Momma thoughts...

You might think I posted this to the wrong blog.  Usually my Momma Thoughts go on my Momma's blog and not on our family blog.  But since this post relates more to what is going on with the family, I'm putting it here.

As you've read often recently, this family is BUSY!!!  And I enjoy being busy, but I enjoy the quiet, simple times just as much.  Actually, since we've gotten so busy anymore, I treasure the simple times a whole lot more.  I often miss the mundane, repetitive evenings we once had before the kids had baseball, school functions, etc. all of the time.  I didn't realize how much solace I found in the predictable.

I don't mean to sound like I don't enjoy the activities.  I'm just afraid that in all of this "busy-ness" we are going to "miss" the stages our family is going through.  Like if you don't take the time to slow down and reflect, you might not actually FEEL what you are supposed to feel.  You can be going through the motions and not actually experience life as it passes you by.  I don't want to miss it.  I want to FEEL it.

The past several weeks, I've found myself just going through the motions.  I've gone where I've been supposed to go when I was supposed to be there, fulfilled my obligations as needed, and kept up as best as possible.  But I realized yesterday that I've been coasting emotionally.  I'm ready to start feeling again.

I think that a lot of my emotional "detachment" as I guess it could be called, relates to the unknown.  I'm applying for jobs, trying to get back into teaching.  I'm taking a class this summer, after having not been a student for 7 or 8 years.  We are about to put the house on the market.  Our future beyond this summer is so up in the air.  And as the parents in the situation, I think Steve and I are both just trying to keep things as smooth as possible for the kids.  In the meantime, the stress of it all is weighing on us more than we can even figure out ourselves.  We've shown symptoms of stress without even realizing that we are stressed about it.

If you are reading this thinking "why is she telling me this," well, I'm not really sure... But I hope that you will pray for us.  I'm confident that God has a plan for us.  Please pray for us to have patience and clarity of thought as we approach what lies ahead.  Pray that the children will transition smoothly.  Pray that we clearly recognize God's promptings and obediently follow where he is leading.  And pray for me to start "feeling" what I've been missing.

Thank you for your love for our family.  Stay tuned to see where this adventure takes us :O)

Picture Post #1

I haven't put pictures on the blog in SO long.  I'm incredibly sorry, but we have been so busy around here!  The garage sale yesterday was a great success, and we donated what was left over, but honestly we sold A LOT of stuff :O)  Chaille is completely potty trained now too, which she truly did on her own last week!!!

The following pictures are from the last month or so.  I pulled them off of my phone, so the quality is not real great.  And they are in totally random order, so don't try to associate one picture with the next...

I'll try to update more often, as I hope that life is about to slow down a LITTLE (who am i kidding, right???)

Enjoy the pictures:

Pictures Post #2

Mad Rush TUESDAY?

Goodness, I've been MIA again!  It's just crazy busy at our house.  The older two finished school for the year last week, baseball is in full swing, the house is ALMOST done, I'm having a yard sale on Saturday, and Chaille decided that she wants to potty train NOW!!!  It's a lot at once.  I've taken pictures, but basically all on my phone, because I'm lucky to remember the essentials, let alone the camera.  I'll upload some at some point, if life ever calms down.  We rush, rush, rush MOST of the time.  It's not fun, but it won't last forever. We've just got a lot on our plate right now.  SO... If you don't hear from us for a while, it's not because we are avoiding you.  :O)

Hugs & Kisses

HUGS

AND KISSES:

MAKE US HAPPY!

Wow, 2 weeks already??

Time certainly flies when you are busy and having a blast!  I'm gonna catch up really quickly here on what has been going on in the past 2 weeks, and then hope to keep up a little better in the future.

Last week Steve was out of town for 3 days for a training exercise for the Task Force.  We had baseball all 3 nights that he was gone, and it was rainy and chilly all three days.  Then, last Friday was our 11th anniversary.  Steve and I celebrated with a date night on Friday and then his cousin, Katie, was married on Saturday.  We were kid free for two nights, thanks to our wonderful parents!!!  We had such a fun weekend.

This week, we have had baseball, a PTO meeting, storms, and working on the house remodels in addition to our normal stuff.  I'm also trying to organize for a garage sale in a little over two weeks, which is a good chance to declutter before we market the house, but is also a lot of work!!  I didn't realize how much work it takes to just get stuff sorted and priced.  I usually am on the shopping end of it :O)

Well, I hope to be back sooner next time, but no promises :O)  Life is busy!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Chaille!!

I can't believe that my baby girl is 2 today!!! Boy, oh boy, how time flies.  I find it crazy to believe that for the first time EVER I'm celebrating one of my children's 2nd birthdays without the next baby on the way!!! I'm very thankful for that :)

Chaille is a healthy young lady these days.  She speaks in sentences and says whatever she want to say.  She LOVES to sing, her favorite songs being Jesus loves me, Twinkle Twinkle little star, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider.  Her favorite food is CHOCOLATE, and she says "Chocolate is GOOD!"  Chaille loves to say "momma" and wait for me to say "loves you."  She still carries around her babies everywhere and loves to feed them and give them diaper changes and naps.  Oh, and take them on stroller rides too!

Today at the doctor, Chaille weighed 30.5 lbs (88th percentile) and was 37" tall (99th percentile!)  She had grown 3 inches and gained 3 pounds in the past 6 months.  The doctor had NO concerns with her and said that she was right on track (and in some areas advanced) for her age.  Good Job, Chaille!!!

Chaille, you have been a true GIFT to your dad and me.  We love the way that you came along and completed this family so perfectly.  Everyone in this family adores you, and you seem to know it.  You are fun to be around, although sometimes demanding.  But you also say "thank you" better than anyone in this family, parents included.  We will forever be proud of you and you will always be the PRINCESS in this family.  I love you, baby girl.  Please always be my baby girl, no matter what your age! 

Wordless Wednesday, On FRIDAY!

Mad Rush Monday: Mother's Day

This was my Happiest Mother's Day EVER!! :O)  I'm so very blessed.  Here is how our weekend went:

Friday - family night

Saturday - baseball x 2 (pics on Wed!), dinner and fishing at Gma & Gpa Fryes.

Sunday - church and then Chaille's party at Randy & Deb's

Today is a true Mad Rush Monday.  We have been enjoying the weather and we have baseball tonight.  I'm rushing to get the work done, so that we can enjoy it more.  Some things will just have to wait :O)  Here are a few weekend pictures: