Hard Work

Man oh Man...I am tired. I just dug out some of our landscaping. 8 years of dirt and mulch that surrounded a "landscaped" tree. I moved all the dirt to the top of our little hill (where the boys tried to literally dig to china) with a borrowed wheel barrow....dumped the dirt...raked the dirt...and planted grass seed. (to cover where the boys tried to dig to China). I watered the seed...and am now thinking about how good my therapeutic massage is going to feel this Friday. Tomorrow will be busy with planting plants and replacing the mulch around that tree. I also pruned that tree today. Very needed. Then, I will move to the next project in the yard. I like being busy. I like being productive. I like when things are in order. I love seeing the finished product. I was a busy girl today. Now, time to tuck the boys in and relax.

Mother's Day 2009
Me and my boys!

MARGIN

So, I have this compelling thought to really be aware of margin...in my day...in my life. Or maybe I should say...the absence of margin. "Life happens in the margins", I recently heard. Why is life so busy? Why do we feel drawn to add MORE to our days? Why do I feel guilty when there are dishes in the sink or when the floors are dirty? What makes us think that we are living life with un-limited time? There will always be things to do. And I KNOW in my Knower that when I choose the better thing in life (ex. time with my family, time with my dear friends, time to serve) I am never sorry. Life really does happen in the margins. Every time I schedule MARGIN...I am always more fulfilled, socially, spiritually. I feel like a better wife, mommy, friend...and the truth is...I AM a better wife, mommy and friend...when I have margin in my day. My favorite new thing? Bible Study in my van. I take my Bible and a study book...and my journal and I go early to get the boys from school. I sit in my van with my margin time....and I read...and I have time alone with God. I am contained. There are no dusty shelves to see...or dishes in the sink. It is good. And...I am always surprised at how quickly the time goes by...and how I crave MORE of it...MORE of Him. AND on the days when I blow it....when I think I can do 'one more thing' before I go to get the boys...and I make myself hurried...and there is NO margin...I am a different girl. I am grumpy and stressed...and not only do I suffer...but so do my kido's. Even my health suffers. It is amazing how when I rob myself from margin...those around me suffer too. In the morning when I hit the snooze one too many times....I rob myself of margin...and I rob my kids of margin too. How many times do I rob others of their margin, because I have tried to fit too much into my day?

My prayer:
Father, help me to see what really matters today. Help me to find balance. Help me to hunger for margin...and bless that margin! You always do! :) Help me more and more to LIVE IN THE MOMENT :)

Ok...so this was a fun day. I was super busy. It was a Monday...to say the least...and I realized it was pet day at school....or so I thought. I rushed home....got the guinea pig, Oliver, and raced into the classroom. Oliver was supposed to be there at 2:10. As I entered the classroom with guinea pig in hand....the teacher nicely informed me that pet week is NEXT week. UGH. (that was not embarrassing at all :/ ) She was sweet enough though, to allow Josh to show his pet. We ended up being the "sneak peak" for NEXT WEEKS pet week. On another note, Oliver loves to ride in the van. He fell asleep waiting for the boys to come out of school at the end of the day. I think having 22 little hands on him made him a little tired too.

Coen - All Boy!
Ok...so this is something new. Toads/Frogs.
Coen and his friend are catching them and holding them...and enjoying making them a little habitat to hang
out in for a couple of days. Daddy told Coen that the toad had to be released later today...so he will live...But, I gotta admit,
Coen made the toad a pretty cool "pad".
(A huge, clear, SAMS size container - I think it was full of pretzels at one time. Nonetheless, it will never be inside the house again :) )

Looking down into the container from the top.

OK...so I am behind on some posting.... :)
Here is a little collage of Coen's 9th. He had a great time with family and friends.
My baby boy is growing up!

Josh is 6.
Hard to believe "the baby" of the family is six.
It is true when they say...don't blink.


Josh with his LEGO cake.

Josh jams to Guitar Hero!

Playing Lego Games!

More games...

This is his surprise face! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH!

Growing into Daddy's sweatshirt. We take a picture each year in the same shirt.
Coen has a yellow one.
It will be a keepsake one day for the boys.

handsome like daddy

He loved his talking spongebob card!

Josh with Coen...the morning of his birthday!

Josh chose to go to BOB EVANS on his birthday.

He loves the happy pancake meal!

The fam... "down on the farm"

Josh with Mammaw and Pappaw

Aunt Leah, Uncle Eric, Lyndsay and Kaylee
with Josh and Coen

I really like the lyrics to this song. Thought I would post them for you to enjoy.
"By Your Side" - Tenth Avenue North


Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away
Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)
Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

well, we finally got our big snow of the winter. the boys have enjoyed the snow days. monday through thursday so far....the jury is still out about school tomorrow. here are some pictures of the snow and ice and my 2 sweet boys building a snow fort.



old cold squirrel

coen and josh

25 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME

On facebook, I have been tagged to write 25 random things about myself. After days of putting it off, here is what I came up with.........

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

1. I have been stressed about writing my 25 random things….what if I leave something really cool out?
2. I am always pretty random...and can follow many conversations at once with the same person. (yeah, I know...it is a gift!)
3. I love my laptop and refer to it often as “the crackpipe”. Although I do hate drugs. JUST SAY NO!
4. I struggle with major insomnia.
5. I love my two boys so much it hurts.
6. My husband is the strongest man I know.
7. I am one tough cookie, myself.
8. Speaking of cookies, my favorite are double doozies from the cookie factory. Chocolate chips AND frosting! Can it get any better than that??
9. I love to cook and bake.
10. I love to sing with the band…even though I have major anxiety issues.
11. I miss my mother every day and wish she could have met my children.
12. I would love to have another baby, if life were more simple…and I had a nanny.
13. I love to sleep even though I can’t very well…and find myself always thinking about sleep.
14. I adore my friends…and would do almost anything for them.
15. I have major life baggage from growing up as a PK. (preachers kid)
16. I love the smell of rain on a hot day.
17. I love to watch live sports. Football.
18. I like to play guitar hero.
19. I love Disney. We took our boys last summer and I will NEVER forget the experience.
20. I truly believe that life is all about choices...and every day, we choose who we want to be. grumpy or happy, blessed or cursed, alone or not alone. We (with God's direction) do have the ability to change our circumstances.
21. I hope to own a Bed and Breakfast someday and have it be partly a ministry for Ministers.
22. I have a heart for those who serve in the ministry…it is a lonely place to serve.
23. I am the biggest Amy Grant fan ever! (Not in an odd, psycho way. )
24. I love caramel latte’s from Panera the best.
25. I am a very guarded person…unless you know me well…then LOOK OUT!

Chistmas EVE

The boys got 2 early Christmas Presents this year. Baby Guinea Pigs, named Butterfinger and Oliver. Butterfinger is 3 weeks old....and Oliver is 6 weeks old. It is so neat how different their personalities are. Oliver is very verbal... making all sorts of noises. And Butterfinger is calm and relaxed. Just sits in your hand...and chills. They are both so adorable. The boys love them already....and so do I. (still trying to fill some of the void that our Golden Retriever, Alex, left a few years ago. - since we are not in puppy mode right now.) ALSO...our sweet Holland Lopped Bunny died last weekend. Coen was devastated. I was sad too...we loved him so! He was like a puppy. Always wanting help and to lay under the dining room table. He has left a void as well. So, these little guinea pigs will be very loved.



Butterfinger lives in Coen's room.

Oliver lives in Josh's room.

Here are the boys on Christmas Eve.
Coen Tradition is that you open ONE present on Christmas Eve.

Yeah!!

Christmas Eve 2008.
Coen and Josh - photo taken before going to Christmas Eve Service.

Da Fam

Getting read for Santa

O Christmas Tree...