This is so heavy on my heart:
http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/02/power-of-one.html
I've prayed for so many of them. I look at their faces nightly on Reece's Rainbow. Then I look at my children's sweet faces, full bellies, knowledge filled heads and over abundance of 'stuff' and 'toys'. We have clean water. We have beds to sleep in. We have love for each other. And we have the love of God daily.
And I know my family could help one. Just one. Because I see these people doing great things. Praying for direction in how my family with help one.
http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/02/seeing-is-believing.html
Wednesday, February 22
Family photo session fun
We recently decided to update our family photos.
The most recent professional ones we had were from 2007.
And we had all grown up a little bit.
We had a lot of fun with the photographer.
And alot of fun being together as a family at Hovander Park here in Ferndale.
Thought you all might enjoy pictures from the day.
Tuesday, February 7
Family photos
We spent this last Saturday having fun as a family at Hovander Park and had our family photos taken by a talented photographer. I'm not sure we have ever had this good of a picture of Tommy.
And all six of us really enjoyed Mt Baker as our backdrop. These proofs are sneak peeks from the photographer. She is truely gifted and talented. More to come when we purchase our photos and I can officially share them. What a gift a family is.
Wednesday, February 1
Business side of motherhood
It's been a busy week. Too busy. And the week before was a tad bit too much also. I'm not complaining, I love that I have been blessed with a job that is a little flexible in it's hours so I can still prioritize my mommy role a bit during the day and throughout the week. I'm thankful all four kids are physically active! And enjoy all their extracurriculur activities. Family life just sometimes has a lot of business type stuff like scheduling and planning and those pesky finances to work out.
But the pace of life lately has bitten this mommy in the bum.
So I have changed up a few things to get ME self care somewhere back into the week.
I started attending an Al-Anon meeting six minutes from my home. Instead of the one hour round trip that it use it be. And you know what? The group is actually just as good and active and helpful. And it's funny who and how God places people in your path... but I think I'm going to ask a very nice women there to be my sponsor. And I can't tell how, or why, or who... because that's the whole anonymity behind Al-Anon, but my sponsor has been someone I've admired for years. And that just blows me away that sometimes you don't need to go far to have your needs met.
I've also ordered fabric and started sewing a quilt for my nephew Kyle and his gorgeous and sweet bride Keeley (okay they have been married over a year).... I love sewing and quilting so this will be great self care to be able to do a hobby again.
Maybe I'll give you the rundown on our family from youngest to oldest.
Liam continues to enjoy Awana's, speech therapy, preschool, children's church and loves the activity center at our gym. So I'm not sure much will change with his weekly activities. We would love to add a springtime sport or swim lessons, but need to see how either fits into our family life. He continues to blossom while staying so sweet and gentle.
Tommy is still nonverbal and "tolerates" his speech therapy, loves preschool, loves children's church and just about 'runs' the activity center at our gym when he is there. I really want to add a springtime activity to his life where he could learn to follow directions a bit more while associated to playing ball which he loves. So I was thinking of basketball or soccer. I head to Children's Monday for surgery for him where they will place another set of ear tubes. No biggie. But he just has such a hard time waking up from the anesthesia that I'm fairly certain it will be an overnight stay. He continues to be a bundle of energy!
Nate is in full training mode for the Lavaman which is an olympic length triatholon on April 1 in Kona, HI. Him and his dad have been so dedicated to their training! He is attending our local community college while being a junior in high school, fingers crossed he graduates next year with an AA and HS diploma. I've really enjoyed Nate's sense of humor lately, all of his pranks have created such a light and fun mood. Nate is an excellent brother to all three of his siblings.... but him and Liam are inseperable often. Nate is just plain a wonderful human.
And last but not least is Hannah, the oldest of my four and still my baby girl. We watched her at gymnastics last night and I was smiling when she accomplished two skills she has been working on. She accepted an offer to attend WWU this fall which her dad and I are happy (it's our alma matter). She is very bravely still walking the path of sobriety and is now five months sober. If you ask her, she will openly share that each day is hard (her terms would include a swear word probably, ha ha). She works her program everyday and weekly attends AA meetings plus two different types of mental health therapy. Hannah has become a very honest, beautiful, intelligent young women who has identified her weaknesses thru God's amazing grace at a very young age. She tries everyday to be strong and not ever let labels define her. She continues to amaze me. And although our relationship has been tested so often (and I mean often!!), we continue to have weekly coffee together, devotions on occasion and text and talk throughout the day. She is my closest child to being an adult... exactly 16 days if you call turning 18 becoming an adult (I define it many more character trait ways, but 18 yrs old is a big deal). Hannah will graduate in June from high school and still works part time.
Last but not least is my hubby Colin and I. We got away for four days/three nights which is the first time in a few years to the Okanagon with five other couples. First night though was by ourselves in Leavenworth and that was a fun town and we enjoyed ourselves. We have big dreams for our small farm this year that includes our 5,000 sq ft garden, hard goat cheeses, two turkeys, new chickens and perhaps a pair of beef steer. We love to dream about our little hobby farm. In reality it's like pop up kleenex though of projects where one is always after the other. Colin and I have prioritized "date nights" but so far.... it's been words and hopefully we will see some on our calendar soon.
We hope that all of you are doing well, thought you might appreciate an update from the quietness of me.
But the pace of life lately has bitten this mommy in the bum.
So I have changed up a few things to get ME self care somewhere back into the week.
I started attending an Al-Anon meeting six minutes from my home. Instead of the one hour round trip that it use it be. And you know what? The group is actually just as good and active and helpful. And it's funny who and how God places people in your path... but I think I'm going to ask a very nice women there to be my sponsor. And I can't tell how, or why, or who... because that's the whole anonymity behind Al-Anon, but my sponsor has been someone I've admired for years. And that just blows me away that sometimes you don't need to go far to have your needs met.
I've also ordered fabric and started sewing a quilt for my nephew Kyle and his gorgeous and sweet bride Keeley (okay they have been married over a year).... I love sewing and quilting so this will be great self care to be able to do a hobby again.
Maybe I'll give you the rundown on our family from youngest to oldest.
Liam continues to enjoy Awana's, speech therapy, preschool, children's church and loves the activity center at our gym. So I'm not sure much will change with his weekly activities. We would love to add a springtime sport or swim lessons, but need to see how either fits into our family life. He continues to blossom while staying so sweet and gentle.
Tommy is still nonverbal and "tolerates" his speech therapy, loves preschool, loves children's church and just about 'runs' the activity center at our gym when he is there. I really want to add a springtime activity to his life where he could learn to follow directions a bit more while associated to playing ball which he loves. So I was thinking of basketball or soccer. I head to Children's Monday for surgery for him where they will place another set of ear tubes. No biggie. But he just has such a hard time waking up from the anesthesia that I'm fairly certain it will be an overnight stay. He continues to be a bundle of energy!
Nate is in full training mode for the Lavaman which is an olympic length triatholon on April 1 in Kona, HI. Him and his dad have been so dedicated to their training! He is attending our local community college while being a junior in high school, fingers crossed he graduates next year with an AA and HS diploma. I've really enjoyed Nate's sense of humor lately, all of his pranks have created such a light and fun mood. Nate is an excellent brother to all three of his siblings.... but him and Liam are inseperable often. Nate is just plain a wonderful human.
And last but not least is Hannah, the oldest of my four and still my baby girl. We watched her at gymnastics last night and I was smiling when she accomplished two skills she has been working on. She accepted an offer to attend WWU this fall which her dad and I are happy (it's our alma matter). She is very bravely still walking the path of sobriety and is now five months sober. If you ask her, she will openly share that each day is hard (her terms would include a swear word probably, ha ha). She works her program everyday and weekly attends AA meetings plus two different types of mental health therapy. Hannah has become a very honest, beautiful, intelligent young women who has identified her weaknesses thru God's amazing grace at a very young age. She tries everyday to be strong and not ever let labels define her. She continues to amaze me. And although our relationship has been tested so often (and I mean often!!), we continue to have weekly coffee together, devotions on occasion and text and talk throughout the day. She is my closest child to being an adult... exactly 16 days if you call turning 18 becoming an adult (I define it many more character trait ways, but 18 yrs old is a big deal). Hannah will graduate in June from high school and still works part time.
Last but not least is my hubby Colin and I. We got away for four days/three nights which is the first time in a few years to the Okanagon with five other couples. First night though was by ourselves in Leavenworth and that was a fun town and we enjoyed ourselves. We have big dreams for our small farm this year that includes our 5,000 sq ft garden, hard goat cheeses, two turkeys, new chickens and perhaps a pair of beef steer. We love to dream about our little hobby farm. In reality it's like pop up kleenex though of projects where one is always after the other. Colin and I have prioritized "date nights" but so far.... it's been words and hopefully we will see some on our calendar soon.
We hope that all of you are doing well, thought you might appreciate an update from the quietness of me.
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