Ok... so super shocker here... two posts in tow days!!!  Crazy I know!  But today is a special one and I am blogging today in honor of my oldest child's, Skyler, birthday. 

I know.. he's nine already!!  It seems like only yesterday he was a baby! 

Like in this picture, when he was nine months old!!

How cute is he!  He loved that soccor ball!!

But now, he's so grown up looking like this...

 

Yup, that's my baby all grown up... well sort of!!  This picture was taken in early June of this year by my dear friend Kit of Kit Womble Photography.  She's the best, isn't she!!  We love our Miss Kit!

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to post pictures of my hansome boy for his ninth birthday! 

Fires Set By The Tongue

I know, I know... it has been a long while since I posted anything on here!  I would be pointless to say how much has been going on!  So I'm just going to dive in on a topic that is pretty close to my heart and has grown heavy.  I just have to get it out!

Words have meaning. 

Sometimes I think we all forget that.  James 3:5-6 says " Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil amoung the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." 

Think about that for a minute... ok, long enough!  How many times have we said, me included, "my feet are killing me" after a long day at work, or "my kids are driving me crazy", when we spend to much time all together in the car?  Our feet aren't killing us... and we aren't going to a padded room because our children want attention from us!  If we aren't careful, the enemy can ride those words right on into our lives.  I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want the enemy that close to me. 

I was looking back over some notes I took in my old lifegroup class and this topic was covered!!  How convenient!! 

But there is a another side to all this... 

It's not always the things we say to ourselves that the enemy can ride into our lives on...but what others say to us.  We can either accept the words others use at us or we can deny them and cast it under our feet.  Always being careful with the praise and the hurtful words used towards us.  Too much praise can make us prideful.  And too much hurtful can make us question our self-worth.  The good news is that we don't have to accept everything that is said to us and about us.  We can take the good and cast down the rest.

Sometimes, sadly, we have to weigh the importance of a relationship because of words that are said.    Sometimes the phrase "That's not what I meant" can wear you down to nothing.  If that's not what you meant, then why did you say it?  I think the best rule when talking to others, in love and in anger, is to "say what you mean, and mean what you say".  And stand by it even you said something hateful and the other person stops talking to you.  That may be time to use some other words.. like I'm sorry. 

Words have "forever" meaning...

Not just in the heat of the moment but the next day, the next week, the next year, they still have the same meaning.  I forget sometimes, in the heat of an argument with my husband, that the things I say to him will be remembered...forever!  (Now, read that like the kid in The Sandlot!) 


And I would also like to point out that all of this doesn't just apply to the spoken word, but also the written word.  In the world of Facebook, blogs, Myspace, and text messaging, we have to also remember these things.  Aren't we so much braver when we can be ugly to others without being in the same room?!  Ahhhh... modern technology!!! 

I would just like to end with one thought that we all know very well. 

Words have meaning...we can lift up and tear down others with our tongues, a small part of our body that has so much power.

With Grace and Joy

In my weekly Bible Study we are studying Beth Moore's "Daniel: Lives of Integrity and Words of Prophecy".  I cannot tell you how much I am learning!  I spent a lot of today thinking about "friendly captivity" and how I play right into it! 

I have spent so much of my life doing what I thought I needed to be doing by everyone else's standards.  My parents, my husband, my neighbors, my friends!  But I wasn't paying enough attention to the standards God had set for me.  WOW!!  It seems so silly!  I should have known that I needed to be paying more attention to what God wanted from me and not what the world wanted from me.  But for whatever reason, I wasn't.  Well, I am paying attention now!  I want to receive the knowledge and understanding that God desires to give to me.  And I know that someday, I will hear the voice of God. 

I am reading the book "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp.  She has brought into my live a new word... Eucharisteo.  It flows so sweetly off my tongue and its meaning is just as sweet.  It means "thanksgiving", however, Ann goes even farther into its meaning.  "Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis.  But it also its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning "joy"."  The word means thanksgiving, with grace and joy! 

That got me thinking.  Do I give thanks to God with grace and joy?  Do I really?  Do I thank Him for days when nothing goes the way I want it to?  Do I thank Him for the hard times that have happened to me?  I know I thank Him for the good stuff, but do I thank Him for the not so good stuff?  And even further, since I am not sure that I am giving thanks with grace and joy, am I being obediant to what it is He wants for me? 

I think I know the answers to those questions and I feel shame.  But I also know that today is not over and there is no need for shame, only the need to fix it.  To go to my Father, on my knees with thanks for everything. 

Melinda

Looking Deeper

Okay, so it's been a while AGAIN!! 

A gracious friend of mine blessed me and my family with some venison from the game ranch her husband manages.  And we have eaten it at every meal since!  We had deer tacos, deer chili and tonight my greatest materpiece... back strap strips with peppers served over beef rice... YUM!!  My husband is in love with deer meat.  I think he may take up hunting after eating the meat! 

I have been following a blog called A Holy Experience (http://www.aholyexperience.com/ ) for a while now and have decided to take up her challenge to see gifts in everything and write them down.  I will put my first ten gifts at the bottom of this post.  Ann Voskamp has, unknowingly, been helping me to see gifts in all that I do in my home, at work, at church with everyone I encounter. 

Ok, so my walk with to Christ has been more intense this time around.  The easiest way for me to descibe my education before is like a small child learning to paint, using a big brush with broad strokes. Now, I am more "grown up", I am trying to use a small brush and watercolors!!!  I left Fort Stockton and our wonderful church family with a relatively basic understanding and now I am refining it.  Looking in the minutia of the Word for beautiful little nuggets God left there just for me, instead of just reading the Scripture which was the basis for Sunday service.  Looking deeper is what I am searching for right now, along with God's purpose for me.  I hope to find the gifts that God gave just to me to enrich His Kingdom. 

I have also just started a new bible study with a little group that was started in town.  Beth Moore's Daniel Study.  We have only done the first session and I am so ready to find out how to live in our modern day "Babylon".  I will be sharing more about that on Thursday, after we meet again!

So for my One Thousand Gifts List:
1. A kitchen to create a nourshing meal for my family.

2. My husband... who brings me comfort and laughter

3. A daughter... who brings me joy

4. A son... who reminds me everyday of who I am

5. A hug...

6. My sunday school class... those kids definitely taught me something today!

7. A friend... who brings me meat and her peaceful spririt

8. Joyful laughter shared with my kids today!

9. A Son... who gave himself to save me

10.  A creative mind...


Melinda

Changes!

Hey there y'all!  There have been some changing happening around our house.  My family and I have been going to church again, which is something we really needed to do.  I have also gone back to work at Cato, a local clothing store. 
I originally started this blog to chronical the our family life and share everyday things with our families.   I have been feeling led to include more about my faith and my walk with Christ, along with my rededication.  I use the term rededication kinda loosely because I feel it is more of a "realignment".  I have always loved God with all my heart but I was not fully walking in alignment with God's path for me.   I could hear Him guiding me but I am rebellious and chose to walk just on the outside of His path. 
The Bible is my guide, both old and new testament, and I follow Jesus' teachings of how we should live our lives.  I'm not sure how this is going to work but I am trusting God to lead me where He wants this to go. 
Right now, being that it is the Christmas season, the children have been doing an Advent Devotional called the Jesse Tree.  I have found many resources for this devotional and I had picked two different ones.  The one that we are following the closest is from Faith Magazine and the other is from http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/11/update-free-jesse-tree-advent-devotional/  I have to say that next year, we will use this one exclusively!  It even has fully colored ornaments! Love it!!  Or maybe I will get creative and write my own...HA!!  Anyway, Chaos and Mayhem, my sweet children, are really enjoying the advent and look forward to it every evening.  I will post pictures of our wreath tomorrow with our ornaments hanging from it! 
That is enough for now... maybe something more tomorrow!



Melinda

She Lost It!!!

Sorry, I am a little late on my weeky post but what can I say... I'm posting now!!!  So this week hasnt been that crazy but we were definitley movin' and groovin'!!  Emma Lee has started gymnastics.  She started going about a month ago and is loving it!!!  She comes home and can't help but show off her cartwheels, and rolls, and the newest one ... a one-handed cartwheel!  I will post pics of gymnastics after her first family observation night.  Parents are discouraged from being there during class so I haven't actually seen her do anything on the "bouncy rug".  We also went to Family Worship Night at our church on Wednesday.  We really enjoyed all the music and the message that was given.  Emma also got to draw with pastels during the praise and worship time.  It is called "art fusion".  They are split up into groups and they all start their own drawings and then they switch and get to add their own take anad ideas to anothers drawing... so it becomes all of theirs!  She made the biggest mess and loved every minute of it. 

Oh yeah, back to the title of this post.  Emma Lee, my baby, had her first loose tooth.  And she asked me if I had one of those envelopes that have the tooth fairy on it.  Nope, those you can only get from school.  So what does she do?  She leaves her tooth alone all weekend and then Monday morning in school, she reaches into her mouth and pulls out her tooth!  Her teacher told me Emma said "Here's my tooth!! Can I have a toothfairy envelope now?"  Love it!!!

How adorable is that!!! 

See you soon!!

Melinda

My First Real Post in a Long Time

Hey there everyone!  We have been very busy lately!  But it is slowing down since the kids went back to school.  Emma is in kindergarten now and she is doing wonderfully, like we had any doubt about that!  This year Skyler is in second grade and he seems to really like his teacher and his class. 

I am trying to find my way through all the free time I have with the kids in school.  I have been doing some sewing and some knitting. And watching movies!!  Not the best use of my time but what can I say!! 

I have been making some crayon rolls for my mom to sell.  I have make five so far and have two more to do.  I have more fabric that I can cut for them but I think I might make some other stuff too!

Skyler turned eight this summer.  I can't believe how quickly time flies!!

I will be back next week with pictures of the kids and an update from our week!

Melinda

Alright ... so I lied!!!

Ok... so I haven't been posting every Thursday like I said I would!  We had a very busy year so far and it has gone by so fast!!  But I will be posting every Thursday starting this week!! 

We have been very busy with all kinds of activities that the kids are involved in.  We started going to a new church and my husband got himself a very good new job!  So life is moving forward in the best direction it could go in! 

See you Thursday!!

Melinda

Ok, so I am trying something different!

I, like so many other people, made some New Year's Resolutions! And no, one of them wasn't o lose weight, although one was to be a fitter, healthier person! One of my resolutions was to blog more often! Once a week.
Now, I realize that I am two months behind on this (already!) but I have decided to set aside some time every Thursday to do a post about what we have been up to for the last week.
I think that I am just gonna lay out what has been going on in the last week versus the last two months!
Last Saturday, Dan and I went to a Jaycee Barn Dance! We had a great time with out friends, Walter and Chanel Smith! We danced together which is something we haven't done in a long time! And afterward, we went over to the TA truck stop in town, that yeah isn't the most glamorous place but man they have some great food!! I had Sunday off from work, so we hung around the house and cleaned!! Of all the things a family can do on a Sunday, we spent the day cleaning! But man, we really needed to! We tend to be on the go so much that the house doesn't always get the deep down cleaning as regularly as it should so..... that was what we did!
The best day of all this week was Tuesday! And I say this with all intended sarcasm! Tuesday was my last day off for the week and I really was planning on enjoying it in my quiet house with the children at school and Dan at work........ well that's not what happened! We were woken up at 5:58 in the morning to the phone ringing... it was the school calling (with an automated system) to tell us that our precious little pride and joys were not going to be going to school! WHAT you say!!! Yes, we got roughly 8 inches of snow and my peaceful, quiet day was now shot all the way to you know where!! You know, and because they are kids, after breakfast, they just had to go outside and play in all of the precious white stuff that we rarely ever see out in our neck of the woods! Skyler couldn't find one of his gloves, Emma Lee was trying to go out in jeans with holes in the knees, everything was falling apart very quickly!! I gave Skyler one of my gloves, and finally wrangled her into another pair of pants, so that they could finally get to go outside in all the precious white stuff! Out they go....... 5 minutes later, they were trying to come back in because they were cold!! Well, yeah silly, it's snow!!!No... get back outside for more fun because it is all going to melt tomorrow! Yup, that was my response to them! And so out they go...... 25 minutes later I was able to coax them back into the house for some hot cocoa and dry clothes! They loved playing in it once they were so cold that they couldn't feel anything anymore!! It was wonderful to see them so happy... but true to form, the weather swiftly turned better on Wednesday, and the snow was all gone by 2:30 in the afternoon! Gotta love West Texas!!
Yesterday and today were really very quiet days without much to talk about! Nice, huh?! This morning was a bit of a whirlwind because ther seems to be no way that I can leave my MOPS group on time to get Emma Lee to school and me to work without being late!! But she made it, her friend Jake made it, and I finally made it to work!! Lucky me!!!

Until next time!! Next Thursday could be a doozy because it is Emma Lee's 5th birthday and I seem to be having a bit of trouble with it!

Fall Fun!!

So I know it has been a while since I last posted and much has happened since then. I have been really busy all summer with activities! But... I should tell you that I have also been a little lazy! But the kids are now back in school and doing great. Skyler is in first grade and Emma Lee is in pre-kindergarten! Growing up so fast!!

The weather is getting cooler and it is Halloween (I will post pics of the kids in costumes by Sunday, hopefully!)! The kids really do like this time of year. The leaves are changing, the air has a nip to it, and we like to curl up and drink lots of cocoa!! Several weeks ago, I took the kids to the Pumpkin Patch with my MOPS group. I was a little different than what I was expecting. I was remembering my childhood when my mom would take us to the pumpkin patch which was on a farm and you could actually cut your own pumpkin from the vine. Silly me, I forget sometimes that I am not in New England anymore!!! Anyway, we went over there and they had pumkins everywhere!! Not just regular pumpkins either, but ones that were pumpkin/gourd hybrids, all bumply and funky!! It was wonderful and the kids loved it!!!

My friend Kit, who is a professional photographer, organized the trip and she brought her camera. She ended up taking some great pictures of the kids and I. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful friend!! I can't wait to take them and have prints made! The colors were just wonderful!! When I get them, I will be posting them here for all to see!!

Happy Mother's Day!

This weekend was incredibly busy with many events going on. First off, I graduated with my Associate's Degree on Friday evening. I was unsure if I wanted to go through all of the stress of getting me, Skyler and Emma Lee ready for the ceremony but when my name was called and I walked across that stage, I realized it was so incredibly worth it. Dan tells me that this one feels good, but the next one feels so much better. A bunch of people came to the ceremony which made me feel really good.
The second thing that happened was that Dan came home after spending 18 days in Nebraska and Colorado. This trip was really difficult for me and for the children for some reason. He is leaving tomorrow for Texoma on Monday. This trip should be for about 2 weeks. So maybe it will be better than the last one, pray for me!!!
Also, this weekend was Mother's day! My parents took the children Saturday night through Sunday afternoon so that Dan and I could have some time together before he leaves again. I haven't been sleeping well since Dan left and I am pretty sure that I caught up on all of it!! I woke up this morning at 11:30, at breakfast, went back to bed until 3:30 in the afternoon. It was wonderful! Nobody needed me to handle anything today and I relished it. Because Monday, Dan leaves and it starts all over again.
On Monday, my mom and I are going to a local greenhouse to get some great bedding plants (and maybe a few others!) for my front flowers beds at the house. She wanted to give me a graduation gift that would keep for a long time and would be a great reminder, so this was her plan. I think it sounds wonderful!! My house needs a lift, seriously! I will post some pictures of the flower beds as soon as it is done!
But for now, I just want to say Happy Mother's Day to every mother out there!

Mindy

Summer has Arrived and so has T-Ball!

We are really excited for this season to start. Skyler is playing T-Ball! He is loving it. This morning, he had his first "game" (more like a two innning scrimmage, but I am not telling him that!) They also took picturesand had opening cerimony. My dad and my uncle came to support our little Slugger. Dan couldn't make it because he is out of town for work. He is working in Colorado, but staying in Nebraska! I know he would have loved to see Skyler play.


This is our first T-Ball practice. I think I was the only Mommy there with a camera taking pictures of practice! But like I said, Dan is gone and I wanted him to see some of that too!



This is Skyler, right in front #10, heading to the dugout for their scrimmage. Remember, I am preserving memories for Dan, don't poke fun at all the questionable pictures.



I looked out, saw Sky on second base, turned and told my Dad (excitedly) "He's on second base!". My Dad looks at me, in a very serious way, and says "Isn't he a little young to be going to second base." Only my Dad would turn it into something ... well, a little dirty , and really funny!



Here he is getting ready to hit his first ball in his first game! I know... I know, a little sappy but I don't care!



He missed the coach-pitched balls, so they gave him the tee. Man, he ripped that ball. It went passed the infield (which was the furthest hit by both teams playing). He said after the game that he was trying to bust the stuffing out of the ball.

The best part of his game was when he slid into home! I missed it because I was looking for Emma Lee under the bleachers. THat would have been a fantastic picture but, of course, I missed it.

We had a wonderful time, except for the high winds, both kids did great. Emma Lee found some friends under the bleachers, playing in the dirt. She got nice and dirty, but that's why we have bathtubs!

I will leave more for another day!

Mindy

It's A British Invasion... sort of

No we didn't have the Beatles over for dinner but who cares... With Dan's new job, comes new friends! A couple weekends ago, Dan invited his new friends Greg and Carl over to the house for dinner. They are from England and are completly wonderful! They stayed and played pool with Dan and Todd until about 2:30 in the morning. We had such a great time. We will be sad to see them go home the end of May.



Greg is standing and Carl is holding Emma Lee. I think Greg told Dan that he would mail him an authentic British dart board for the game room. It will be wonderful to keep in touch with them even when they go home!

It's Been A While!

Many things have happened since the last time I posted. Dan has changed jobs, Emma Lee had a birthday, we celebrated another year of marriage, and Skyler is starting tee-ball! So many things going on!!

Emma Lee turned four early this month. She had a wonderful party at our house, and another at school.



She had to show everyone everthing (well, most of it!) she got for her birthday. Yes, that is a crocheted pony purse, and man is it the cutest thing ever!




Happy Birthday To You, Blow out your candles and have one to grow on!!




I thought this picture was too cute. She was so excited that it was her birthday. She was definitely the Birthday Princess... well, she is an everyday princess!

We had plenty of people at the house and she played with her cousin, Kylie, for a long time. Daddy bought her the pretty party dress that she is wearing, since he was at work when she had her party.

More for you later!

It's Over!

I don't know how many other people feel this way, but as much as I love the family time of the holidays. I am so glad that it is over. I didn't get nearly as many gifts made for people. I let the time get away from me. Now I get to spend the next week or so while the children are in school, catching up on some sewing and knitting. The children had a wonderful Christmas. They were on Santa's Good List, and they were well rewarded.
Now it is resolution season again. Not a great time for me. I can never keep those things! There are a few things that I want to do this year, and I am going to see them done. I am determined!
We'll see!

"I won the airplane!"

I thought this story was too cute not to share. We were in Trent a few weeks ago at a Craft Fair, and there was this airplane up for raffle. My dad and I bought a few raffle tickets for Skyler and forgot about the whole thing. Later on that evening, my dad walks up to Skyler with this little slip of paper. Skyler had won the raffle! It took him 15 seconds, and saying "I won the airplane" about five times before it dawned on him.
Then it hit me, how am I going to get this enormous thing home? Dan was at work and was not scheduled to be back for a while. Well, Skyler understood that I could not bring the thing home in my car, and that he would have to wait for Daddy to come home. He waited patiently until Dan came home, but as soon as he did, Skyler was crawling out of his skin to get the airplane home. So they went and picked it up last night.
And here it is at home in the yard!

A few weeks ago, I was raking all of the leaves in our front yard. I have four pecan trees so I have a lot of leaves! I had all these neat piles all over the yard, and then I hear this howl. Not the "I am in pain" howl, but the war whoop of a six year old. I turn and I see young Skyler leaping into the air, landing in one of my beautiful piles. Just as I was about to hollar at him to get out and fix that pile, I had that "I have become my mother" moment. I love my mother but I didn't really want to see the look of disappointment on my son's face. And I saw the sheer joy he felt as he leapt into the pile.
So I decided to move my piles into places for the most FUN! In front of the slide, and placed closed together for leap frog style leaf pile jumping. I wanted to be the coolest mom ever, and for about 30 minutes or so I was.
That is until I told my beautiful, laughing, happy children that they had to come inside and warm up. Oh well, I can't always be "so super cool", as I was affectionatley called that day!

Well, theres a first time for everything!

I never thought I would ever do a blog about me and my family. I guess it's time. I probably should have started this several years ago, when the kids were babies.
Dan and I have been married now for 6 and 1/2 years. Our oldest child, Skyler, is now six and in Kindergarten. Our youngest child, Emma Lee, is three and she is in preschool. We have three wonderful dogs, my other "children". Kayla is 6, Coach is almost 2 and Bo is 6 months. I think our family is complete, except Emma Lee wants a dog. We told she has to wait until she turns six, maybe she will forget by then! I will keep hoping.
I am in school in Snyder, again and will graduate in May. I have also recently joined a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Group in Sweetwater. I really love the time I get to be with other mommies. We discuss the trials and the blessings of being moms . It is really nice to have people I can talk to about all the things that I am dealing with at home.
Dan works in the oilfield. He is a MWD Hand, which is too much to describe. He puts together a tool that goes down the drilled hole (while they are drilling) and it sends back readings to his computer which he follows inside his trailer.

I think that is enough for now. I want to have a way to journalize the blessings and challenges of being a mom, a wife, a student, and a person.