Josh is 7

Wanted to share some pic's of Josh's birthday party.
He had a great day with family and friends!

16-21 of the THINGS I love...

Ok...so I am a little catching up to do.

Focusing this month on things I love....

#16 I love vacation.

I love thinking about it. Watching Aaron plan for it with his spreadsheets :) I truly enjoy planning fun things for the kids during the trip. I always make goodie bags for the occaision. The boys totally look for these goodie bags now. As we drive out of the neighborhood...they are already wondering what is in the goodie bags!

Vacation. I love it. It is such a treat to get away from the every day rush and pause a little. And I like when I am allowed to pause.

#17

I love my mom. I am really missing her these days. I miss what might have been. I wish I could see her with my kids. I wonder what she would have done to celebrate Josh's birthday. I think of her often and see her in my kids. She was the best!!

#18

I love being a mom.

The hardest thing in my life...but the most rewarding. Hard...because it means so much. A mom is a comfort. A mom is safety. A mom is love. A mom is tough. A mom can smile. A mom can cry...but mostly, a mom is constant. A love that never dies. A mom makes you strong...

I love my boys. I get to be their mommy! Wow! God has entrusted these two precious lives to me. What pressure! :) What an honor! I pray that I can be all I need to be for them. Living by example. The catch is....some times I lead the correct way....and sometimes I do not. Sometimes I gotta say...."hey, I screwed up." I dont really like those times. I guess we all have those times. I know that God has a plan for them. Aaron and I are just assisting Him. And as much as I love them....I realize that God loves them more.

#19

Disney

I know that this is shallow...but Disney rocks! I have such fond memories of my family at Disney. What a fun place. I want to go back...and go back often!! I smile every time I think of our vacation there, summer 2008. I took tons of pictures. I will never forget how wonderful our family time was at Disney!!

#20

I love birthdays. Yesterday, Feb 20th, was Josh's birthday. He is seven! My baby boy is 7 years old. I love seeing him smile. It takes my breath away when he giggles and his eyes light up with joy. I hope that my kids are enjoying their childhood. Funny thing about childhood...you dont really appreciate it until you have grown beyond it....

#21

My bed.

I love my own bed. There is nothing like jumping in my bed when I am tired and snuggling up in the covers. My down comfortor and cool, soft sheets make me happy. Now, if I could just cure my insomnia and really get rest for once. Some day.

# 14 and #15 of February Things I love...

Things I love....

#14 flowers. I love flowers. I cannot wait to plant new plants this Spring. Crossing my fingers that my Hydrangea blooms THIS year. I love watering them....cutting them and placing them all over the house. "Miracle Grow" Tuesday is something to look forward to this year. (it is the day of the week when I remember to add miracle grow to the flowers....idea created by my neighbor and sister-flower-lover, Lindy)

#15 A clean house. Isnt it the best feeling ever when your home is reallllllly clean? I hope to have that happen....TOMORROW :)

Ok...so I have some catching up to do:
10-13....Im not too far off task :)

(continued from below...."Things I love".... See 1-9 below)

Things I love:

#10 Panera Soy Caramel Latte's - nuff said.


#11 Good lyrics. I love when a song speaks to me right where I am. I mean, really....isnt that an amazing thing? Great cd's to listen to.....Tenth Avenue North. EVERY song on tha CD is a devotion. I like to get in the van (the sporty, cool, mini-van) and turn a song up realllllly loud. Surrounded my music. I love being there!!

Amy Grant - Yes, she taught me to sing into my hairbrush at the age of 5. I am forever indebted to her...she inspired me to love music...to celebrate REAL life in the moment.

Toby Mac....Bebo Norman....etc



#12 Naps. I love a good power nap.


#13 Productive Ministry Meetings with my friends. I am energized by ministry planning. I love it. Today, I got to hang with some wonderful people who love Jesus....and love the thought of connecting others to Jesus. What a wonderful start to the day!

continued from "things I love". see 1-8 below :)

I love

#9

Today is February 9, 2010. So that means I am on task as of NOW :)...since I am writing about #9.

Today I want to be thankful for a warm home. I am grateful. As I ran some errands today in the cold, snowy, wet weather...it was refreshing to come up the hill and see my house. I knew that I was almost home....in the warmth....in the comfort of my own home. There is no where quite like home. No where. It used to exist for me outside this house. Before mom died. I still dream about what it would be like to pack up my kids (whom she never met) and take them along with Aaron and sweet Molly to see my mom and dad for the weekend. What would she do with them? What would she bake? What toy or outfit would she have bought them while she was away from them? Would she be louder than they would be when they first saw each other?? They say "you cant miss what you didnt have"...but, I do.

I am grateful that I have a house...and I am even more grateful that it is a HOME. Candles burning...something baking...bubble baths, bleach, laundry, crockpots, iced tea, warm tea, a broken dishwasher, wooden floors, painted walls, the stocked fridge, tableclothes, messy cabinets, the sound of the boys wrestling in the other room, toys on the floor. It is home. Good and bad...messy and clean...it is still home.

I want to preserve "home" for my kids. I want to always have "home" waiting for them each day....even when it is loud and grumpy. :) Still....it is "home".

I want to live long enough for them to bring their kids to me and Aaron. For us to be louder than they are when they arrive. I want to give them that gift :)

Home.

A place.

A feeling.

A blessing.

A gift.

I am so grateful for HOME.

I love...

#8

I love the seasons. I am totally in favor of each season having its own time. I mean, that is even Biblical, isnt it? (Eccles. 3:1)

I love how the snow is nestled in the woods right now. How the snow rests on the evergreens. Even the bare trees look beautiful. Seasons remind me that things change...that renewal happens. There is a sense of stillness in winter time. Is in almost like nature is in awe of God's extreme presence. It is captivating.

I love....#7

I love....

#7 - I love A Reason To Cook. Cooking with purpose is a favorite thing of mine. Cooking for a family event...a holiday...a special day...friends...is so fun for me. I love planning the menu and being with everyone. It is so thrilling to find that special recipe too. My favorite recent one: Lemon Pasta (A Barefoot Contessa recipe shared with me from my dear friend, Kelly.) It is amazzzzzzzing!

See my February Blogs (Dwelling on the things I love 1-6) below:

So, I am reading my friends blog (Kelly, "The Feathered Nest") and I see that she is inspired to spend the month of February dwelling on things we love. I too, must join in! I am 6 "days late to this party" sooooo here goes....my first 6 and then, I will try to keep on task for the month :)


I love:


#1 My real God. I am so thankful that God loves me. A real love. I am thankful that He is for me...and that I dont have to be afraid of Him, but I can embrace Him as my biggest fan. He loves me unconditionally to the extent that I need NO words to explain myself to Him. Grace is wonderful. His love is overwhelming.



#2 My family. God gave me the best husband in the world. I am serious. I totally won. He is amazing in how he loves me and our boys. I want to be the wife that God wants him to have. My boys challange me to truly BE the person that God wants me to be. Every move I make influences them. No pressure there! :P



#3 My Goldendoodle. Molly is God-sent. Another reminder of how God loves me and cares about the details of my life. She is SUCH a gift!!




#4 My laptop. Ok. I know that I am not being deep here....but I love the fact that I can connect with others in a click of a mouse :)




#5 My friends. And NO...these are in NO particular order...for those friends that are reading. It is just what is coming to mind at the moment. Where was I? Oh...friends. I am so blessed with AMAZING friends who love me. God has placed blessings in my life...and I am in awe. I get to "do life" with great, genuine people.



#6 Music. It connects my soul to God. It connects my soul to the moment....the memory... What a gift music is to my heart!



Ok...so there are my first 6 ...to catch up with the date 2-6-2010. This will be a great thing to do for me....to remind me of what is GOOD in my life. We all need a reminder sometimes, huh?