So much to do...

I can not believe how time flies! School started this week, and with it the days of my kids being babies are officially gone! (I think they have been gone for a while, I was just refusing to acknowldge their departure!) I will post pictures of the first day of school tomorrow, today I wanted to post a link to my fabulous husband's blog. Abel posted an audio file of the mini sermon he gave in church last week. It is really good and worth checking out. Hope you enjoy! (It is the August 24 post.)

Here is the link:

http://www.tapped-out.blogspot.com

You will probably have to copy and paste, because I can not figure out how to get it to link. Sorry!

One way to look at it

At church this week we had a service where all the children that are going to school were prayed for. Our pastors called them up by age groups, so Aiden and Olivia were seperated. Aiden went with his group no problem, did not even have to tell him twice! Olivia on the other hand, would not go by herself. So, I was able to go with her. While our Pastor was praying for the children, I started to cry. The thought of my baby going to school was getting to me. Thankfully, the prayer was over! After I set back down my sister kept looking at me and laughing. I thought it was because of my emotions, but then she told me what Aiden asked her during the prayer and it cracked me up!

"Ti, is mom crying because she is so happy Olivia is going to school?"

I guess that is one way to look at it!

Crazy Kids!

Aiden and Olivia had friends spend the night last night. Boy, have I heard some funny things! Following are a few snippets of conversation:

Caroline to my brother: "I am not scared of you, I know Kung Fu!"
When asked where she learned it, her response? "T.V."

Olivia talking about Tom and Jerry the cartoon: "You have to be 18 or older for that!" Must have been wanting to order from an infomercial!

The Boys (Aiden and Matthew): "Why won't the girls play tea party with us?"

Natalie is the only surprise, normally she says all kind of off the wall things - not yet! I am waiting, I know she will come through!

A Quiet Heart

I am working through a devotional book my friend Tracie passed on to me. It is titled "Calm My Anxious Heart" by Linda Dillow. This book is wonderful, when Tracie passed it on to me, I did not know how important it would become. Soon after I started the bible study, my husband lost his job. Fast forward a month or so, and he still does not have a job. I am learning how to be content first hand! When I started the bible study I thought it would be a good study for me to work through some of my quirks - ha! I did not know the words and scriptures listed would become a great source of encouragement for me. There are so many wonderful points in the book, however, there is one part I know the Lord keeps sending me back to that I want to share. Hope you enjoy it too!

Psalm 16:5 Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

Speaker and author Elisabeth Elliot makes this thought-provoking statement about Psalm 16:5:

"I know of no greater simplifier for all of life. Whatever happens is assigned. Does the intellect balk at that? Can we say that there are things that happen to us that do not belong to our lovingly assigned "portion" ("This belongs to it, that does not")? Are some things, then, out of the control of the Almighty? Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good. As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled. Decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter. A quiet heart is content with what God gives."

The last line is my favorite! I am praying that in all circumstances God will teach me how to have a quiet heart.

I want to go to school!!!

School is starting soon - can you believe it? Summer seems to have flown by! Aiden is so ready to start 1st grade. He is counting down the days! I have to admit that I am excited for him - he loves to learn and does very well with routine. Olivia recently turned 4, so I have been looking forward to her last year of freedom before she starts kindergarten. I have been mentally planning things for us to do while Aiden was in school; you know typical mother/daughter bonding things.

Evidently, Olivia had other plans! Friday morning she came to me with some interesting information. "Mom, I want to go to school" she told me with a huge giddy smile on her face. I had to ask her to repeat herself because I could not believe it. My baby?? Go to school?? No way! I have plans for us!

So, like any good mom would do I gently let her know what that meant. "Baby Doll, do you know that when you go to school, you are gone all day?"

"Yep momma! I want to go to school!"

Never one to give up easily, I tried again "Olivia, all day everyday? Just like bubba?"

"YES Momma! I want to go to school" She flashes those big brown puppy dog eyes and winning smile - what more could I do??

"Okay Olivia. Let me see what I need to do to register you! I am so proud of you, you are such a big girl!"

"Thank you Momma!!" Runs off yelling to no one in particular, "I am gonna go to school!"

As I sit in the office crying that my baby is growing up, Abel reminds me that we can not keep her little forever, I try to explain that I was not asking forever, just for one more year. Even so, I know this will be a great thing for her, I just need some time to adjust to this!

Goals

I have set a goal for myself. I am aspiring to blog at least 3 times a week. Can I do it? Honestly, I am not sure. But I am up for the challenge. SO, stay tuned... Hopefully I can accomplish this goal. I just pray I have something interesting in my life to post 3 blogs a week!