Caleb is a 3rd grader

Third grade is a big year.

Lots of big projects, homework, book reports.
A big year of transition.

Caleb is a good student and will do great!

He has the ability to accomplish great things.
I pray for a good year and for his confidence in himself to improve.

Taylor is in 5th grade

Taylor hesitantly prepared for 5th grade.

I hope it will be a "breath of fresh air".

She is so smart and a hard worker.

I pray she will be able to find her niche in the classroom and

love to learn.

She has the ability to accomplish ANYTHING she sets her mind to!

Mackenzie is in 7th

7th grade brings about a lot of changes,

in all senses of the word


I anticipate the possibility of seeing Mackenzie grow into

a mature young woman over the course of this year



I pray she will be able to assert herself and

love her self just the way God made her



She has so much potential and ability

and I can't wait to watch her use it to the best of her ability

Computer Down

Computer is down,
what do I do?

But wait until it is up again...

Sorry!

Ugh...sick

I have been sick the last couple of days.
I feel like CRAP!

There is nothing worse than when momma is sick,
life just doesn't happen without momma!

Happy Birthday!

Today is my sister-in-laws birthday.

She is my husbands one and only sibling.

She is younger than he is.

I want to wish her

a beautiful day

and the best

to come

in celebration

for another year of life.

It's the 1st day of school...

• bittersweet
• good-bye
• not-for-long
• I love you
• I will miss you
• see you soon

...back to school

Happy Birthday!

Today is my older brothers birthday.
He is a good person.
He always looked out for me when we were growing up.
He did a good job of protecting me,
even though I didn't realize it then.

He is a wonderful dad.

He deserves much happiness.

This year marks another year of celebration of his life.
Happy Birthday!

Life is good

I have so much good in my life...

I cannot put it into words...

I

just

take

a

deep

breathe

and

smile

Changed my mind

Forget my previous blog on posting every other day or so...

I have challenged myself to journal (blog) every single day for 1 year,

and I am sticking to it!

I am using this as a way to deal with my

feelings, emotions, joys, triumphs, sorrows.

Somewhere safe to let anything and everything

that comes to my mind out.

One Year of Bloggin' Every Day!

4 more days...

It does sadden me to think I am losing

them to another year of school.

Back to the daily grind

and the hustle and bustle

of activities.

I really do enjoy my carefree days with them.

No set schedules or agendas.

Just go with the flow.

My kids complete me.

They are my life.

I will miss them once again

while they are "away".

Sleep

I am ready to be done nursing.

I am torn about this though.

I have not nursed any of the other kids this long.

Baby still gets up 3-6 times at night to nurse or should I say "pacify" himself.

I am ready to go to bed and sleep.

Without any interruptions.

No kids waking up.

No husband distractions.

Just go to bed and sweet, restfull, slumber all night long...

I think I will have to wait a few years on that, doesn't hurt to wish though!

Motivate

I need to motivate myself!

I haven't done a very good job keeping up on baby books.
The first 6 kids are caught up for the most part, but # 7 - well I have even started his yet and he is almost 21 months. I feel so guilty. It is difficult trying to remember to take enough pictures, enough video, make enough memories each day, and still have time to write. I know these will be lasting memories for all of us and I cherish that fact. I just dread "it" more, the longer I wait. I feel as if I am going to forget something or not do as much as I did for the rest.

I need to give myself a break and do the best I can, something is better than nothing. I keep telling myself, I need to just do it, and when I think of more, I can add to it.

So, here's to getting kids back to school and then I WILL motivate myself.

Pre-school

Today my sweet girl woke up and wanted to know if,

"today is the day she got to go to school"?

The funny thing is,

she has been dreading going to pre-school,

and has not wanted to do it up until now.

Obviously, all of our kind persuasion must have paid off.

Keeping up

I haven't been keeping up with my blogs lately. I usually spend time on them at night when the kids are in bed and I have some quiet time to myself.

Maybe I will start posting every other day or so?!?

wEIrD!?!

Something really wEIrd about me...

I do not swallow my spit in the shower.

I don't know why that is.

I pocket it in my mouth and then spit it down the drain.

I know,

wEIrD!?!

Heat

It has been awfully hot around here lately!

Up

in

the

100's

all

week!

I do not like the heat.

I never have.

I break out in hives if I am in the sun too long.

I get over heated really easy.

I get flu-like symptoms if I am in the sun/heat for an extended period of time.

It must be hot,

when I tell my kids we can't go to the pool because,

IT IS TOO HOT!

Smoking

one day
while
having
a conversation
with
my kids
about
smoking
and how
bad it
is for
you

Our daughter proudly chimes in,
"I am not ever going to smoke,
because I want big boobies like you mommy,
not small boobies like aunt *** and grama"
{both of which are smaller chested and smoke}

Trust

to lose my trust...

is to betray our relationship

away

It is so nice to get away...
it is a lot of work getting ready to get away,
but once you are away,
it is so relaxing.

After being away,
it is also a lot of work to
put everything back away.

Even though,
I like to get away,
once in awhile.

Easier

Why

is it

easier

to blame

someone

else

for

your

problems,

than

to accept

responsibility

for them

and

deal

with

the

consequences?

someone

if only someone had known

maybe it could have been stopped

if only someone cared

maybe it could have been stopped

if only someone was there

maybe it could have been stopped

she was there

she did know

she didn't care

she could have made it stop

Beautiful Innocence

My daughter was watching a movie with grandma.
They do not watch many movies or t.v.
It is very selective.

This was a "love story", appropriate for children.

The young couple was madly in love, {of course}.
They were sitting under a tree, spending time together,
and bet you couldn't have guessed?!? Fell asleep!

She replied matter of factly,
"Well, I guess now they are going to have a baby!"

Rest

Rest
assured
if
we
take
time
for
ourselves
and
rest
we
will
be
a
better,
wife,
mom,
friend,
and
person.

My goal is to allow myself time to rest, and to be present in the moment.

God's Love

::

::

How amazing it is to not only

know

but to

see

::

::

God's love ecompassing the earth!

::

::

Let Your light shine down, let Your love shine around.

::

Perfection

You and I are far from perfect,

we compliment each others strengths and

support each others weaknesses,

we are the perfect match.

Life

Some days I can barely cope,
what good does it do to stand around and mope?

My life is not simple, or free from pain,
but without these struggles and trials I would not have gain.

The faith, strength and courage I have been given,
are directly correlated with the life I have been living.

I sometimes wish I could escape reality,
but to take it away, I would not be me.

So, with a conscious heart,
I take courage and strive to do my part.

I take the good with the bad and leave the rest,
trying to spend time daily with God at best.

God gives me the strength to withstand the days,
and move beyond the sinful ways.

Others have profoundly impacted me,
not for me to discus, but God can see.

He will deal with each of them accordingly,
because he loves me so tenderly.

He loves them too, this I know,
so towards them, forgiveness I must show.

This is my life, I don't try to hide,
instead I choose to hold my head up and live with pride.

Freedom

Freedom comes from surrender...

I

choose

to

surrender

my

fear

disappointment

unforgiveness

anger

resentment

pain

bitterness

joy

sorrow

trust

will

stubbornness

vulgarity

aches

dis-ease

financial security

impatience

happiness

ideals

reality

perceptions

gossip

...because I have chosen to surrender my life to God

I choose freedom.

Legacy

I felt so very alone

Carrying secrets within

I couldn't go to her for help

She would callus my fragile skin

Impatience, resentment, frustration consumed her

The words of anger poured from her lips

Like poison overtaking my veins

Her anger wasn't my fault I need to get my grips

And place what is hers back on her

Then choose to deal with the rest

I don't have to carry her weight anymore

I never felt good enough even at my very best

Just pushing the resentment deeper

The wounds time does not erase

She projected bitterness and rage

How do I unpack if she isn't willing to face

Not receiving many compliments or compassion

It was really lonely, always trying to do more

How can I please her, what have I done wrong this time

What she couldn't do for her own changed when another walked through the door

The anger, stubborness, lack of compassion, unforgiveness

I want to be rid I want to be free

I don't have to pay for all their sins

Passed down the tree

Just because this was life for the rest of them

Passing down the line

I will not let it continue, I can change, I can be different

This legacy will not be mine...

We survived...

We survived that crazy week.
It only seemed to become more "crazy" as the week progressed.

We got a lot of house cleaning done.
From top to bottom.
Laundry washed, folded, washed more, put the rest away.
We didn't have a lot of spare time.
Two doctors appointments.
Staples out.

Daughter on the way home from grama's.
Totalled out their vehicle.
Had to find another way to get daughter home.
Son ripped the tip of his toe off under a door.
Our family vehicle needs several 100's $ worth of work.
Husbands cell phone broke (no insurance).
Husbands lap top broke, just stuck $ into it.

All in all...we survived.
When the week came to a close,
we celebrated our big 3 year old's birthday.

This week was all worth it, and I would do it again for you, buddy!

shell..fish?!?

she would not share and was told to "please, stop being selfish"

after pondering that,
she replied "What does it mean to be shell-fish anyway?"