13 Going on...

Today I have the privilege of celebrating one of my favorite young men!!  13 years ago today our easy-going, flexible, low-key, witty Nathaniel was born!  I really did want him born on the 4th of July but there was just no way to wait any longer, we were just about 2 hours away for the 4th, close enough!

Nate has been such an amazing kid, always surprising us with his quick humor or his naturally laid-back attitude.  I know with him, I have had it easy!!  I believe he is an "old soul", way mature beyond his mere 13 years. 

He is growing up to be a young man of character and integrity, which any parent will tell you is more important than accomplishments or awards.  At least in my estimation any way! We are looking forward to the many years we have with this fine young man, to watch the journey God has Nate on, cheering and encouraging him along the way. 
He has been a true blessing to our family, a great joy to watch grow.  I cannot wait to see where the next 13 years will take him.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHANIEL DAVID!!

How can 15 years fly by?

I know we hear the saying, "time fly's" but it really has.  15 years ago today, my little family of 3 grew to 4. Our amazing, adventurous, curious Hailey was born.  She came in at mach 10 speed with her hair on fire that is for sure.  She wasn't waiting for anyone, so the nurse in charge delivered her.  The doctor showed up later!!
I remember thinking about what life would be like with the addition of a second child.  I had all the same concerns any young parent has, about whether we would be able to love our second child as much as the first. The minute she entered our world, the answer was so clear! YES!! Words cannot express the joy she has brought to our family. It is so amazing how one little person can light up a room.  Her older sister Annie adored her from the moment she met her.  They continue to have a very close relationship and I pray it lasts their entire life.

Not only has she brought us great joy, but she is growing to be a lady of great character and conviction and more than any other prayer that we prayed, this one had been our greatest desire for Hailey.  It has been so much fun to watch her grow physically but more importantly, spiritually.  She has a natural desire to learn and research. Looking for the answers to the questions that she comes up with.  We feel so blessed that God in his infinite wisdom chose to place Hailey in our family. I am in awe of God and how he thought so highly of us to give us such an amazing gift. Dave and I will continue to take care of our gift (all three) to the best of our ability.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAILEY!!!

 

Just in Time...

I don't believe in coincidences. You may disagree with me and that is perfectly fine. But I really don't believe in coincidences because I don't believe that anything on this earth just happened by chance. I believe that everything we see or experience is on purpose and with a plan.  This morning I FINALLY picked up my bible, it has been a while and I am working on consistency.  Wouldn't you know it, two different verses just popped out as I was reading and smacked me right in the face!! I love God's gentle ways!!
Here is the first verse and my realizations with it:
1 Kings 15:11&14 (Stick with me on this one, ok?)  11-Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. 14-Asa's heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.
Now normally I am not a huge fan of the Old Testament but I love the bible and I know God speaks to me personally through every word. What struck me as I was reading this passage was how Asa had to clean out some things and get rid of the garbage that his ancestors had been collecting.  What dawned on me is that I have been collecting garbage in my own heart that I need to fully clean out and start fresh and when I do that, I make room for the new, good things God has for me. Asa then was able to fully commit to God all his life, because he made room for God. I want that!! 

The second verse which is in the New Testament (I chose the Amplified version) is a very familiar verse, but I thought it went along with the above verse, kind of a reminder then a promise for me. The second verse is:
Philippians 4:19 (Amp) - And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 
What was so encouraging to me here are the words I underlined, MY GOD, what a possessive and powerful statement, God is Ours!! And then that He promises to supply EVERY NEED.  Does that mean He is promising me we will win the lottery, NO.  But He is promising to take care of all that I NEED.  And what I do know about God is that He never breaks His promises!!

That's my thoughts on this beautiful morning, be encouraged!!
 

Another clever craft...

with the school year winding down, I love to look for a few crafts to keep my creative juices flowing. I look for opportunities to slip in some "Me time", when we don't have something going on in our house. Granted, I always think I will accomplish a lot more each summer than I actually do, but that's okay.
So here are some magnets my friend and I made last summer and I meant to post them. I love these because they are super quick to put together and can make a great addition to any present. I had made a magnetic recipe/photo holder so these magnets went along with that craft, but magnets are useful any where and these are way cuter than some of the store bought, generic kind.
The supplies you will need are simple and can be found in most craft stores. I used 2 sizes of the clear glass decorative beads, they are round on one side and flat on the other. I also used scrabble tiles and large buttons. I punched circles with a circle punch from a variety of scrapbook paper, then just started putting smaller buttons on the large button, linking the scrabble tiles together to make words and placing the printed paper circles under the glass beads. Get creative and mess around until you find what you like. I used a hot glue gun to adhere the smaller buttons onto the larger button, but used a product called Diamond Glaze to fix the paper circles to the glass beads, it dries very quickly, but clear. To fix the magnet onto the back of each creation, I used something called E-6000, it is pretty powerful, but will make sure the magnet doesn't come off the back of your project, EVER!
So that's my craft project for the week...give it a try with the items you may have just lying around, it's quick and easy and they are darn cute!

Not my favorite subject, but necessary...

I know this topic really isn't favored by many of us, but I just wanted to put this out there for any of you who are reading this or even care.
This past month and a half has been a very real reminder to me that Dave and I need to make sure we have "all our affairs in order" so to speak. The subject of dying isn't a popular one that's for sure, but since the death of my sweet friend Jenna and now her husband Eric, it has left me reeling. Jenna had been battling cancer for almost 4 years, so her death wasn't necessarily a surprise. Eric passed away just a few days ago, a little less than a month after Jeanna from an apparent heart attack, that was very unexpected. Now the family is scrambling because they did not prepare a will or give specific directions as to where they would want their two boys to live in the event they both passed away. No one could have imagined this scenario, no one ever does.
So, my post is merely to remind you, if you have not prepared something that is legally binding, directions about where your kids will go, who you want them to live with and other important information, please do something NOW!! Do not hesitate or put it off any longer. There are even online resources that aren't super expensive to get your will drawn up fairly quickly and painlessly!
I realize this post isn't super reflective, spiritual or encouraging, but I do believe with all my heart that it is important and that's why I am writing this. I promise the next time I post, I will write something light or enlightened!! (I can't guarantee it, but I will try)

Conquering Fears

So, I thought I would be able to post an entry each night, but that didn't go as planned. Way too tired. So here we are on Day 5 in Maui and what I think I will do is give a little recap with a couple pictures to highlight our trip so far. First, the weather has been really wonderful. It has showered, but as everyone says here..."Maui makes its own weather"! So true! We initially thought we would be disappointed because of the rain, but it really is refreshing and the clouds make the most amazing sunsets! The temperature has averaged 85 degrees and with a nice breeze and a quick shower or two, it has been so comfortable. On Day 3 we hung out around the little touristy town of Lahaina. It was cloudy, but still 85 degrees. Dave then took the kids into the ocean out in front of our condo and gave them some snorkel lessons, they did great!
Day 4 has been our favorite so far! We went on a snorkel excursion to Molokini Crater and then a Luau. It was a day for many little victories to say the least. I faced my fear and got on the boat, no panic attacks or anything!! I never got into the water with Dave and the kids to snorkel, but that's o.k., because I was on the boat and it got a little rough in places and I did fine!! Yeah Me! Annie then faced her fear and got into the open ocean, she did fantastic. Hailey then tried octopus at the Luau!! We all were quite proud of ourselves. I am so thankful for this time to make memories, we all know what an incredible blessing this is...Mahalo, Lord! I will write more tomorrow evening after our adventures from Day 5 & 6.

ALOHA!

Wow! It's hard to believe we are here in Maui! We have been saving and dreaming about this vacation for so long, it always seemed to be way far off on the horizon. But here we are, our first day in Maui and loving every minute. And feeling way beyond blessed! Our flight went well, for the most part, only one minor inconvenience, for Dave that is. Unfortunately, he had to endure the entire flight next to an older gentleman who apparently did not believe in deodorant or showering for that matter. I didn't realize it until we were about 2 hours into our flight and I caught a whiff. Being the empathetic wife that I am, I had an extremely difficult time controlling my laughter! I know, my compassion just shined through at that moment!
I think the highlight of this day had to be the sea turtle who came to greet us when we arrived at the condo this afternoon, so cool! Then a close second was the view from our Lanai', truly tropical! I will continue this little journal each evening. I'll try to pick out the highlights, not to make anyone envious, but just cause I love sharing my thoughts and hope someone might enjoy it!
I learned something during the flight, just a little nugget. There was a little turbulence during the flight and my fear started to get the better of me. But, what I realized when that was happening was that just as in life, the minute I feel out of control in a situation, I have to remember who is at the wheel, Jesus and I can completely trust his direction and control in my life! It was fun to see the parallel and it actually help me keep control of my fear! I thought it was cool!

This Parenting Journey

Well, I am hoping that in some small way my blog will encourage and inspire those of you who read it. I am also determined to try to write something each week about my thoughts on this wild and crazy adventure called "parenting". I am not even really sure anyone reads this, but even if one person does and feels some encouragement, I will be blessed.
So, here it goes....
I have been on this little parenting adventure for almost 16 years. It is so hard to imagine that when Dave and I first learned that, Yes, we would be parents back in 1994, our lives would look like they do today. I really don't believe any of us can truly imagine what parenting will be like and what a crazy ride we are about to embark on. I know many of us "dream" about being parents, about not making the same "mistakes" our parents made and all that...but could any of us really know what we were getting ourselves into??? I think NOT! I can honestly say that I have LOVED being a parent. Now I am not saying I have LOVED every minute of it, I am just saying I love being a parent! I admit, I do not miss potty training or the tantrums or the power struggles of the will. I can still feel the helplessness when one of the kids got hurt, Praise God we only had 2 emergency room visits...so far!
But there has been such great joy and even a little pride as I watch each of our children grow into becoming young women and men of character. I realize that I have many years ahead of me, more heartache and more joy...but I can honestly say so far, this has been an amazing journey. So let me encourage you if you are just beginning...parenting has so many wonderful, amazing, joy-filled moments, don´t let those days where everything seems to go wrong and you are tired of being needed, physically, get you down. There will, for sure, come a day where they need you less...less clinging to your leg or on your lap and they will need you more, emotionally and for coaching.
It´s a wonderful progression.

Weekly Craft Post...

Recipe/Picture Holder

Well, I have been thinking a lot about different things, so I thought I would try to share a weekly craft I have either found or actually come up with myself, some may be both. I love finding an idea and then being able to "tweek" it a little. I hope you enjoy this, I would love to get your feedback on what you think of these. There have been a couple ideas that I have toyed with selling at local bazaars, but am not sure if they are something anyone would actually buy!
This first craft is a variation of a combination of ideas I saw at Craft Warehouse and something I received several years ago. This holder is made from a pretty heavy gauge steel, I had to get it from a friend because none of the craft stores carry the gauge I wanted. I love the ability to personalize these holders for peoples decor. I wanted to come up with a food related saying so I used "Eat your heart out", I also wanted to be able to use a variety of symbols or items to write out the saying so I used the dictionary definition for EAT, the a heart button for HEART and so on. I made the magnets out of different materials as well, and those are a craft for another week. :o)
Well, that's my idea for this week, let me know what you think!!

They grow up soooo fast...

I have heard that statement so often as a parent. When each of my kids was born, I would be reminded, by very wise and seasoned parents that; "They grow up so fast, savor every moment". I definitely have taken that advice to heart and have LOVED being a Mom. Well, this past weekend the idea that my kids are growing up smacked my husband and I directly in the face!! Our oldest daughter went to her first High School dance with a young man!! Ahhhh!!! There were a mirad of emotions that flooded my mind, I was having a hard time processing everything I was thinking and feeling. My daughter kept assuring me..."He's just a friend, we are going just as FRIENDS!" I believe her, I really do, but as I watched her spend time with her friends getting ready and then having dinner...at our house of course, I realized my baby is growing up. I am way beyond blessed by what a wonderful young lady she has become, but there is a little sadness as I realize she is moving closer to being independent. Isn't that what every parent desires for their children? Of course it is, but with this new season comes a little grief for what is now gone. So, remember..."They grow up so fast, savor every moment!"

Books...I just LOVE them!

O.K. So most of you know that I have been lets say...."at my leisure" for the last 6+ months and I have had more than enough time to read just a few books. I am being extremely sarcastic, in reality I have read more than 20 books in the last 7 months and because of that I want to share a few. My first book recommendation for you is "The Wednesday Letters" by Jason Wright. I would love it if anyone would like to share your thoughts on this book, if you get the chance to read it. I LOVED it and am going to have each of my girls read it...a great story of forgiveness and restoration!! Yeah, that's what someone else said, and I completely agree. So take some time...sit down with this book, your favorite beverage and enjoy. I read it in about 4 days, a very quick read, but like I said, I am at my leisure right now. I really want to know what you think!

It's Almost Christmas....

I just love this time each year, even with all the scheduling and busyness, I love Christmas. We got our tree up and decorated in record time! Partly due to the fact that I bought a fake, wait, "Artificial" Christmas tree last year. Now, I don't want to hear any thing about that, it was essential to our safety really. Last years tree became so dry with our wood stove burning constantly, I really thought the tree would spontaneously ignite at any moment. This year we can keep the tree up until Valentine's Day if we so choose, which we might. The rest of the house is all decorated too, though I didn't even open some of the boxes, simpler is better, right? I do wish it would snow, I absolutely loved having snow last year, it just seemed much more leisurely and relaxed. There was plenty of time to visit and play! I still took time to bake and create, hoping the gifts would be enjoyed. Now on to wrapping, why oh why do I wait until the last minute? Every year I vow that I will begin wrapping as soon as I have the presents, but again this year there are stacks of presents in my closet waiting to be wrapped!! Next year I will be more diligent, next year!

Lead On

How easy is it to allow someone else to lead? I know it isn't easy for me at all, because I am a "control freak". Allowing someone else to lead is probably THE MOST difficult thing for me to do. But, I love how God works on my heart, always subtle and very gentle. Earlier this summer, God revealed to me something about my nature that I needed to change, and it was a little scary. My family and I went to a water park, we had a great time with all the fun water slides. Water everywhere. But, in the midst of the fun, I discovered something about myself just by going down a really big water slide backwards! I hate not being in control, not being able to see where I am going or having any control in the matter. Whether that is a particular circumstance in my life, my home or whatever else there is to control, I HATE not having control. Now honestly, I did know this about myself, but have actually been pretty proud of the fact that I am a control freak. The funny thing is, God knows this about me too and He is asking me if I trust Him enough to go down the "water slide" of life backwards! Can I do it? We will see. This will be a huge test of my obedience to Him.

Graduation

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Daughters and their Dad

This years Father-Daughter dinner was wonderful and my girls looked so grown up. As the girls got ready for their big date with Dad, I was overwhelmed with the thought of how quickly time goes by. I have heard it over a hundred times, especially when they were in their toddler years...how fast time goes by and they grow up. But the impact of that statement really hit both Dave and I this year. They are growing so fast, and in just a couple months, we will officially have a High Schooler. Each time I think about that, I have to stop myself from going further down the path toward adulthood with my children. For now, I will enjoy the age they are, not wanting, for one minute, to rush this or wish the days away. They really do go by so quickly!

A Simple Act of Worship

I wanted to share this amazing song and beautiful worship video. As I really took time to listen to the words of this song as well as observing the depth of those worshiping, I was deeply moved, and also a bit envious. I thought to myself "could this be a small taste of what we may experience in Heaven someday??" I don't know for sure, but I sure hope so! I also realized how many times I am inadequate to really worship God. I realize I don't have the best voice, I will never sing like this woman, but my heart many times is not into worshiping. Honestly, I was convicted, I don't give my Father the adoration and worship due Him, and I need to get better at it. So, I encourage you to take a moment to click on the link below, and start or finish your day with a little adoration to your Creator! It is so apparent these people really understand what it means to "worship" our Father.

Enjoy!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c75ae0615c9ae4c335b4

The New You!

I was hit by the sudden realization we are in a New Year! I know, it comes after Christmas every year, so why am I so surprised?? The celebration of the new year has always been a symbol of change and new beginnings, which is encouraging...to realize you have a fresh start. That got me excited, but what topped this thought was when I was watching my bible study online and the teacher made the most inspiring comment, she said ...."Why do we walk around like we are 100% fine, putting on the cloak of perfectionism, when behind closed doors we are really only about 70% o.k.?"
Wow, that really hit home for me, and made me think....which is pretty exciting in and of itself!. I realized I need to be sure I haven't put up my facade, walking around as if I am 100%, when reality is, I will never be 100%, at least not until I die. Don't get me wrong, I am content and excited about what God has in store for me in 2009, but her comment really challenged me to be more real, more authentic. I don't really like to write out resolutions, cause it seems so cliche', but I love setting goals, so this year, I will attempt to be what I really am...no facades or cloaks, just the real me! That may be good or it could be bad, either way....the truth be told, it's who I am.

On the twelveth day of Christmas...

the blessing I found.....TIME!

How does the old saying go??? Out of the mouths of babes?

Though she really isn't a babe anymore, Hailey said it best: "I think this has been the best Christmas so far. We haven't been running around crazy, in the car all day. We have just been spending time at home, watching movies and playing in the snow. I really like when we can do that."


Dave and I have been intentional this Christmas, to not get caught up in the frenzy of activity that can take place this time of year. Hailey's comment was a confirmation to us both, that even though this slower pace has felt foreign in so many ways, we made the right choice, and our kids have noticed.


The best Christmas gift...the gift of time and rest. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On the eleventh day of Christmas....

the blessing I found.......GIVING!
This blessing isn't really a new one to Christmas, giving is one of the main messages of the birth of Christ. But, as a family, we have a tradition of giving. We set aside a certain dollar amount and then go grocery shopping with half of it and then present shopping with the other half.
The kids look forward to this tradition and begin reminding us early in the season.
We take all the goodies to Open House Ministries here in Vancouver, and I love watching the kids as they unload all the purchases and present them to someone at the shelter.
I am very grateful of the generous nature each of the kids is developing, but I know it takes Dave and I as parents, being intentional with these life lessons.
I pray the gifts we brought will be a huge blessing to those who receive them.

On the tenth day of Christmas...

the blessing I found.....HOME!

O.K., so I know we have been house bound for a couple days, but we decided to venture out today to finish up our shopping and brave the roads.

The roads weren't really much of a problem, it was all the people on the road and on a mission!

We planned on taking our time and making our excursion somewhat relaxing with no real time frames and that really helped.

When we were all done, I was really grateful to drive up our driveway and see our beautiful home all lit up with Christmas lights.

Another blessing, though a bit materialistic, I feel so blessed to have a warm place to rest.