Fall Fun!!!

Here's some pics from some of the fall fun we have had over the last month, including fieldtrips to Shaw Nature Preserve, a family trip to Eckert's for apple and pumpkin picking, football, cross country, soccer, volleyball, and then carving our jack-o-lanterns and trick or treat. Happy Harvest! (I really hate all the junk that goes with Halloween, but I love this colorful harvest time that is so full of wonderful sights, smells and tastes! And of course the chill in the air and the frost on the ground that starts the usher in of the change of seasons. I love God's variety and how it makes each season so special, and how we are always ready for the change!!! He could have just made the seasons change overnight and have the leaves fall off brown, but He chose to make it so beautiful just for us to enjoy!! He decided to paint us a masterpiece of color!!! What an awesome God we have!!

The more I seek you.........

This has been one of those times when I feel the Lord is growing me with patience, trust and perseverance. I have been doing a study with a group of about 10 girls in our women's Rejoice bible study, and it is called the Frazzled Female!! How fitting! So many days I feel very frazzled. Trying to balance my time seems to be the reoccurring struggle. How do we do that and still find time for our husbands, children, housework, errands, friends, and self??? And every mom knows that self almost always comes last. Well, God continues to show me that as long as I give HIm the first fruits of my day- and that means to get up at the crack of dawn -- even if it is just 10-15 minutes before the rest of the house begins to wake up, it will make a world of difference in how my attitude for the day will unravel. I have also learned that if I don't get that time in the morning, then I still try to focus on Him through out the day in my thoughts or with the music I listen to, or in my countenance with my family and friends. I have learned that the day will not be a total loss and I don't need to be ridden with guilt if I was not able to be alone in His Word in the morning. If I can find a quiet moment when it's nap time or while I am waiting in carpool line I can still have some time with the Lord in my thoughts and prayers. He has shown me that I don't have to be frazzled if I am focused on Him and how His Spirit is leading me. That has been so comforting. I just wanted to share that with who ever may be reading this. He is my everything, and without Him, I am nothing!!!

Yea for fall!!!

Here we go- one more week of fall sports to go and then we get a little break. Olivia has been running cross country, Caroline has been playing volleyball, Andrew has been playing football, and Lizzie has been playing soccer. Football and volleyball are two practices a week, soccer is one time a week, and cross country is every day after school. That is a lot of practices- and a lot of time in our car. Our car has become our home away from home. Movies, snacks, homework, soccer chairs, backpacks, coffees, more snacks, and lots of trash and crumbs line the floor of my truck right now. Then, of course there are the games every weekend on both Saturday and Sunday.I am so proud of them all for being so devoted with their practices and games, but we are ready to rest for a while and catch our breath!I am so ready for the weather to turn this year- today was the first day of cooler temps and it feels great!!! Fall at our home is birthday season too. I turned 43 on October 11th, Caroline just turned 13 on October 16th(I now have two teenagers), Andrew will be 10 on Nov. 15th and Hannah will be 5 on Nov. 20th!! It is so wild to have a daughter that will be learning to drive next semester, and to have a little guy running around in diapers yet! And I mean running!! Nathan is into everything!! He is so fast and determined!! Wow does he keep me on my toes!! here's some more pics to enjoy!!!

It has been so long since I last blogged, but I thought I could at least upload some pics!!! These are from this summer!

20th Anniversary

May 11th Mark and I celebrated our 20th anniversary with a trip to Sandals in Jamaica!! We had a wonderful time. The water, the beach, the hotel, the food, the people we met, all were fantastic... however the best part was our candlelight dinner on the beach one night. It was so amazing to sit there taking in the most beautiful scene you can imagine with the one you love the most!! We are truly blessed and I can not believe that it has been 20 years since we got married!!! Here's a couple pics from our trip. We loved it so much, we booked another trip with the entire family to the Beaches Resort in the Turks and Caicos for next May!!!

Check out my do... and all that I can do!!

Nathan got his crazy hair cut today, and I am happy to say that the Rooster is back!!!
He sat in the chair like such a big boy!
He started walking right around his birthday on March 11th, and within 3 days was all done crawling. That's it- no more crawlers. Another "last" milestone for me to cry and smile about. He is growing up so fast. He is such a busy and curious little boy. Keeping the house baby proofed with 5 other kids has been quite the chore. I am always amazed at how many things he can get into in one day.
Mark shares his birthday with Nathan on March 11th, and this year it was bittersweet. Our black lab, Magic had to be put asleep unexpectedly that day due to a very aggressive and fast growing tumor. We saved the celebrations for the following day, because no one really felt like celebrating that evening. Magic was a really sweet dog, and we will miss him very much. Anyone who really knows me knows that I am not really a dog person, but Magic was a very special dog. It really made all of us stop and think how precious and short life is, and that at any moment we may be called home to be with our Lord. Even the dog? That was a hard question to answer to the kids, but I told them that I hope that dogs have a special place in heaven in the eyes of the Lord after they die. We may get a puppy to keep Sunny company some time next fall. He seems pretty lonely now that Magic is gone. And much calmer!!! That part I am glad about. But I can tell that Ivory misses his Ebony!!! (That's what we used to call them) They were buds.
Andrew has been enjoying his Taekwondo class and is now a yellow belt and can break a piece of wood in half with his foot! He is really good at it. He has also started baseball with dad coaching now for the 4th year. Let's go Sharks!! He has lost a lot of teeth this year, along with Elizabeth! We are keeping the tooth fairy very busy this year!
Hannah and I have been to the park a few times since the weather has gotten nicer-swinging has to be one of her most favorite things to do in the whole world!!! She is a good little mommy's helper with her little brother and loves him so much. She helps me keep a good eye on him as he is in to everything now!!
Olivia made the freshman soccer team for Eureka and so far they are 4-0!!! Go Wildcats! She scored the first goal of the season in their first game, and has since scored 2 more goals! She is doing so good and really seems to like her team and her coach.
Caroline made us so proud a few weeks ago when she decided that she wanted to get baptized. She was baptized when she was 7 years old, but she realized that when she did that, she did not fully understand what it meant to be fully surrendered to the Lord, and to have true repentance of her sins. She told us that she wanted to nail it down once and for all, and so we stood behind her in her decision to get baptized. She was so mature in this decision and we are so proud of her and rejoice in knowing that the Lord is continuing to grow her up in His ways. Thank you Jesus!!!!

Smiles, tears, crawling, walking, teeth, no teeth.....

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Hurray for spring!!!!!!!