parenting – The Bless Your Heart Blog

A Little of This, A Little of That

The kids got Wendy’s coupons for free Junior Frosties a while back and we decided to use those puppies for Fun Friday!

She ate the whole thing by herself! (Don't even think of helping her with that spoon!) — She ate the whole thing by herself! (Don’t even think of helping her with that spoon!)

****************

Earlier this week, as we were rushing around getting ready for Awana/Cubbies, I looked at the calendar and with about 12 minutes to spare, saw it was a “crazy hair day.” Normally, we would fall under that category anyways but we wanted to go with something a little more purposeful.

We decided upon a donut..on a donut plate. I made a quick bun and an even quicker donut frosting with sprinkles out of foam. (Have I told you how much I love foam?? LOVE that stuff.) Thankfully, this had a sticky back and we stuck it right to her hair!

Cute as a button and sweet as...a donut! — Cute as a button and sweet as…a donut!

Of course, with all the picture taking, Wryder wanted in on the action.

One handsome rascal! He picked out his entire outfit all by himself. Swoon.

****************

We got a new game for Christmas called “Life on the Farm.” The kids couldn’t wait to bust it out and it really is fun to play, for a couple of country kids especially. You get to buy and sell cows for the most part – right up dad’s alley, too.

Dad had spread himself kind of thin and had to pass up an opportunity to buy cows for a really cheap price.

Sawyer: “Wait, why in the world would you pass on a cattle auction?”

Oh, yes, a girl after her daddy’s heart…

****************

We’ve started school again (after a lengthy and well-deserved Christmas break). This time around, Sayble is only napping once a day instead of two, so we’re all trying to figure out what that looks like as far as school (and mom’s sanity) goes.

Lately, there’s been a lot of this:

This sweet little thing LOVES to write! As long as we can keep it on paper, I’m A-ok with that!

****************

Over New Year’s, we all traveled to North Platte to do some post-Christmas shopping/errand running and Wrexy insisted on pedicures for the girls! (We didn’t object much!)

I sure love this girl... — I sure love this girl…

Sawyer had her first one before her 5th birthday and has loved them ever since!

****************

We also took a tour of the Perkins County Museum! It’s in a beautiful, historic home right off Main street and she’s been wanting to go in for a while. That morning, I just happened to see that they were open so I surprised her with a visit!

It was really neat and our tour guide was just as sweet as pie! So many cool things to see but I loved the old school house, but didn’t get a picture. What the what?!

****************

We have the privilege of throwing a sweet one year old’s birthday party this next week! I’ve been working on cutting and stringing and all kinds of little paper crafts. I can only give you a sneak peek for now but I’ll make sure and post lots of pictures after the fact!

Someone's growing up... — Someone’s growing up…

****************

It feels like we’re getting back into our routine again after the holiday season. We’re currently bracing for a snow/ice storm that we’re all hoping isn’t as bad as the meteorologists are predicting. I’m hoping to get get my fair share of football games in if the electricity will stay on!

They’ve Been At It Again

I’ve written several times before about funny things the kids say. I’ve had a growing list on my phone so I decided I better get them on the blog so they can live in infamy! 😉

Wryder-isms:

Boobie button = belly button
- “Look! I can see Sayble’s boobie button!”
Lucas = mucus
- “I’ve been swallowing a bunch of lucas.”
Flushel = shuffle
- “That is so cool! When I can learn to flushel?”
Gutter = udder
- “That cow has a big gutter!”

****************

Other funnies he’s said lately…

He and Sawyer were playing Awana and practicing the pledge to all the different flags. They starting pledging the Bible and while Sawyer was saying, “I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word…” Wryder was saying, “I pledge allegiance to the Bible, Bob’s Holy Word!” I about busted a gut…and then wrote new lesson plans to go back to the basics of our Bible study time.

***************

Sawyer has her fair share of funny/interesting observations. She was telling Wrex about how bad the feedlot stunk one day and she said, “It smelt as bad as your poop!” Wrex looked disgruntled, as he thinks the only legacy he’s leaving with the kids is how bad he smells. Sawyer saw his face and was afraid she hurt his feelings, so she quickly recanted, “Ok. It didn’t smell THAT bad!” I loved her “apology!”

****************

Wrex was not feeling 100% one day after work and I was asking how much water he’d had that day (because it’s usually not much). He began explaining that that might be the case. He said, “I shouldn’t have gotten pop earlier but I stopped to get gas and they were” and before he could finish, Sawyer chimed in, “worth it!” They come by their love for pop honestly, trust me…

****************

I’m SURE there have been others, but these are the ones I’ve taken note of in my phone lately. I’m also certain that little Say will have her named added to these lists of hilarity in short order!

Random Rambles

We officially started school today!

Sandhills Sonrise Christian School had it’s inaugural day and it was a success! Sawyer is such a good student and loves to learn, so teaching her is quite fun. I’m sure there will be harder days down the road but today? Today was a good day.

Also, just so we get it out there, Wrex totally laughed at me for getting her a first day of school outfit but I couldn’t resist!

***************

After Sawyer’s baptism last week, Wrex’s Grandma (and the kids’ GooGoo) stayed with us for a whole week! She hasn’t gotten to do that in more than a year so it was such a special treat for us!

I know I’ve talked about her several times before, but she really is a magnificent lady. She is leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord and a legacy of familial love with all of us, and we can’t thank her enough for that.

The kids adore her and she spent more time playing with them than anyone I know! She even got in and out of Wryder’s little playroom multiple times a day, despite her being “not as spry as she once was!”

They read every book on the bookshelf and watched a few fun cartoons and ate snacks and did hair and played farm and sale barn and Paw Patrol and Barbies and Uno until she was just plain tuckered out! She even slept with one of the kids almost every night, which they loved.

Lots of time in her lap... — Lots of time in her lap…

My favorite moments where some of the quiet ones where I could hear her talking to them about being kind or using manners or how to show respect to someone or how to include someone that was lonely. Wrex has always attributed a lot of his kindness and manners to her and I love seeing her pass a piece of that on to the next generation.

We took her to North Platte on Saturday so she could start her journey home and when it was time to say goodbye, there wasn’t a dry eye in the car…except for Wryder because he had just gotten a toy train from RaRa and that seemed to assuage his heartache. *ahem*

We sure love our GooGoo and all that she does to pour into our lives and our kids’ lives… Come back soon, Grandma!

***************

While we were in North Platte, we had to make a stop at Cody Park! The kids rode rides with RaRa AND GooGoo!

I’m telling you, she’s the coolest!

We also checked out the Fort…

Love these people... — Love these people…

Here comes Sayble, riding on a pony... — Here comes Sayble, riding on a pony…

and the kids loved the wooden display in the back.

Sawyer was so inspired, that she came home and made a paper version!

Calf by a pond with water, complete with a boat and a DUCK!

I love that girl’s creativity and drive!

***************

Wryder got a special gift on Saturday, too! The grands were going to wait until Christmas but decided he was gonna be too big if they waited any longer and let him have them now.

He got PaPa’s chaps from when HE was a little boy! His mom had them custom made and he wore them and then Wrex wore them and now Wryder will wear them.

In case you can’t tell, he was FIRED. UP.

He’ll wear them proud, PaPa!

***************

While I bought groceries, the kids played at the park with daddy. Sayble had a BALL!

Seriously, she's darn cute! — Seriously, she’s darn cute!

Wrex and I were talking the other day about how her adventures and discoveries and her new tasks and words are still just as exciting as they were with the other two. It never gets old…

I’ve said it a million times – and I’ll say it again – these ARE the best years of our life!

***************

This week marks the beginning of the busy fall season for us. Sawyer starts dance next week, Awana starts this week (Cubbies next), Wrexy’s sales start getting longer and of course, school. All of these are such good and fun and wonderful things but they can leave us scrambling to get from one place or event or thing to the next. I’m such a lover of peace…I’m trying not to spread myself too thin. I want my the Lord and family to come first and to truly come first…not just get lip action.

As I was shutting off the lights in the school room last night, I was uttering little thoughts to the Lord about our school adventure and my heart shouted, “Lord, I just want to be pleasing to you.” It caught me off guard, yet settled my soul. Though I care about what she learns this year, more than that, I just want us to be a family that pleases Him. Let it be so, Lord…

Random Rambles

The weather was SO nice last week so we tried to be outside as much as possible – always a good thing for small children with lots of energy.

This girl LOVED riding the little car... — This girl LOVED riding the little car…

Forgive the two-toned fence in the picture above. We replaced the boards earlier this spring after Wrex left his pickup in reverse when I waved him back to the house. Apparently, he thought there was a sincere emergency (I just had a a letter that I needed him to drop in the mail) and came running in without shifting into park. Thankfully, there’s a small hill in the pasture behind it and it stopped it – on this flat farm ground, who knows how far it would’ve traveled!

We had a cheeseburger picnic one day last week after an impromptu trip to town.

They played at the park, ran their hearts out and tried to sneak up on a little robin.

It flew off, but it was worth a shot.

****************

The impromptu trip to town was to get a little chicken house we found. It. Is. ADORABLE. We wanted it to put close to the house for some of our momma’s and babies. So far, it’s just housed cats and dogs…

A new breed of chicken.... — A new breed of chicken…

****************

We went to town on Friday to buy groceries and someone wasn’t too thrilled with his attire.

Doesn't he look handsome? — Doesn’t he look handsome?

He swore this was a girl’s shirt. It’s not. I made him wear it.

****************

Saturday we strayed from our red meat diet and had some roasted chicken. This was Wryder’s first experience with a chicken leg and he was a HUGE fan!

****************

We also had some fun visitors last week! Our sweet friend, Diane and our NEW sweet friend, Katherine stopped by!

The kids adored them and Wryder wanted them to stay to tuck him in bed. They doted on the kids and took a tour of the Phipps farm and ate cookies and punch with us! They even brought the kids supplies to do a fun craft which Sawyer did this weekend.

Ms. Diana brought her a bunch of torn up tissue paper and some mod podge and Sawyer made a box for a baby shower gift for our neighbor.

Cute - both of them! — Cute – both of them!

It turned out so cute!

You ladies come back ANY time!

****************

Saturday was equally beautiful and we took the kids to walk around the little fishing pond in town.

We saw 1 goose, 4 ducks but no fish or turtles. They had a ball exploring and running and checking out the water…and we had a ball being with them.

****************

This little dandy showed up on Facebook this morning:

5 years ago...Sawyer and Uncle Blake — 5 years ago…Sawyer and Uncle Blake

Be still my heart. Sweet girl has grown a little since then, yes?! (Blake is just as dashingly handsome, just FYI.) I love seeing all these clothes in Sayble’s closet now. We put her in some of Sawyer’s old jammies yesterday and it just made her even cuddlier!

That Sayble…she is just pure joy, I tell ya!

She hams it up for the camera, that girl!

****************

Today, we got to shower our sweet neighbor who is expecting a sweet baby girl in about a month! Sawyer got to see two of her favorite girls (and fellow flower girls from Gillian’s wedding) and they had a ball together!

They’ve grown a little…

***************

Gillian has some of the sweetest family members a girl could ask for. Two of her aunts (and ladies I’m proud to call friends) were there today and were just so encouraging to me regarding motherhood.

One of them told me that if the Lord would give her any day to do again, she’d choose one when her kids were around the age of mine because they are just so fun. And it’s true. This right here:

This is the closest to heaven I’ll get on this earth. I love them with every ounce of my being…

I love the way Sayble NEEDS me right now and needs me with ferocity! I love to hear her little jabbers and her sweet smiles. I love the way she pats me when I pick her up and the way she only wants to be where I am.

I love the way Wryder is all boy. I love how he wants to mow and shoot guns and eat dirt and poop outside. I love how he helps pick up after meals and how much he loves his sisters. I love how he always hollers, “love you!” one more time as I close his door after tucking him in.

I love the way Sawyer has entered a self-sufficiency of sorts. I love that she and I can go anywhere and she’s fine and I’m fine and we can go and do without a lot of planning (or extra bags)! I love that she loves so many of the same things I like. I love that she loves to talk to me and is, truly, one of my best friends.

Tomorrow is Monday and before I know it, Friday will be here again. Another week done and gone. It happens so fast… Lean in and love it, momma…

Pressing In

I have a temper.

And I hate it.

I’m an opinionated, passionate, perfection-loving, anxious person and the unsanctified parts of those things tend to rear their heads through frustration and anger.

I try to be even keel – that helps when you have small children – but sometimes, it gets the best of me. After the 300th time that I have to repeat the rules that have yet to change since the beginning of rules – no banging on the table, no back talking, no pushing your sister, no jumping off of the coffee table, not getting ON the coffee table, no pulling Sayble around by her legs, no dumping out the dog food, no putting food from our plate on the floor, no sneaking snacks without asking, no screaming while Sayble naps…you get my drift – my flesh takes over and I go into angry-lecturing parent mode.

It doesn’t happen all of the time or even the majority of the time, but one time is one too many and I find myself fighting with that urge more than I’d like. The Lord gave us emotions and He gave us the ability to feel anger but He does not give us the ok to sin in our anger; when I raise my voice or roll my eyes or let an exasperated naughty word slip or lecture on and on and on hoping they get the point? That doesn’t please Him.

Anger is one of those really difficult emotions because in the moment, you feel completely justified. Whatever you feel like doing in rebuttal MUST be ok because of what the offender did or said. BUT? That’s just not the case.

The Word says repeatedly that the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in love. While He’s flipped some tables for the sanctity of His holy place, we don’t see Him on this constant rampage with a furrowed brow and venomous lips.

Parenting is HARD. HARD, I tell you! In this stage, with three littles under the age of 6, it can be exhausting. There is so much physicality to the job right now. One day, it will switch to more of a mental exhaustion and we’ll be craving those dirty diapers and untied shoes again, won’t we?

As a mom – especially one that has the luxury to be with her babies all day, every day, weekends-mean-nothing – we are constantly pouring ourselves out to tend to their needs and mend their hearts and navigate their emotions and guide them back to the trail to kindness and righteousness. Add in the daily chores of laundry, dishes, meal prep, feedings, cleanings, prayers, school work, yard work, etc. and the weight of all of those duties can pile up and sends us teetering on the edge of a meltdown.

While I do want our home – our sacred place – to be a place of peace of righteousness, how I respond to the sins of my children will determine the tone of my household more than their choices do.

They’re not perfect. They’re gonna sin. That’s what they do! But how I handle that will either lead them TO Jesus or AWAY from Him. Another big job to add to our list, yes?

This weekend, I felt like we had all been really busy this past week and because of that, our prayers had become choppy and repetitive and insincere. We regrouped together as a family on Sunday night and we began praying things that aligned with the heart of the Lord. When we take our desires to Him – things that HE desires for us as well – He is faithful to move on our behalf.

He doesn’t want me to be angry. He doesn’t want me to sin in my anger. He doesn’t want me to speak harshly. His desire for me is to be slow to anger and abounding in love. And that has been my prayer.

Prayer is not an argument with God to persuade him to move things our way, but an exercise by which we are enabled by his Spirit to move ourselves His way.

While I desire obedience for my children, let the sanctification and obedience start with ME. I still pray they choose obedience but oh, I pray for me to be more like YOU. I want to move myself your way…

Lord, we want to be more like You, simple as that. Isn’t that the goal? That with each day and week and year, the maturing Christian would look less like the world and more like Jesus? Pressing in to get there…

Random Rambles

The chicks are alive and well and getting lots of attention. Sawyer named hers Dot and Penguin Cindi. Wryder named his Corny and Wheater. If that boy doesn’t farm or sell tractors one day, I’ll be shocked.

****************

Sayble has mastered pulling herself up – watch out world!

How we found her this morning in her crib

She has been pulling up on the dishwasher, the coffee table, any chair she kind find, the back of my legs – honestly, anything! She got herself into quite a pickle the other day when she did this:

She was so proud of herself but then had no idea how to get down! That’s been the biggest problem lately. After she went to bed tonight, she started screeching 20 minutes later. I went in to check on her and she was standing up in her bed but didn’t know how to let herself back down. This could be fun for a while…

****************

We talked a lot about Palm Sunday yesterday and what exactly this week means for us as followers of Christ. During supper, we were reviewing with dad all we learned and Wryder excitedly exclaimed, “Saywer! Jesus is our King!” I melt.

****************

It was such a lovely day on Sunday that the kids just had to ride horses. Sawyer has gotten really good at riding and understanding general horsemanship and, of course, Wryder thinks he has. 🙂

He really likes to say, “Ho” or “Whoa.” The only problem is that he likes to say it all the time. That makes going anywhere a little difficult. Regardless? He looked darn cute.

****************

Today was one of those days where we didn’t do anything really over the top – we were just together – but it was one of those days I’d do 100 times over. We played Barbie Pop-Up Camper and learned more about Easter and read stories and did school and explored the back pasture and searched for pine cones and played with chickens and did chores and sang songs…

We have some friends – several friends – who are in the trenches…fighting for answers and fighting for life. We are so thankful and humbly grateful for our whole, healthy family.

****************

Sawyer wanted to color and create this morning so she got busy with her crayons and made this beauty.

In case you can’t tell…that’s Jesus riding on a donkey while someone waves their palm branches. Be still my heart…

Random Rambles

It’s FRIDAY! Do I really need to say anything else?!

****************

I love to see the gifts in my children become glaringly obvious. Sweet Sawyer is such a little administrator. It takes one to know one, perhaps.

Wryder has a crush on a cute little high school girl and the minute he saw her last fall, he’s been telling her (and everyone else) that he was gonna marry her. He and Sawyer have made plans for him to live in the playhouse with his new wife, with a sled for a bed. Sawyer has been busy planning his wedding for months and this week, she got their wedding clothes done.

She made notes and designs in her notebook and would check off each piece as she completed it.

Her main construction materials were paper towels and washi tape and they look surprisingly good!

The dress and "gail" — The dress and “gail”

Wryder's tuxedo shirt. Note the red rose and the bow tie... — Wryder’s tuxedo shirt. Note the red rose and the bow tie…

I feel like we’ve fought their obsession with this project for quite some time. I do love that they love the concept of marriage and how joyful it truly is. We must be doing a little something right…

****************

Sawyer has her first 4-H meeting this weekend. We are so excited for her and she is so excited for herself! Wrex and I’ve done a lot of talking this week about the joys and advantages of a slower pace of life.

Everything that he is today – from follower of Christ, to husband, to father, to cattle buyer – all of the things and people that influenced him most, took place before he was 15 years old. It wasn’t high school…it wasn’t college…it was the things he got to try and experience during his most formative years that shaped his being.

I am so grateful that I get to be a stay-at-home mom…that I get the opportunity to spend more time with them than anyone else…that we get to encourage them and teach them and train them and provide them with opportunities and experiences that will translate into their futures.

We were watching Duck Dynasty the other night and one of the older kids was pursuing his dreams as a musician and just watching his mom’s reaction made me sappy, of course. There are times when it feels like those days are so far down the road, but we all know they’re not; they’ll be here in the blink of an eye, just like everything else.

It made us wonder what our kids would be doing and pursuing…and we pray with all of our might that at the heart of whatever it is, that it’s Jesus.

****************

The neighbors didn’t have school on Monday so we loaded up for a midday play date. Sawyer got to ride in the go-cart and thought that was pretty fun stuff!

Wryder went over, looked at it, tried the helmet on and then settled for the porch.

****************

This cute little booger is just joy in every way!

She was a little fussy for the babysitter on Tuesday night and has had a few bouts of that with us lately so we assumed she must be getting a tooth. Yesterday, Wrex was playing with her and saw the monster coming in on the top.

Lately, she’s really been pursing her mouth and that must be why. Not sure what explains all the nose crinkling but I LOVE it.

Seriously, she’s the cutest thing E.V.E.R.

****************

We’re hoping hoping HOPING that the guys get our barn and shop finished this weekend. They’ve been working weekends and the wind hasn’t helped their cause much….or the fact that they don’t ever get here until 10 am. *ahem*

They have the shop all done but are still working on the barn. I promise to post pics when they are done. I know it’s going to look so nice but there’s something I’ll miss about the chippy old barn…

A few winters ago... — A few winters ago…

****************

Wrex is still sporting the mutton chops.

Extroverts are so funny. I spend most of my days not wanting to be seen and he’s putting himself out there front and center, with radical facial hair no less. Cracks me up. Here’s to hoping they’re gone by Monday…sure hope that razor doesn’t zip up his face in the night! 😉

****************

It’s Fun Friday around here and today is errand day. We’re gonna run to town and take some checks to the bank for daddy and get some cash for our Dave Ramsey envelopes and take a cupcake to a special birthday lady and get some birthday cards to send to some other special people (PaPa and RaRa!) and if the wind stops howling, we may stop at the park to burn a little energy (them) and calories (me).

Whatever you find yourself doing today, I pray that you choose and find joy in all of it.

Some Days are Hard

Some days are hard.

Being a mom is the best job I’ve ever had, and it’s the hardest. Send me 1,000 volunteers and 200 staff and 43 databases and I’ll manage them all day long, but sometimes managing three wee ones gets the best of me.

Today? Is one of those days.

The morning started with the kids saying something that wasn’t meant to be mean or hateful (I can only assume) but it touched on a brokenness inside my heart that hasn’t healed…and it hurt as I tried not to show them that it did. Ever have those moments? Maybe it’s just me.

Being a stay-at-home parent has more advantages than disadvantages and I fully believe that that is what the Lord has assigned for our family…but it doesn’t always make you the “fun” or “popular” parent. I’m with them 24 hours a day and have the responsibility to correct and teach and guide. I’m the one that has to spread my time between each of my littles and cooking three meals a day and feeding Sayble more meals than that and changing diapers and clothes and make sure I’m eating properly so I don’t send myself down the blood sugar spiral and getting the laundry done and making sure this place isn’t a pig sty and teaching school – none of which I hate, it just doesn’t always leave a lot of room for outrageous, spontaneous memories or experiences.

And I’m not one of those moms that thinks that every hour should be spent doing a new Pinterest activity or playing in a sensory box; I’m a HUGE believer in independent, creative play – especially outside – I just want to best use my time to leave a legacy worth leaving with my kids.

My hope is that despite all of my misgivings and failures as a mom, that one day my kids will truly understand all I did for them…understand all I did because I loved them…understand that we tried our best to be fair and consistent and loving in our discipline…understand that being a parent is hard work and that I went to bed most nights wishing I could do the day over again…understand that there is nothing I wouldn’t attempt to do for them or because of them…understand that my love for them knows no bounds or limits or conditions…understand that even on the hard days, I wouldn’t trade what I do for the world.

I don’t know if there has been anything in my life that has made me crawl to the cross more than being a mom…

Last week, Wrex heard the Eric Church song called Three Year Old. He had me listen and I was a blubbering mess because it reminded me so much of Wryder. I was outside playing with the kids at the time and they asked why I was crying and I was attempting to explain to them how much I loved them. Wryder stopped everything he was doing and in the sweetest little voice said, “We wuv you too, mommy.” The rest of the day, he was extra attentive to me and it was so sweet and so needed.

That night at supper, he kept putting his little arm around me and his hands felt so sweet and tiny. He wanted to take an usie and even though I look rough in this picture, I will treasure it always…

We’ve made it through lunch. That counts for something, right?

Nap time is here. I’ll collect myself and pull up my boot straps and tackle the afternoon. That’s what we do, isn’t it?

To all you mommies out there who might be struggling with me today, I salute you! You’re doing a good job.

Keep pointing their hearts toward Jesus.

Keep loving them no matter what.

Keep teaching them and training them and guiding them in the ways that they should go.

Keep your eyes on the Perfect Parent.

Keep singing, “Oh, Lord I need you. Every hour I need you. My one defense. My righteousness. I need you, oh I need you.” (If you ever hear me mumbling this, now you know…)

And drink a Dr. Pepper. That’s the best advice I’ve got.

Little Plus Little Plus Little Equals Big

Guys, I don’t even know what to tell you about 2016. We’re entering the second week of February and it’s been a ride already! I’ve always heard that following the Lord is an adventure and life has proven that very thing, time and time again.

I’ve been doing the Precept study – which you KNOW I love! – on the life of Abraham. It starts us right where the Lord calls Abram (soon to be Abraham) away from the place he and his family have known…away from every familiar and comfortable thing…to follow Him to a land that He would show Him…a land that the Lord promises to bless through the many descendants that shall come from the house of Abram.

Intriguing offer – would you do it? We’d all like to think we would, wouldn’t we? But sometimes, it’s not so easy. There are memories and relationships and impossibilities (seemingly, of course) and details to hash out and things to pack and things to mull over and think about and ideas to bounce off of our friends and confirmations to get and and and! But Abram made it look easy; the text simply says, “So Abram went…” What faith, yes?! I feel like I can definitely relate to this part of the story because it reminds me so much of how we got to where we are now… We had $5000 in a savings account, nowhere to live, nowhere to go and no job waiting for us; all we knew was we were supposed to go, so go we did.

One of the many things that I love about the story of Abram besides his faithfulness to the Lord, is the Lord’s faithfulness to Him. Even in his sin and his lies and poor decisions, the Lord still acts on His behalf and kept leading Him on in the way he already said that he would go…

It has been such a beautiful reminder for me the past couple of weeks. I so badly want to be obedient to Him – isn’t it the least that I could do? Isn’t the blessing that comes from obedience worth the discomfort of a new thing?

In that search for knowing obedience and knowing His will, Abram settles my soul that should I misstep, should I have heard wrong, should I have made the poor choice…He’s not leaving me. He’s not forsaking me. Should I willfully disobey, He will HATE my sin of disobedience but continue to love me just as He has done before my birth. That’s a beautiful thing, yes?

Sometimes waiting on the Lord is strenuous…especially for a ~~control freak~~ person who is very type A and likes to have all of their ducks in a row and have them in a row immediately. Don’t ask me how I know. *ahem*

I’m at the point that I just wanna do what He wants me to do and I don’t even care what that is. Not a bad place to be, eh?

I look at Abram’s story and it’s wrapped up in such a nice little bow that it makes the obedience part look easy. The Lord said, “do this,” so Abram did. He traveled here and built an altar…he traveled there until the Lord spoke again…he went on his merry way until the Lord gave Him some more instructions. Well, that sounds easy enough – no wonder he was faithful!

But when you look at the great distance he actually traveled (on foot, mind you) and all he must have encountered – all of the little hardships and happenings and rocks in the road and people he happened upon – he continually had to make choices for obedience that we don’t hear about in the text, even just in the daily grind. It wasn’t like he magically appeared in the next town because that’s where the text picks up; he actually had to GET there and that alone wasn’t always an easy feat.

Isn’t it the day to day choices for obedience that usually get us? I find myself begging for Him to reveal what I’m to do in the big decisions…am I good at letting Him govern the small ones, too? When Wryder poops in his pants for the thousandth time since we started potty training, do I choose grace (obedience) and talk to him levelly or do I raise my voice? When Sawyer continually guesses at words instead of sounding them out, do I teach her how to do it properly (obedience) or do I lose my cool? When Sayble is fussy do I stop everything I’m doing and comfort her (obedience) or do I act inconvenienced? When Wrex asks for my help outside and the wind is howling, so I jump up to help him with a good attitude (obedience) or complain and tell him to make it snappy? Well, that was all fun to write… *ahem*

I just can’t help but think that if it blesses His heart that we wait on Him before we make the big decisions in our life, how much MORE does it bless Him when we call on Him for EVERY decision in our life? It’s why we have to stay hooked up. It’s why we have to be in the Word. It’s why we have to have Scripture memorized and dropped in our hearts. It’s why we have to respond and not react. It’s why we have to consciously choose obedience in all the little things just as carefully as we would for the big things…because all the little things? They become the big things…

Lord, help me to have a heart that chases after you in ALL things. You are worthy of my obedience in every phase and every stage and every minute…

Can’t Get Enough

We’ve had daddy home for 10 of the past 11 days (thank you, sale barns!) and tomorrow we must give him up to the sale barn again. We have had such a good time together; no amount of days off would be “enough” for me.

Being a wife to my handsome hubby and a mom to my three cuties is better than I ever imagined it would be…better than I ever could have dreamt it… Are there hard days? Of course. Are there days when I need to run to town just for a little bit of quiet? Sure. Are there times when Wrexy and I need to recharge and get back to the basics of our marriage? Absolutely…but being a wife and mom are the best jobs I’ve ever had. My soul is satisfied with this calling…

While daddy was home, we…

went on a family date…

They loved their root beer in a boot - boot beer! — They loved their root beer in a boot – boot beer!

Wryder kept her entertained long after her sweet potatoes were gone... — Wryder kept her entertained long after her sweet potatoes were gone…

had family fun day where Sawyer and I got pedicures while the boys (and Sayble) had ice cream and went to Menards…

celebrated with Sawyer as she finally earned that Barbie Pop-Up Camper! We are so proud of her!

We had concerts…

They're gonna be famous... — They’re gonna be famous…

checked out the nativity scene in the neighboring town…

I love my babies...and baby Jesus — I love my babies…and baby Jesus

took selfies where mom’s arm didn’t quite reach…

played Paw Patrol, farm version…

ridden horses…

He's really gentle... — He’s really gentle…

crawled around with this cutie…

She has mastered the army crawl... — She has mastered the army crawl…

worked on trailers, took down Christmas decorations, played a mound of games, listened to at least 15 episodes of Adventure in Odyssey, watched a ton of football and just enjoyed being together!

I remember my parents telling (and re-telling) the story of me opening gifts at my grandparents’ house one Christmas. They always did things BIG and I had opened gifts for a bit and I laid back in a pile of wrinkled wrapping paper and said, “Oh, the more I get the more I want!” I’ve come a long way since then. *ahem*

I feel this way about my family, though; the more time I get with them, the more I desire! They are my best friends, my closest confidants, the ones I get to minister to and the ones who minister to me. They know me better and love me more than anyone on the planet and for that alone, I am so grateful.

My hearts....minus the baby who was sleeping. — My hearts….minus the baby who was sleeping.

We will send daddy off with smiles tomorrow and eagerly await his return home. I’m so thankful that while he’s off buying cows and providing for our fam, that I get to stay home and hang with these babies all day.

Sawyer and I have a date to play Barbie Pop-Up Camper WITH water in the pool and Wryder wants help making a card for Goo Goo and I have no doubt Sayble will want me to make funny noises and kiss her cheeks and snuggle her in the chair. I love these guys…I just can’t get enough…