Miss Me?

I feel like its been forever since I've shared us with you!

Oh that's right it has been. Ok not forever but a YEAR! Last post Parker turned 7.

Since then Carson has turned 4, Marshall turned 6, and Parker has turned 8!!!!

This year has been filled with joys, pain, fear, excitement, laughter, frustrations, and love. I continue to teach our children who amaze me daily. I see this opportunity as a privilege. Its a choice we've made, and for now its the way we will continue. But I honestly cant say how our life will look a year from now. This year has shown me just when you think you know your next step, the rug is pulled out from under you,and there you are fumbling in the dark looking for the light switch. This can be a time consuming effort that leads to trips and falls. Yet through it all we come out stronger, and wiser. This year I have seen just how precious and fleeting life is. So as I take a step toward tomorrow I pray that, I will continue on this earth being able to say "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" 2 Timothy 4:7

Super Seven

Seven is thought by some to be the number of perfection or completion. Some believe in numerology (I not so much). But if you look at what is said about what characteristics you might have if the number 7 was in 'your numbers", you might posses these characteristics: One might be "analytical, intellectual, focused, scientific and inventive, contemplative, meditative, spiritual and enigmatic. You are a seeker of truth and an accumulator of knowledge and wisdom." Like I said, I don't put a whole lot of faith in numerology but I thought I'd share it because I'm giving you all meanings of seven I found. I bet you've heard of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World". There are lots on "meanings" to seven but what I want to know is what it means for me.

All this says seven is really super, right? Well my friends, I sure hope so because my baby has just turned 7! He is not the tiny little pumpkin that we brought home from the hospital 7 years ago. When I say pumpkin I mean it. He was jaundice and he was orange. My mother, who is a nurse at a pediatric office, said in all her years of work she had never seen a child who had a higher bilirubin count. He, as you can tell, has turned out just fine so far! Up until now I have felt almost down right confident in what I was to do as a mother. Now on the other hand, I feel like my map has been taken away and someone has put a blindfold on me, and I only get to hear bits and pieces from here on out!

OK it may not be that bad, but as you know I'm a girl, and girls are soooo sooooo different than boys. How will I know what to do in these up coming years? How will I handle helping him get through those tough years ahead? I may not have exact answers but I do have a wonderful husband who does know about boys! I also have read multiple books and I'm sure I will continue to read more. Most importantly I have the Bible. God has placed what I need as a mother and wife right in his word. That doesn't mean I have an exact answer for every little thing but I have so much if I will just find strength in him. God has also blessed me with family and friends who also know things that have been and will be helpful to me in the new stages of life. I am so blessed to have my family and as we journey through this next unknown I still like to look back!

Seven

Six

Five

Four

Three

Two

One-ish

Here we go again

Well its finally here, our books have arrived and we have started school. The boys are doing wonderfully already. The first few lessons for Parker will be review, to the point that if you totally forgot what we have learned you would catch on fast. He however did not forget most things so he feels like this is way too easy. Which is a good thing because he doesn't like to feel like something is "too much work". This way our year can kick off with him believing he can conquer all (which I believe also). Marshall REALLY wants to do several days worth of work at once, but I'm not letting him. Every day he says, "I just want to read." Give it a few more weeks and he will be reading like a pro! I feel confident that me teaching both will be very do-able. I thought it would be ok, but now I feel very confident. I love watching them learn. It's amazing to experience the feeling that a parent gets over all those firsts in life like smiling, rolling, crawling, walking, you know what I mean. I realized that with teaching them I get to continue to see those wonderful special moments. As daunting as the task of teaching my children may be I am encouraged by seeing those moments. I have a wonderful network of family and friends who are supportive to lend an ear or suggestions when I feel stuck, but most importantly to lift my needs to the Lord. It is by his grace that each day I am blessed.

We were able to spend the last day of summer at the Zoo. It was a hot day but we practically had the place to ourselves. Parker was reading all the signs and filling out a scavenger hunt of facts. Carson liked most of the animals but kept his map in hand saying "come on guys this is where the rhinos are." He really likes the rhinos, but when we got to them they were eating and you could not see their faces. So you guessed it we made several jokes about the rhino's butt. In case you didn't know this, boys think the only thing funnier than the word butt if mommy saying it. So at times like these, when my baby is sad because he can't see the one thing he has worked toward all day....I make a joke about butts or bodily functions and everyone starts laughing so hard no one feels sad any more! Sometimes a girls got to do what a girls got to do! Marshall REALLY wanted to bring home a spider monkey. He told us that if he had a pet monkey he would take good care of it and would never hurt it. Poor thing has heard too many storied from his Paw-Paw. Who, by the way, had pet monkeys growing up. Yes I said "monkeyssss". They all seemed to have fun and to learn something, so the day was a success in my eyes. I think I got the most out of it because I got a day with all my loves.