, but somehow, we will make it through, and despite me, you are and will continue to be an amazing young woman who makes me proud everyday.  When I think back about this year and the so many things that have happened in your life, I am amazed at how you have handled yourself.  You graciously accepted a new brother into our family. You set the example to your younger siblings in your unconditional love for him.  You had an awful accident and went through surgery and months of physical therapy.  I saw you doing cartwheels yesterday and am so thankful for God's healing of your leg.  That was not an easy time for you, but I saw God making you stronger through it.  You reluctantly did the swim team this summer because I wanted you too and found out that you are an awesone swimmer!  You participated in your school's drama production and rose to the challenge.  You amaze me!  You learned all your lines and did a fantastic job!!!  I am so proud of you for trying new things and stretching yourself beyond your comfort zone.  Most importantly, I see you living out your faith in your life.  You always seek to do the right thing and set a good example. Already at 13, I see you making hard choices and being true to yourself despite what might be popular at the time.  You know who you are and are content to be with people who love you and care about you and do not seek to gain approval of others because of their status or popularity.  It takes some people a lifetime to learn that.  I love you sweet girl!!  Happy 13th Birthday.




Sydney as the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Zoombie Land

Photo Update

Everytime I do this I realize how much I want to write and remember.  There is a whole story behind each of these pictures.

Ethan and Miles enjoying their ice cream.  Two happy boys!

Miah is quite the patient teacher.  I knew she would be a "little mother" to Miles, and I think she really enjoys that role.  These two are closest in age and they have a very special bond.

Sydney is getting so big.  I know have a teenager! How did that happen?  She is such a good girl, with a good head on her shoulders and a sweet group of friends.

Quick picture at Chick fil a on our road trip to TX.  We had a great time. hope to do a long blog post on that soon!!!

Road trip

TEXAS !

Some much needed girl time!

We have had so many huge milestones so close together, I almost cannot catch my breath.  I don't want to miss a single one! 

A Lesson in Contentment

It has been so long since I have written anything on a regular basis.  Trying to get back in the grove and I feel at a loss with what to write about.  I keep waiting for something new and exciting to happen to give me some new writing platform, but I think that is just the thing.  I am in the deep muddy waters of parenting and in this season it is all I can do just to put one foot in front of the other. 

Yesterday was one of those looooong parenting days.  My first kiddo got up at 6:30 am and the last did not finally get settled in the bed until almost 10:00, and it seemed every second in between was a challenge. I have been working less and staying home more which is an absolute answer to prayer, but I never realized how working those 2 days every week was such a break.  It really is a mental game. When I am home, I  have to be on guard, not to feel isolated and depressed because sometimes being at home just me and the kiddos can be a very lonely place. When I do work, all I want is to be at home and not miss a second of involvement with my littles. With that kind of struggle going on from the minute our kiddos are born until they move away from home, no wonder all of us mama's are nuts!! Trying to learn contentment in whatever phase of life I am in, and boy am I a bad student at times. I spend so much time and energy wishing for things to be different, wishing our situations were different. 0nly to find out so many times that it is not the situation, it is just me being discontent, unsatisfied, void of peace, unthankful.  I think about my children and how hard we work to provide for them.  I have vivid memories of working really hard one Christmas to make everything perfect and special and one of my children voicing discontent and disappointment over her gifts on Christmas morning.  Its hard to even verbalize the feelings I had as my child, that I loved with all my heart, voiced dissatisfaction with what I had worked so hard to make perfect for Christmas.  Part of me wanted to "fix"  whatever the issue was that was causing her unhappiness, but the other part of me, knew that this was an issue of the heart.  I listened to my little girl express sadness that she didn't get a specific gift on her Christmas list and I thought about my own discontentment.  (Okay, I really thought, you little brat, look at all this stuff you have and you want to ruin the morning because you didn't get one of the 10 items on your Christmas list?)  But then as the Lord so often does, he showed me the direct parallel of what I must look like to my heavenly Father.  I sit in a home, filled with plenty, a pantry full of food, a closet full of clothes, two cars in my garage, and complain to the Lord because I can't do this or my life doesn't look like this.  Father, what must that look like to you?  Just as my little one should have been content simply for the fact that it was Christmas morning and the wonderful reason for the holiday, we as her parents knew she was a long way from being content with just that. But perhaps her lesson in not getting exactly what she wanted moved her a little closer to that contented  state. I am sure as The Lord looks at me and desires me to be content in Him regardless of my circumstances, He sees that I am a long way from that contented state. Perhaps even farther than my little one on Christmas. He loves me despite my short comings and knows how far I have come, but oh so far I have to go. Lord, that I would be content in you alone. Regardless of my season, in lean times that can sometimes seem impossible, and in seasons of abundance, in times of sorrow and in times of great joy. I love my children, even though raising them takes more strength and energy that ever imagined, but I know that I will not always have these babies in my nest. Life is always changing, seasons of life never stay the same. Today I literally  did not have a second for my brain to think one uninterrupted thought. Perhaps in 30 years my house will be very quite with too much time for uninterrupted thought. My struggles and challenges will be very different. Father, help me begin to today to practice being content in you alone, regardless of my season, regardless of circumstances.  

I know both how to have little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content--whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need . Phil 4:12. HSB

Run for One

We participated in Lifeline's Run for One 5k. This was the first one in GA. Lots of fun with my kiddos and friends. Hope this run will be even bigger next year. How neat to be able to run with all my kiddos for such a special event! 

First Day of school

I just blinked here they were, kiddos going into 2nd, 4th, and 7th grades. Can't believe how fast we have gotten  here. Back to schedules and structure, early bedtime, and homework. I always get a little sad this time of year. Wish summer would last forever. 

Summer Catch Up!

In complete random order, some fun photos from summer!

Miles on Ethan's bike before we got lost on the bike trails at Clinton Farm

A

Swim team awards! Lots and lots of swimming this summer.

Singing after a busy VBS week

Miah at her first swim meet

Miles getting a haircut, he was such a trooper. 

Fun with friends 

  Lots of time at the pool 

We had a fun summer. Wow it went by in a flash. We spent lots of at time at the pool, riding bikes, and just being outside. The kids enjoyed all being home together this summer. Miles is going to miss his siblings when school starts back.  We did manage to squeeze in a beach trip and VBS fun.