Remember...Baptists Don't Dance

Well I guess my 4 and 1 year old have not quite learned the rules and regs of Baptist tradition. Phillip and the girls went for a bike ride tonight and Kaylee loves to stand on the Calvary Baptist Sign and walk it. For those that know her , you know that all she needs is a stage to sing as her princesses do on TV. She climbs up and this time dances to her hearts content. May I remind you that our church faces the main street in Cisco. However, Reese was to not be outdone. She too was allowed up on the sign and she did her own little jig. Phillip said that since crawling hurt her knees, she did more of a bear crawl on her feet. Thinking that it was not exactly safe, he tried to bring her down and she was deeply offended. How precious!

I came home from my party and I could smell that Daddy had made his girls Cinnamon toast and they were all sitting in his chair watching, Barbie the Island Princess. Daddy had put Mondat night football on hold (or on TiVo) for his little ladies. Made their Mommy cry.

In The Pits

I keep trying to count down the weeks until Phillip is done with school, but then I wonder how much will really change. We will still have issues with child care and I will still have to work. I am praying that the bill in Congress will pass that will forgive the loans of health care workers like they do for teachers but I need it to pass quickly, because it will be 5 years in May. I have had some of the roughest weeks lately and I feel like I am treading water that keeps taking me farther out to sea. Does anyone else sometimes feel underappreciated and then frustrated at your self because at the same time there are millions of people dealing with the same things. I just want an afternoon of no responsibilities. Phillip has the 'out' of golfing and I know that it renews him. Aagh! I get so frustrated with my frustrations. I am so blessed with so many things that it would take days to finish my list and then I let little things get under my skin. My children are so precious and my husband so loving and I really do have a great job. I am trying to get all my ducks in a row and trying to refocus. Pouring my time into the Word because I know that is where I will regain my strength. God always provides a way and looking back I see His mighty hand. Sorry I needed to put it all to paper and maybe now I can get some much needed sleep.

GOD IS GOOD<>< ALL THE TIME

First steps

Reese took her first steps on Sunday. She got up from her little chair and took five steps. We are so proud. She is such a hilarious addition to our family. I don't know if any of you remember Kaylee's pout face or not, but Reese's is a little diefferent. Her's is a pucker and she breaths in and out really hard. It is hilarious! It took many attempts to get this pic!

I don't know about any of you other moms out there, but today has been one of those days where my love for my children has doubled and then 2 minutes later I am ready to put them both to bed without dinner (just kidding). Kaylee was so good today. She helped me wash the cars she took care of her sister while I cleaned and Reese is just doing more and more. Then within 5 minutes. Kaylee had broke a piece of my pottery and Reese broke a huge bowl that was also a part of my pottery. Aagh!

Then as we are getting ready for dinner, Kaylee sets the table and puts all of her stuffed animals at the table as well. I ask Kaylee, " Sweety where am I going to sit?" and without hesitation she says,"By Shamu of course." You can't help but love them and they are so sweet when they are asleep.

Child Dedication

Today we did child dedication at church. As a mother and follower of Christ, I feel that it is so important to stand before the Lord and tell Him that I will raise my girls to love Him. I view them as a gift that God has entrusted me with until He decides to bring them home. I treasure my children with all I have and I hope that I am the mother that God wants me to be. I know that I make mistakes daily but every day is a new beginning, full of potential.

Today, as my huband is standing in front of the congregation, with tears rolling down his face and voice shakey as he, too, is struck by the emotion of how precious our children are, I thanked God for my family. I stood before the church as my husband and pastor spoke to each of the other families and wondered how I was going to make it through all of this and ever thankful that I have a partner to help weather the storms of parenting.

You never know how much your child is learning. Kaylee daily surprises me on how much she does understand. Kaylee stood at the dining room table this afternoon with her new Bible and she had carefully taken 3 crosses off of the wall. I paid little attention at first. Kaylee waited patiently to take the floor as other adult conversation was going on. I finally said, "Kaylee, it's your turn what would you like to add?" And she sweetly says," This is a story about our Lord Jesus Christ who loved us so much that he died for our sins. There were three crosses, Jesus in the middle and one on each side. Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day. And they all lived happily ever after." I looked at Phillip and cried again.

One of the things Phillip preached on today was that Jesus wanted the children to come to Him, because we should all have a child-like faith. He went through the statistics of when children make a profession of faith and the highest percentage is between 5-13. Why can't we have that faith? Why do we complicate it so? "Lord, help me to have the faith that my child has. Help me to not let Me stand in the way of who you want me to be."

Well here are my crazy kiddos. Reese is not quite walking and I would guess it is because she has her attentive big sister to pick her up and carry her anywhere she needs to go. Since this photo, Reese has figured out how to climb the couch by stacking pillows or toys to give her a boost. It is so fun to watch them interact. Kaylee delights in seeing her baby sister do big girl things like hold a crayon. Sometimes it is pointed to paper and accidently makes a mark but most often it goes straight to the mouth. Its funny how eager Kaylee was to have her sister be able to play with her and now that she tries sometimes we hear cries from Kaylee that Reese is destroying her cradle. You may think that this is a baby cradle, but it is actually Kaylee's made up word. The 'a' is more the 'ah' sound than the long 'a' sound. It is a mixture of stable and corral and it is where she keeps her farm animals. Kaylee has an amazing imagination that her teachers say is one of the best they have seen. She invents many stories and words. It is such a joy to see your kids grow and learn. It also is quite humbling to know that the Lord has entrusted you to raise them up to follow Him. What an awesome responsiblity! God has blessed me in allowing me to be a mom and my prayer is that He will give me strength to weather the good times and the bad.

Can See The Light

The semester is now in full swing and I think we have officially loaded our plates full already. Phillip is in his last semester of seminary and is planning on going to Sudan in late January-early February. Kaylee has started her last year of Preschool at the Lutheran Church and is starting ballet. Reese is one and barely weighs 20# and has one tooth and has taken one step. Me...still trying to keep everyone on schedule and trying to keep my sanity.

I have been blissfully married to the man I have always dreamed of and cannot believe that God has blessed me immeasurably. Count your many blessings...name them one by one. My pages would be full. I need to daily remind myself of how God has blessed me and how He always has set things in motion that are in my and my families best interest. I am so easily frustrated sometimes with the craziness of this world and how 'human' I am. I want to be so much more...the wife and mother God called me to be. The preacher's wife who is sweet and serene (for those of you that know me, know that this would be a HUGE transformation but doable with His guidance.) But I can only be who I am, which is a wife who cooks for her family but hates doing the dishes and laundry. Who would rather spend time with family than clean and is okay with things strewn around the house. But over all so in love with her family and would be happy to have them all sit in the same room together and never be apart.

I am so excited to start journaling. Sometimes I may ramble and feel free to set me straight and give advice. My dad will tell you I don't always take it but it is still good to get opinions. I am also excited to share the joys of raising children. I could not be more proud of my little girls and they are the cutest things in the world. Thank you God for the blessings of motherhood and giving me my family! I couldn't have done it better myself.

God is Good<>< All the time