Happy Mothers Day to all you mamas out there!

I love this video. My people just look at me and laugh when I start bustin a rap. They think this mama has gone nuts! Peace out yo!

Playing Catch Up....

Okay, so I am not a good blogger.

I am going to try to be better.

This is just going to be a post of mostly pics to catch up to where we are in life now. Here is our April....

This is the silliest, sassiest, sweetest girl on the planet. One morning she kept asking and asking me to come watch her dance. I was too busy doing something unimportant like dishes or laundry or straightening my hair. So when I finally came in the living room to watch, she had already gathered her own little audience. Broke this mama's heart but her sweetness made me smile at the same time. No longer will doing the dishes, switching over laundry or straightening my hair be more important than watching my girl dance her little heart out for me.

One of his most favorite girls. Kolbe is right up there with Livi and I. So sweet.

A little male bonding going on over Lego Batman.

Wish I knew how to rotate pictures! Anyways, I asked Luke 'who is the most awesome, fun aunt in the whole world?' He, of course, is pointing to me!

Everyone should get to watch this little cutie ride her tricycle. It would just bless your socks off!

Jim: Hey, Honey. Wouldn't it be cool to have chickens?
Me: Sure.
An hour later....we now have 6 chickens.
Me: What are we going to do with these chickens? Can we even have chickens here?
Jim: I don't know.....

Can someone please tell me why we only do this once a year?

Aunt Christine, Livi, and Kissie.

Again, rotating would be nice. Could not get one good picture of them hunting for eggs on Easter morning. They barely stood still long enough for me to get this picture!

Look who came for a visit Easter morning! Eubie! He wanted to celebrate Jesus' resurrection with us by bringing the kids an Easter basket. Eubie keeps forgetting to fly home at night. He has been here the last 3 days! Better go grab him now while I am thinking about it.....

Lately, Olivia likes to wear sunglasses in the shower. I really like her.

This kid is the bomb with making lego creations. He told me all the yellow ones were gold. So are the blue ones~ they are just painted so nobody will know.

Really hope to be better at this blogging thing. Wouldn't it be cool to make a blog book of each years postings? Forget scrapbooking!

school days....

This is the first thing I saw on Tuesday morning when I opened my eyes. My sweet girl right in my face telling me she had school "this day". Much to my surprise, she was excited! And it kinda made me sad.

But my sadness quickly turned to complete joy when she came downstairs wearing this saying she was ready for school! She is a dress up freak! It was hard to tell her she could not wear this to her first day of preschool. Grocery store, church, playground, post office- I don't care, but the first day of preschool? I just couldn't do it. And praise God she was okay with changing.

My two loves at school. This is Aiden's last semester of preschool before heading off to.....never mind.....I can't talk about it.

Aren't they the cutest?!? Olivia has a thing for sunglasses right now. She would not take them off until right before I left and she had to go sit down for the alphabet warm up song.

Okay, I have to talk about it. While the kids were at school, against my own will, I drove to Aiden's too soon to be school. I sat in the parking lot for quite some time not wanting to do what I knew I needed to do. Jim and I have been talking and praying about where he should go to school and while we would love to send him to a certain private school, it is just not going to work out this year. I am a little disappointed but I am okay with it. I think this is where He wants Aiden to be...for now. I mustered up some strength and started my walk into his future school. With my stomach in knots and pain in my heart I pushed the buzzer thingy to be let in. Much to my surprise, when I opened the door and stepped into the building, I felt a little excited. It was just so sweet seeing all these little people talking and laughing and working on projects. Thank you God for giving me peace! I walked over to the office and happily asked for the "Kindergarten enrollment packet please." The ladies were so nice and explained to me what I needed to do. Walking back to the car I could not believe I was already one of those moms. You know, the moms who have to enroll their 5 year old in Kindergarten! I already have a 5 year old! Time has flown by. I am so so so blessed to have been able to spend so much time with my kids. Sending him off somewhere for 7 hours a day is going to be tough. But for now, I could not wait to tell my boy what I did while he was at school.

On our way to the park after school Aiden and I talked about Kindergarten. When I asked him if he wanted to ride the bus he said, "No, I want to walk to school when it is warm weather and you can take me in the winter." This made me so happy! I feel so blessed to be able to walk or drive him to and from school everyday. I know that by the time school gets here he may change his mind about the bus but I am just going to be happy for now that he wants his mama to take him!

There. I talked about it. And I am getting a little excited for him! Now I just cannot wait to help out in his classroom and go on field trips. And nobody better tell this mama she can't come because I will be there!

Now I just hope I can be this cool when we go for orientation and when I take him to his first day of school. I really do not want to be one of those moms who does the ugly cry when dropping her kid off at school! Lord have mercy!

Thanks Hugh, for being a voice

Seeds Of Hope - A Journey With Hugh Jackman from Krosh on Vimeo.

This is a 40 minute video but it is worth watching. A documentary on poverty, in Ethiopia in particular. I love that when Hugh Jackman is referring to the wealthy and the poor he says that this is not the way things are meant to be. This statement struck me because I tend to ask God why there is such poverty around the world when He is asking me the same question. What am I doing about it?

humbled....

Today, I am humbled. I am not sure I can even find the words to express what my heart feels right now. The Lord has been working overtime on my heart lately. The big question, 'What am I doing here?' I am not wondering why I am on Earth but rather what in the world am I doing with my life? How am I making a difference? It is so easy for me to get caught up in my own little world, to only think about what my plans are for the day, what is for dinner, getting the dishes done. (I was going to put 'getting the laundry done, but if my man were to read this he would laugh at me ~ I am no good at 'getting the laundry done' ~ that is why God gave me Jim!) Today I was so excited to have the opportunity to serve others. I thought I was going to serve the homeless a meal. I was wrong. God had much bigger plans! I went to Cherith Brook, you can read more about them here: http://cherithbrookcw.blogspot.com

I hate to admit this but I have never served the homeless a meal so I didn't really know what to expect. I just figured I would stand behind a table and spoon some sort of side dish on styrofoam plates as folks were walking by. Then I imagined myself in a back room somewhere washing dishes. Praise the Lord oh my soul this was NOT my experience tonight. Cherith Brook is an old house. People live there. They commit to serving the homeless. Their whole purpose is regularly feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, visiting the prisoner and the sick in the name of Jesus. These people open the doors of THEIR HOME. The kitchen and living area is full of tables and chairs ~ I would say enough for about 50 people. Each table with a table cloth, cloth napkins, silverware, cups and pitchers of water. I was already impressed. At 5:00 the doors were opened and in came the homeless. Coffee was avaliable and appetizers were set on the tables (chips and guacamole dip). Everyone, homeless and those serving, sat around talking and finished preparing dinner. Think of when your family gets together for a birthday or Thanksgiving, that is what it was like. At 6:00 we all stood and held hands and shared our joys of the week and prayer requests followed by prayer. Then about 3-4 of us served dinner (ON REAL PLATES) while the rest of us were served right alongside the homeless. I got to sit all by myself at a table with about 6 homeless men and share a meal with them. I was WAY out of my comfort zone but I was thanking God for every second of it. These are real people, people. Some had 'normal' lives before. They have families and children and hopes and needs. My heart just broke into a million pieces. One guy, we will call him R, was a hoot. He looked like Eddie Murphy and has been mistaken for him several times. I just loved getting to know who some of these people were. After dinner was over EVERYONE helped clean up. Some were washing dishes, folding up the tables and chairs, sweeping the floor. Off in a little den someone was playing guitar and people were singing. It was fellowship. And I was humbled. I am so grateful for the opportunity.

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:31-40

Monday...A little late

The boy is addicted to Lego Indiana Jones on XBox. About a week ago he told me that if he ever gets to have a baby brother he wants to name him Indiana Jones....

Peekers!

My Sweetness, always making faces at mama

I think we are going to have a class clown on our hands

Rosalyn did not put this little elephant down for more than 2 minutes the entire day!

The Climber!

Busy with Playdoh

The girls had so much fun with playdoh, sat at this table for more than an hour!

This is what happens when I forget to put the brown sugar away after making oatmeal. Walked into the kitchen to find this! My little man loves him some brown sugar!

So I know this is a little late but Monday was a day worth posting about. I get to keep my niece and nephew on Mondays and this past Monday we had the joy of keeping Rosalyn as well. Some might go crazy with 5 littles all day but I was loving every minute! I was disappointed when I didn't get Gabby before she was already dropped off at school- next time Gabby- Promise! I just love all the loud and crazy and happiness of getting to play all day in our jammies...or princess dresses! I want to soak it all in before our lives are ruled by a school calendar.


Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep. Psalm 127:3-5 The Message

Only A Bride, Never A Bridesmaid

Last night I had the privilege of going to dinner with a friend. My firstborn was staying the night with a cousin and my man and baby girl went to small group. This left me free after I got off work at seven. My friend, Christine, met me at my house and we quickly headed out to dinner. We were both starving since it was now almost 8 o'clock. Neither of us wanting to make the decision on where to eat we finally decided on 54th St. After some good food and great conversation, she handed me an envelope. Inside was a sweet homemade card and it said

It's hard to believe that in just a little while , Ben and I will be walking down the aisle. Nothing would give me more joy and pride, then to have you there by my side. Will you be my bridesmaid?

I am sure I looked like a little girl after reading this. I have never been a bridesmaid and consider it a complete honor. I was overjoyed when I told her I would love to be her bridesmaid. I find this to be a very important role. Do I look forward to getting to have an excuse to wear a super cute dress and get all dressed up? Of course I do! But mostly, it is my duty to be there for my friend ~ in planning her wedding, picking out the perfect dress, and most importantly...being there for her in her marriage. I will be sitting front row and center cheering her on all the way!


Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV

Welcome To My Crazy

I am SO excited for this journey called life. I think God has some GREAT things in store for our family! I can. not. wait. to see what He has planned. I pray we will be in the center of His will so we will not miss out on any of it! After some great conversations with my man I have been so encouraged that we are on the same page about a few things that have been on my heart lately!

One of the things God has been teaching me is how to love others. Wholeheartedly. No strings attached. No expectations. After all, it is what we are called to do. To love God and love others. But what does loving others look like?

If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Philippians 2:1-4 The Message

I think it means living a life of service. And not just the good stuff like getting to stay home and serve my family. Which, I have to admit, gets hard sometimes. Serving the same people in the same way every. single. day. Everything I do, all day long, has to be done again and again and again. While I LOVE getting to be a mama all day and do not want to give that up, I want more. I need to do a little something outside the four walls that make my home. Outside this country would be fabulous but I will be happy just serving the good 'ol folks of Lees Summit. For now. Today my man and I went to shovel my mom's driveway. Now, I don't know for sure if it was the actual act of serving or that this was my first day out of the house in 4 days but I wanted to do more. So, off we drove to the next family members house. Then on the way to drop off a bag of clothes to a friend we saw a sweet OLD lady TRYING to shovel her car out of a snow mound. We quickly turned the truck around, jumped out, grabbed the shovels out of the back and started heaping snow. She just stood there...amazed that we WOULD NOT accept any money from her sweet heart. We told her we wanted to do it because Jesus loves her. She was so thankful because she was needing to get out and get her prescriptions. Oh hurt me cute! After we were finished my heart was SO happy. And so was my man's. Now a little closer to my friends house we saw a van stuck on the side of the road in the snow. We parked right in the middle of the street, hopped out, pushed his van out, jumped back in the truck and continued on our way. I was giggling at this point! Of course my friends driveway was a mess so we shoveled her driveway then set the bag of clothes on her doorstep. On the way home we talked about how much fun it was to get to serve others and get nothing in return! Well, nothing but a full heart.


We have the honor of serving in my firstborn's Sunday School class. Love those kids! One Sunday we talked about worship and all the ways we can worship God. Serving is one of them! I just long to be close to Him. To please Him. To be ALL He created me to be. I do not want to miss out on anything. Here I am Lord. I give everything to you. My life, my home, my security (gulp), my family (double gulp). Help me to love you more. With a crazy kinda love. After all, your love for me is ridiculously crazy. You sent YOUR SON to DIE FOR ME. Messed up little me. So you could have a relationship with me! You love me that much! Now THAT is CRAZY! But I thank you for it. And in return, I want to show you the same crazy kind of love!