He is to me...

Jesus is many things. Right now, I am thankful for His faithfulness. I have to be careful not to feel that as long as things are Zippity Do Da, that He is faithful then; but to really know His faithfulness and BELIEVE His faithfulness regardless of my earthly state. If Jesus never did more for me, but purchase my salvation on a cross, that would be far more than I ever deserved (took this quote from Alicia). It is easy to fall into an "I deserve" or "God is faithful, see everything turned out my way" mentality. Andi, is owed nothing by God, BUT He loves me. He does because His body was put in a grave and the grave could not hold Him. Jesus did for me what I could not do for myself; save me.

I would love for us to share with each other, whoever reads this, what Jesus is to you. Tell me because there are times when I wonder, "Did this all really happen?" Then, I go back and think of how He has worked in my heart!!! It builds my faith to see His faithfulness over the course of my life. Tell me, what is He to you?

Life is...

You all may have seen the Life is good shirt. Luke was sporting his shirt and I asked him what it said.

"Life is not fair!" :)

Good ol' boy! He is too precious.

Rain Days

Rainy days can be full of fun! The boys love playing on the Plasma Car. To be honest, I love to ride on it too!!!! Our garage also doubles as a race track. :) I just back my bus out and voila, a race track!

David is a bit strong-willed. He got a bike for Christmas and didn't want anything to do with it. Then, all of the sudden, he likes it. He is also really into riding his "bitricycle". :)

Our eggshell grass is growing GREAT! They are happy little eggs with happy little grass sprouts!

Such Fun!

We enjoyed our time together over Spring Break! We loved getting to bop around Dothan and enjoy things like the Art Museum (which has a WONDERFUL children's gallery with hands-on-fun!!!), Landmark Park, and home. :)

I loved watching the boys have fun at Landmark! There is always so much to see and hear. I loved mostly, watching them be boys. It makes my heart happy to see the older two care for the youngest one. I love little hands in the dirt-feeling life! Throwing caution to the wind (safely)and hang upside down just for fun. I love how they take it all in!

Dear Boys,

I love each of you so much and can't wait to see your friendships grow in the years to come. We love laughing and making memories with you. You guys keep us on our toes, that is certain! Luke, we have been praying for David's salvation and you did a GREAT job explaining what it means to be a Christian. David isn't ready yet, but at the right time, the seed you have planted will be watered by Heaven, and it will grow. Just like we talked about. Daddy and I love how you and Benjamin are growing in your faith. We are thankful. David, we are thankful for how your understanding is increasing and we trust that at the Lord's timing, the Holy Spirit will touch your little soul too.

Do you see the picture of David's shadow? I want each of you to see your shadow and enjoy your boyhood. The small shadow will all too quickly get bigger. For now, embrace every little speck of dirt under your fingernails. Feel every bit of swinging upside down, the wind whipping across your face. LOVE life. Leave your handprints on lives, touch them. Because it is not merely your handprint you leave, but your Maker's. Make colorful music. Sing the song of life as loud as you can!

I love you more than you will ever know. You make my life song beautiful.

A Moment of Silence-Spring Break 2010

We are growing grass via cracked, WASHED egg shells, thanks Darby for the idea to use eggshells for Easter decorations. This was our science activity for the day.

Breakfast this morning was HUGE GREEN pancakes!

Shhhhh.

They are all ASLEEP.

A few years ago, my mom gave me wise counsel to nurture my own boys friendship with each other. So, many a day it is just the three of them. They are fortunate to be involved in sports, school, and church where wonderful extended friendships flourish, however, the rule at our house is=Your brother IS your best friend. Period. As in you are sticking by each other through thick and thin. Today, has been a day devoted to them. Their friendship, brotherly fun.

Here it is in pictures.

Rethinking

So, after I read Misty's comment, I realized something.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

I tend to be a black and white thinker.

I felt since I didn't have time to post pictures and do what I felt was a good job blogging, I just should not do it.

But I felt sad when the boys did something over the last few days that I thought should "make the blog."

THANK you for reminding me girls that I can be simplified WITHOUT giving up what I enjoy.

I am so a work in progress.

I will be sporadic in posting, but that is okay. I love that I can look back over the last couple years and read about our family. Little snippets from our life, our everyday comments, thoughts and pictures. I am in the midst of a really busy time. I want to make the most of the next few months with Luke before he goes to first grade all day and enjoy my time with David after school. Perhaps it has more to do with our stage of life. It is a FANTASTIC stage of playing ball with Benjamin and Luke(which is funny to watch me), trying to find ways to intertwine spiritual life lessons in the everyday moments, discipline in a meaningful way, as well as type a post with David on my back (actually happening at present).

Thanks.

Good Bye

I am thinking based on my lack of posts lately, it might be time to hang it up.

I have no nappers in the nest anymore.

I have many baseballs to throw, dirt to sweep out of the house, bugs to catch, and spray N wash to use.

I have loved sharing our lives with you; the funny, precious moments! It is hard for me to think about doing something in a kinda way. Thus, I have the need to explain what I intend to do and how it is I came to this.

Right now, I don't have the energy (at least not when I need to wake up) to stay up late to post. My afternoons need to be spent doing sight words, cleaning out my car, and pretty much getting the laundry put away.

I have loved your comments and getting to meet new friends as well as catching up with old ones!

I have loved reading about many of your families.

I will miss blogging so much, but my little guys and my big one need my attention. I have learned this in the last few years- I don't want to do it all. :) Not to mention, I can't do it all. So, that which God has called me to, is what I want to do best. PLEASE don't go thinkin' that I am some great Christian woman with her ducks in a row.....I dare you to look in my car, or my house for that matter, not to mention my heart! Many of you gals have a ministry of encouraging other women through your blogs and you are able to use it in great ways!!!! Please don't feel that I am saying blogging is wrong. By no means. This is where I am now, for me, for my family.

Here are some closing quotes from a Bible study I am doing on Becoming a Woman of Simplicity:

"In seeking the Best we soon find that our enemy is our good things, not our bad. The things that keep us back from God's best are not sin and imperfection, but the things that are right and good and noble from a natural standpoint...very few of us debate with the sordid and evil and wrong, but we do debate with the good." Oswald Chambers

"O Lord, may I be directed what to do and what to leave undone." Elizabeth Fry

"Because I'm less concerned with what others think, my schedule is less crowded with things I once imagined would earn me recognition and fill my empty heart. I now enjoy the freedom to say yes to opportunities that produce gladness in my heart and a greater freedom to say no, even if it's a good thing I've been invited to do. This doesn't mean that I'm less busy. It simply means that there's time now for things I was always hoping before to squeeze into my schedule." Fil Anderson

Wow!

Long time; no speak.

Bulleted remarks from a slack blogger:

*New York was wonderful! Wicked rocked my world!!! I would LOVE to be able to sing and dance on stage! That is why I teach Kindergarten! They think I can sing!!!!!

*I have a story that is written, not edited and probably at this phase of my life will hang over my head until summer.

*Today is Dr. Seuss' birthday, so cuddle your favorite kiddo and enjoy some fun Seuss books tonight!

*Dolly Madison is perhaps one of my newest interests. As of last night.

*I just finished 3 FABULOUSLY WONDERFUL books about the character of Mr. Darcy. Written after Pride and Prejudice, but keenly aware of the original time and characters with the development of new story lines! Highly recommend it!

*Happy Birthday to my favorite (and only) sister in law and brother in law!

*Laundry tip for winter: Put a load in when you wake up to wash, transfer to dryer at noon, fold by afternoon and put a load in washer, put in to dry after dinner and fold following morning! I have been keeping up with the laundry this way!!!!!! AT LEAST for now I should say! :)

ATTENTION Moms and Teachers:

GREAT website alert:

hubbardscupboard

Great resources for moms, teachers, and homeschooling parents~

Downloading pictures will/may come later!

Hello

Hey strangers!!!! We have been swamped down here. It is a busy season for our family. I leave this week for New York with my mom. We celebrated her 60th birthday last week and we are continuing to do so as we make our mark in the Big City. ;)

I have been reading like a mad woman. I love to read, love it!!! I want to be in a book club and enjoy tea and crumpets while reflecting, maybe one day soon.?.

I have just finished Help. An unforgettable story of life in the South through the eyes of different women in the 60's. Creatively written from different perspectives; a story of piercing truth that all truly need to feel. Prepare to weep and smile.

Today, I am thankful for sunshine. I am thankful that I woke up and that today is simply, a normal day. I know that is bizarre, but when so many things can happen in your day that change so much, one becomes thankful for normality.

Now, I am off to eat some chocolate cheesecake. Cause life is normal and cheesecake should be a part of a normal day.

yep

Follow up post.

1. Got house cleaned in two parts-downstairs late Saturday night.

Upstairs before church Sunday.

Should I call it a day

I like to plan.

I like to think about what I am going to do, then, in good planning mode, do it.

So, today I planned to do a lot. Ben was gone and I felt a little excited about the potential "cleaning out" possibilities that lurked behind a good Saturday.

I planned for a great afternoon of clean out and clean up. HOWEVER, I am the type that gets ansi after awhile in one spot, which leads to another project. It drives Ben crazy. I tend to have LOTS of projects going at one time-all of which are undone. I am a bit compulsive, so they get done before the end of the day, my day, which may not be the same time frame as others. It suits me just fine, but tonight it is 9:52 and I AM SOOOO TIRED. I planned on cleaning out a space in the major living quarters of our home AND having it clean by tomorrow. NORMALLY I would push through and get it done. I got Most Dependable in high school-go figure.....Most Compulsive would have worked (LOL) so I AM HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME LETTING IT GO. The boys are in beds with no sheets. :) I dare say, I want to put my sheets on and read......

You'll have to wait and see what I do. I know you are biting your nails. That leads me to a whole 'nother post.

I would like to add that I scrubbed my tile (has white grout) on my hands and knees and I don't know if anyone in this life will ever appreciate that except my mother. I thought of it as good exercise.

We were walking into the older boys' basketball game this morning. My lovely three year old saw a darling twoish year old with beautiful blonde hair. We were still unloading when his eye caught sight of her and he said, "Oh, she's cute." SERIOUSLY I almost fell out. I had to ask Luke if he heard that too. We couldn't believe it! David is the one that asked to be "checked out of Mother's Day Out early." Oh brother, he is truly the younger brother. Except the older two can't stand pink and are so NOT into girls-who knows where David comes up with these things!

I feel rather shallow sharing my dilemmas after all that has happened this week in other people's lives throughout the world. I think many of us are struggling with our day to day and how it compares to the ones that have lost the dearest to them. Sweet Jesus, bind them up and carry them closer to You than they ever thought possible. The boys and I were talking tonight about how amazing human beings can be-people all over the world are working together to help the people in Haiti. How quickly we will help one another and just as quickly turn on each other.

Today

Today my husband left at 4:30 a.m.

Today a fallen soldier was carefully placed on a plane.

Today my husband was on a plane with someone dear to the fallen soldier.

Today a mother and father met their fallen son.

Today someone has such grief I can not comprehend.

Today someone on the other side of the world is putting their life on the line for mine.

Today I can be thankful for the soldiers serving our country.

Today there was a moment of silence.

Tomorrow I....

Tomorrow, I set the alarm.

Tomorrow, I exercise.

Tomorrow, I get out of pj's before noon. Who's kidding, before 3:00.

Tomorrow, I hustle my children through breakfast.

Tomorrow, I enjoy coffee and Bible study early in the morning.

Tomorrow, I send my boys off to learn what they need to equip them for life.

Tomorrow, I teach children who will impact our world.

Tomorrow, has the potential to make a great difference on lives that are young.

Tomorrow, I teach future mothers, fathers, doctors, lawyers, presidents, ambassadors, bankers, nurses, foresters, preachers, chefs, artists, teachers and writers.

Tomorrow, I invest in the lives of those that will impact our world.

Tomorrow, Sweet Jesus, show me in my home how to impact my children for you.

Tomorrow, may I teach in a way that will leave lasting, life long lessons on my students' hearts.

Tomorrow, may I draw out the gifts that you have given each child that I teach.

Tomorrow, holds much promise.

I throw in the towel

Around these parts, there is a feud.

You might have some ideas conjuring up in your head.

It is a heated debate.

Like the one about the parents that don't find out what gender the baby is until the baby is born....I was just not one of those people. Many of you are and I am glad for you. I am also glad for me because I love to know what I am having before the arrival. I am just as happy as can be.

HOWEVER, that is NOT the debate.

The hot debate in our neck of the woods is Walmart vs the up and coming Publix. I am/have been a loyal Walgal now for some time. Have you heard of Dave Ramsey? We are big fans. I am on a grocery budget. Have been for years. I am also proud to say if there was a day when I went over budget, I went right on through the line and over to Customer Service and returned excess. I am a budget lover. I love to be nerdy like that. Nothing like a good spread sheet working out just right. Math is not my strong suit, so going over happened more than once, but could be taken care of and the bottom line was the right number-right on budget.

HOWEVER, there is a new store coming to town. You might know it: Publix. Darby has told me I will love it. Amanda has introduced me to some great sites for coupons. Gals, I think, I am in; I will be a Publix girl. I have looked, compared, and tonight was the straw that broke the camels back. I spent $140.00 on groceries with very little to show for it at Walmart.

I am getting down to business-it is by no means an easy job to feed all these youngens on a budget. Plus, I don't want to feed them garbage. That means it is so much more expensive. You know what your mama said, "It is harder {more costly} to do the right thing." I am going to start couponing. I am official. I am awaiting Publix with great anticipation. I see a new dawn rising.

Here are some sites you won't want to miss.

Check out this site for a great give away!!!!!

Other sites I have visited today:

iheartpublix.com

fiddledeedeemom.com

Now then. You have emailed and facebooked about the trip to New York.

Details:

Mom and I leave in February. Some hotels we are looking into include:

Waldorf

Sofitel

Thoughts on that?

Wicked is our play of choice this go round. We have been fortunate to see Les Mis, Phantom, and Cats some in NY and some off Broadway.

Some funny insight on me.

I thought Broadway was one magical, huge theater. Like what I remembered from Annie. When I went to New York about ten years ago, I was so disappointed that my legs barely fit in the space provided. I couldn't believe that there were a bunch of different theaters. I thoroughly enjoyed the show anyway.

Can't wait.

Getting a little stressed and sad about leaving the boys. I know, I know. I am guessing if you have left your little people you know how I feel.

I am bound

mom with ben and david

My mom and I are New York bound in February!

I can't wait!!!!!

Have you been there? What did you do? What plays did you see? Of course, where did you eat? Do tell shopping secrets too!