There are so many things in the old testament that I do not understand. Some of these stories are whacked. Just saying.

My Kids!

They're all growing up so very fast!

Our night

So today was my full PE day at school. I was outside all day and it was beautiful! After school, I headed home without Sophia... she has dance class on Thursdays. I got home a few minutes before the boys and sit down for the first time today and just take a deep breath and listen to the silence.

The boys come clomping up the stairs shortly after, laughing at some brother something that must have been hysterical! They come in hollering, "Hey Mom!" and head straight for the kitchen (man am I nervous about teenage years already!). Then they come settle in by me to do their homework. Tres is working hard to get his 7 and 8 multiplication facts down because he has been struggling to pass the test on them. Today, we reviewed them orally, then I had him write them 3 times each. Bryant was working on spelling homework. He got a little teary when he took a practice test and missed two. After they finished all of that and we got their backpacks ready for school tomorrow, we loaded up to go pick up Ava Sophia.

I use my brief time in the van to touch base with Hank. And once we get to the school and Sophie's class, she had decided that she didn't want to leave school... an all too common occurrence. She loves school. Once I extricate her from the after care ladies, she skips down the hall ahead of me. She is chattering about how it's spirit night for her school at Chik-fil-A. She wants to go. Her teacher told her to!

So we head to Chik-fil-A... one of the many reasons I am thankful for my job is the financial ability to head out on special occasions like Spirit Night! Smile!

Once at the mall, we head inside to CFA. My kids immediately find other kids from school and find a table close to them, while I take their orders... 2 kids meals and one adult meal (Tres... already!!). I bring the food back to the table and sit and chat with another Mom while the kids eat and chatter and laugh around us. At some point, Sophia decides her chicken is uneatable. Before I can stop her, she throws her entire uneaten meal in the garbage. I did consider going in after it. Instead, I let her know that her meal is gone, and there wouldn't be another one. Tears followed.

Then we headed home with a CFA sandwich in hand for Hankie. Got home and sent the kids to get ready for bed, while I started Sophie's homework with her. She's whiny because she's probably hungry (too bad), and now she claims her foot is hurting from some mythical injury. The boys get settled playing on computers and I-pods and I start laundry and knowingly procrastinate cleaning my nasty, dirty kitchen by turning on a recorded CSI.

The hum of the garage door pulls all the kids from their rooms and racing to be the first one to hug their daddy. Hank can barely make it in most days without getting mobbed! ;) Hank comes in and asks all the kids about their days and then the kids slowly trickle back to what they were doing with a, 'Come play with us after you eat, Dad!' thrown over their shoulder.

Hank comes up the stairs and we chat about our days. He gives me a present he picked up for me at Target today... the anniversary edition of Dirty Dancing that he had found for $2.76 on clearance. My husband really does know me. I get Sophie refocused on her homework, and she eventually gets her Daddy to help her. She insists on putting 'Little Red Riding Hood' at the top of her page because she says it's her nick name at school. Hank soon decided to turn on Call of Duty and it's just me and the nightly bedtime routine.

So it's bedtime, actually a few minutes past since I decided to sit and let you know about our day! My kids are good. I'm off to pray over them as they settle into their beds. Then, I guess that stinking kitchen deserves my attention before I fall asleep on the couch trying to watch something that isn't on Nick or Disney!

"It's Okay"

In my recent workouts, I have noticed that I'm in the "It's okay" category. Do you know what I mean? Tony Horton says, "Kick forward, then kick back." Then he walks over to the overly buff people working out with him and says, "Or you can do it like this beast and not let your foot hit the floor." Then he pauses, looks at the camera and says, "But if you can't do that... it's okay. Just keep moving."

Yeah. It's okay. It's okay cause I can already feel how painful it was to do the dummy version of said excersize!! Ha!

3 %

Yup. It really has been since August. And guess what?? It took a little insomnia to get me on here now.

Life is crazy busy. I started working at a private school this past fall. I'm having a blast, getting happily under paid, and working my kid's hours. God is good. He provided a job that works for our family.

Hank is excelling at his job. I honestly expected nothing less of this man of excellence that I have. He provides so well for us. I am humbled by how hard he works. And I am thoroughly proud of him.

We love our church. We proudly serve in different areas of ministry when asked... and often wish that life was a little slower so we could do more. But seasons ebb and flow and we are aware this is the season for the most important ministry of our lives: our kids. And while we may ask God to hold onto that desire for a bit, we'll need it back soon.

This year, I wanted to make a resolution. I prayed over it. A novel concept. And this word keeps floating around in my mind: DISCIPLINE. I want that. I want more of that. I want that to be ingrained in my life. So, I've done some things to help develop that. I signed up for the Life Journal Bible plan. I am currently on day 12. The little progress ticker says I'm something like 3% done. But guess what? In that 3%, I've found so much truth, questions, answers, and peace. Already, it feels as if every sermon I hear is active in my life. I feel a connection to what I'm reading. I'm seeing parallels in my life. I'm finding new ways to talk to my kids about the Word of God. I like this thing called discipline. And the really funny thing is, it keeps popping up in conversations, sermons, and every day life.

Well, it's easy to say that on Day 12, right? But if this word keeps on floating around in my head, I'm hoping it decides to take up permanent residence.