A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Is it Monday already?  Really?  Friday was just here and I blinked.  My weekends feel too short.  I know I'm not the only one who feels that way.  This last weekend was especially busy because we went to a wedding!  One of my good friends got married on Saturday and I was honored to be one of her bridesmaids.  She got married in the mountains and it was gorgeous.  The weather and decorations was perfect.  I am so happy for her and her new husband!

On Sunday we spent the day with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law eating junk food and watching our football team lose.  That's always a bummer!  But the fellowship was fun.  After that we all made our way to church for evening Sunday school and a rousing game of Fruit Basket Upset.  If you don't know what Fruit Basket Upset is I encourage you to come visit our church!  You will have a lot of fun! :-)

Now it's Monday and we are back to school.  We have done school for a month and Zoe still jumps right into her lessons and is excited to learn.  I am so thankful for that!  I know the day will come that she will not be as enthusiastic so I will choose to be thankful for it now!

In science class Zoe has been learning about water -- how it freezes and turns into ice when it gets cold, how it turns into a gas when it reaches a boiling point, and that the beautiful clouds we see in the sky are teeny tiny particles of ice that form those beautiful, puffy, white shapes in the sky.  She also got to make her own clouds using cotton balls, paper, and her trusty glue stick.

I feel like we have a really good routine going when it comes to getting school work done.  Now that we have found our groove in the school department, I think it's time to shift gears and focus on the cleaning house area...

How do homeschool moms keep the house tidy during the day?

I know all housewives/mothers live in different situations, but if you have any tips or suggestions on how to keep up with the house I would love to hear them!

Max's Birthday is tomorrow!  Our little man is turning 4!  I can't believe he is getting so big.  I love his little personality.  He is such a crack up!  I'm not sure when we will have a party since family is either out of town or getting ready to head out of town...but when we do have a party I know it will be a lot of fun for him!  He is pretty excited about growing up.  He has big plans for his life!

Frozen in Time

Every morning I wake up to happy squeals and giggles.  Phebe is the happiest baby I have ever met in my life!  She is so excited to see her brothers and sister in the morning, and she is especially excited to see Daddy in the morning!  It makes me melt when I see her toddle up behind her Daddy and wrap her pudgy little arms around his leg and squeeze him with all of her might!  The baby loves her Daddy.

Why do kids have to grow up?  My life is a little overwhelming and stressful with so many little ones running around, but if I could freeze time and keep them at this age forever I would do it in a heartbeat!  I love the hugs.  I love the sloppy, wet kisses.  I love the giggles.  I love the imagination.

I'm so thankful for my life.  I'm thankful for the happiness I feel.  I'm thankful I have the opportunity to stay home and watch my children grow.  It's something I take for granted sometimes.

I don't want my kids to grow up.  I want them to stay small.  I want them to want to snuggle with me, fall asleep while I play with their hair, invite me into their princess tent so we can read stories.  I want my life to be frozen in time.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22

My kids.  They make me laugh daily.  I probably annoy people by filling their Facebook walls with my stories of what my kids said or did "this time."   But I don't care!  I can't help but share my joy with others!

God has a way of using children to bless others when it is needed the most.  I was feeling really stressed the other day when my two-year-old ran into the room.  I couldn't help but laugh at my little superhero as he saved my day!  My worries melted away as I laughed at his costume and gave my little man a big hug and kiss. 

God has been giving me a lot of great gems about motherhood lately.

Goodies like:

Bad moments don't make bad mamas!

Or this one:

Feelings are indicators not dictators.

Little reminders that motherhood is overwhelming.  Sometimes we lose our cool, we mess up, we blow our tops.  So I started writing myself little notes and posted them by my desk.  The next time I feel overwhelmed and like I'm losing control, I look at my notes and read every. single. one.

Find the joy treasure.

When I feel myself falling into a pity party, I tell myself to find a joy treasure.  Something that happened during the day that made me really happy.  Maybe it was my quiet time with the Lord before the kids woke up, or maybe one of the kids said something really funny that made me laugh.  I find something that gave me joy and I dwell on that till the woe-is-me attitude goes away.  I even started a little tradition that my kids love to do at the dinner table!  We make a point of asking each individual what their favorite part of the day was.  The kids never forget and they make sure to ask every night. 

A merry heart is like a medicine.  Laughter warms you from the inside out.  Our bones are definitely not drying up around here with these kids!   

   

DIY Headboard

Not too long ago Paul and I were talking about how our bedroom -- the supposed haven of the home -- is the only room in our house that is not painted or decorated.  We have put so much effort into the rest of our house, and we have so much more we want to do, but our bedroom is still...well, ugly.

So Paul and I decided to make our own headboard recently.  We read a blog post that showed how easy (and cheap!) it was to make so we decided to give it a whirl.  We have never had a headboard in our married life and, since Paul is furloughed from the railroad right now, we figured we had enough time on our hands to try.

If you are interested in making your own, click HERE for the post we read with the instructions.

We are so happy and excited with the outcome!  Doesn't it look nice?  I feel like the room is a little more put together now.  We still have so much more to do, but it's a step in the right direction!

Eventually we will get a new comforter, new curtains, paint the walls, buy matching lamps...and then we should be about done!  We will most likely have to wait till Paul is back to work, but just having a headboard makes me feel better.

Gone Fishing

I started working on this post almost a month ago and I'm finally sitting down to finish it!  Life has been a little hectic busy lately so I haven't had time to sit and write as much as I would like to.  So here we go!

So nearly a month ago we spent the day at the lake.  Paul ran from one kid to the other trying to get a worm on each hook, casting the line, putting more worms on hooks, untangling lines, recasting... 

It was a little hectic for the poor guy, but we laughed at the chaos and had fun anyways.

The kids were really excited to go fishing with Daddy -- especially Max!  He has been wanting to go fishing and hunting with his Dad ever since he learned to go potty on the toilet.  It was a deal we made with him hoping to persuade him.

I don't think he realized that you have to be quiet and sit still while fishing...  He got fidgety not even 5 minutes after Paul cast his line in the water and got him ready!

All the kids got bored fairly quick and decided to walk around and play with their cousins.

After awhile the Dads gave up on fishing too (no bites this time) and we grilled some hot dogs and enjoyed dinner outside in God's beautiful country!  It was pretty windy, but other then that it was a pretty relaxing day!

As fun as it was to go fishing with the family, I have wanted Paul and I to go together so bad!  I would love to go fishing and just not have to talk or do anything -- just sit there and enjoy nature.  I may even bring a book and read and just soak up the sun.  Maybe we can do that for our next date night! :-)

Our Little Sweet Pea

I went into the girls' room this morning to get Phebe out of bed.  She was already wide awake standing on her tip toes trying to peek over the side of the pack-n-play.  You can tell she is smiling brightly just by looking at her eyes.  They sparkle!  I got her out of bed and she turned her body around and started waving.  She knows that once we enter the living room three older siblings are sitting on the couch ready and waiting to wave back.

Our little sweet pea is going to be 1 in two days!  I can't believe it.  Our last baby is growing up way too fast.  Where is the pause button?  I desperately need to find it.  I need to freeze time right in this moment.  My kids need to stay little forever.

Over the weekend I was really looking forward to sleeping in.  I needed the extra sleep.  My kids had other plans.  They woke me up at 6:30.  I rolled over to my husband and said, "Kids are exhausting."  It's true.  They are exhausting.  They wake up and demand things from you before your eyelids even flutter open to welcome the first glimpse of sunlight.

But my baby -- the last baby of the family -- is turning 1.  When I think about the fact that everything she says and does in her little life is the last of our baby firsts...I can't help but appreciate my little ones no matter how tired I am.

Paul and I are so blessed.  We are thankful for Zoe, Maximus, Titus, and Phebe.  I cannot imagine my life without these four amazing, beautiful, happy, healthy kids!  I can't wait to celebrate with our sweet pea!  Happy Birthday, Phebe!

I'm Baaack!

So much has happened since the last time I updated my blog.  SO MUCH.  I won't bore you with all the nitty gritty details, but here is the shortened version. 

• The kids and I drove down to Arkansas with my Dad a month before my sister's wedding. 
• We were busy every. single. day. leading up to the wedding making sure everything was perfect.  Only a few of those days were stressful. ;-)
• I got addicted to Happy Hour.  Sonic Happy Hour.
• The kids loved playing outside with Uncle Tommy, Uncle Alex, and the horses.  It was adorable to watch!
• I found out Titus is never allowed to have Dum-Dums unsupervised.
• I got to see family I haven't seen in years.  They got to meet my little babies and fall in love with them.
• When Paul finally made it down I was the happiest girl in the world!  The kids were so excited that Daddy was finally with us too!
• Paul helped take pictures of the wedding.  I loved watching him.  He's so handsome. :-)
• My sister's wedding was beautiful!  I'm so happy for her and my new brother-in-law!
• I enjoyed the many jam sessions and craved more.
• I'm thankful Paul and I took 3 days to drive home.  Taking our time and stopping to do fun things on the way was a great idea!
• I have lost 9 lbs since being home!
• We were given a really nice swing set.  Best. gift. ever.
• When we got home from our vacation Paul got furloughed from the railroad.  Not cool.
• I miraculously got my old job back at Construction Monitor.
• Happy Mother's Day!

That's a very rough summary of our life right now.  Aren't you glad I didn't go into the details?

I really enjoyed my Mother's Day.  I'm so thankful I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend and we raise these four amazing kids together.  We may not know what we are doing half the time, but at least we're not doing it alone!

Life is a little different right now.  A little stressful.  Not knowing what the future holds can feel pretty scary if you allow it.  But Paul and I have reminded each other that God has everything under control and He will never ever leave us hanging.  He has already shown us that He is going to take care of us through the amazing family and friends that we have!  I feel like "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" is stuck on repeat in my head. :-)

I don't know about tomorrow;

I just live from day to day.

I don't borrow from its sunshine

For it's skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future,

For I know what Jesus said.

And today I'll walk beside Him,

For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know He holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow;

It may bring me poverty.

But the one who feeds the sparrow,

Is the one who stands by me.

And the path that is my portion

May be through the flame or flood;

But His presence goes before me

And I'm covered with His blood.

I'm so thankful I have a relationship with God.  He gives me peace.  He gives me strength.  He gives me courage!  God blessed me with my old job so I can help provide for the family yet still be home so I don't miss out on anything.  Zoe still enjoys her schoolwork at the kitchen table and is slowly learning how to read!  The kids live outside in the backyard -- they're already a shade or two darker than me. :-) Paul and I are daydreaming about the things we want to do around the house.  We are making lists and will slowly do little things here and there that will improve our little yellow home.  We're still thinking positive!  Most days. ;-)  

Practice Makes Perfect

If you missed my last post I wrote about how overwhelming it can be to try to have a clean house while small children still live there. I got some wonderful feedback that made me happy and it encouraged me to write again! Thanks guys!

Through Pinterest I have found many charts for age appropriate chores for children. I looked at my favorites and put together something that works best for us.  My schedule is written on a piece of paper (how boring!) that will hang on the refrigerator so I see it multiple times a day. 

The chores are simple. Make the beds. Pick up the dirty clothes. Pick up the toys. Zoe has a little more work like putting the silverware away, helping feed the animals, and cleaning her own room since she is the oldest. 

Every day I hear the same excuses. 

I have to go to the bathroom!

My finger hurts really bad. 

I just need to dance to this song real quick...

Will you read me a story?

Practice makes perfect.  Even though it takes a whole hour for the kids to make their beds and pick up the laundry, one day it will take them 45 minutes.  Half an hour.  15 minutes.

For more experienced moms, how did you encourage your toddlers to do their chores?  Is there anything that makes the job a little more fun?  I would love to hear some feedback!

When the kids and I came home from church last night, she asked me what I was going to do once everyone went to bed.  I casually said I would probably fold the clothes on the couch.  She said, "If I was a mommy and I had to fold clothes at night, I would be so bored I would just fall asleep!"  I laughed so hard because that has happened!  Please tell me I'm not the only one who has done that!

Being a mom is so much fun!

There Will Be Blood

My children are early risers. They love to wake up before the sun and, well, wreak havoc.

My boys wake up anywhere from 6:45 - 7:00 a.m. They take this quiet time before the rest of the house is awake to eat a whole box of cereal or a whole loaf of bread. An early morning snack before breakfast, of course. 

I dread mornings. 

A few days ago my daughter came into my room and said, "Mom, the boys have blood all over their face." I jumped out of bed to find my boys playing in the living room, in the dark, with what appeared to be blood all over their face and arms.

I'm not going to lie to you. I was freaking out inside. I checked their bodies for gashes or something, all the while asking the boys what happened. Did they get in a fight? What in the world?!

It wasn't long before I decided to check their bedroom. Once I turned on the light I felt like I walked into a horror film. There was "blood" everywhere. Handprints all over the bedding, the walls -- there were even bloody handprints leading up to their window so I'm assuming they were hoping to flee the crime scene that way. 

Then I found it. 

The answer to all of my questions sat right in the middle of the floor. 

An empty jar of strawberry jam. 

One of these days, when my boys are older, they are going to pay for this. How, you may ask? 

I'm not sure yet. But I have this picture to remind me of all the craziness they put me through so I will never forget! 

The Minor Details

I was cleaning my kitchen for the two thousand five hundredth time today when I noticed that the legs of my table were looking pretty gross. While I was spraying down these legs and washing them I couldn't help but wonder if anyone would notice. When my husband gets home at 2:00 in the morning from work, do you think he will look at our kitchen table and think, Oh, Grace cleaned the legs of the table. Nice! Trust me. He won't. Even if it was 2:00 in the afternoon he wouldn't notice! And you know what?

That's ok. 

Lately I have found myself griping and complaining under my breath while I go about doing my daily chores. I have been throwing the biggest pity party ever -- I will never have a clean house, why did my son wait to poop after I changed him, I'm so sick of picking up shoes and socks that are just sitting in the middle of the room -- you get the idea. 

And then God spoke to me. 

He said, Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV)

I repeat this verse to myself over and over again throughout the day and it gives me such peace.

I still have laundry to do every single day, the kids seem to think they need to eat breakfast every morning, and there's always, always, always dirty dishes . . . but the way I handle the situations I am faced is changing. 

People may not notice the minor details that we put so much effort into, but God sees everything, and He appreciates all the work we do -- both big and small! 

My Life in Black and White: My Husband

The rainbow is composed of millions of colors, but we have grouped them into seven general categories. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. We live in a breathtaking world full of color! But sometimes you just need to look at pictures in black and white.

I am not a photographer by any means. I don't pretend to be. I know my pictures don't look that great, but I love taking pictures of the ones I love and sharing my memories with you.

One of the things that I love about Paul is his love for music. I totally fell in love with the guy who played the guitar! Before we were married, or even dating for that matter, we went to BTI (Bible Training Institute) and a ton of the youth ended up hanging out playing video games -- except Paul. I found him in a corner playing his guitar singing his heart out. Of course I was interested since I come from a musical family. I knew this was my kind of guy.

We have been married for nearly 7 years now. We both have changed and grown up . . . I guess you could say. Paul has been busy going to college, working hard at his job, getting promotions, changing jobs, training for this new job sometimes feels like he is going through college again. I have been busy having babies. Four babies in four years is a lot of work! I have worked part-time jobs from home here and there, I have been trying to find my inner Martha Stewart when it comes to keeping a house and cooking meals. I feel like we are just running right now. We're so busy and on the go 24/7.

Yesterday we did something different. We pressed the "pause button." Paul got out his trusty guitar and started to play . . . 

I couldn't help but take a picture. To me, watching Paul play the guitar and sing is beautiful. I love to hear him sing -- especially when he is worshiping the Lord. He is so passionate when it comes to God.

When he was strumming on his guitar I had flashbacks of who we were before we had kids, before we were married. While he was singing the song he wrote for me as an anniversary present 5 years ago, I couldn't help but laugh and ask him if he still felt that way as kids were tugging on my shirt and crying about being hungry while I was trying to set the table. Life changes so much, doesn't it?

One thing that doesn't change is my love for Paul. He is my best friend. When I get overwhelmed, he is there to pray for me and encourage me. He makes me laugh. He makes me mad. He makes me shake my head. He makes my heart feel like it will burst. He makes me happy. I'm so glad he is mine!

Moldy Pizza

My house always smells. If it's not from a poopy diaper it's from food that has been buried like secret treasure by my three little pirates for me to try to find without a map to guide me. 

I normally have a candle lit and my house is filled with scents that make people wonder if I went on a baking spree. I'm sure they would rather smell pumpkin lattes, apple ciders, or blueberry cobblers instead of, well, you know . . .

So the other day I was serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, when I noticed something fuzzy poking out from under my son's highchair table top. You see, this highchair is a deluxe model that comes with cup holders. Some may think that's cool -- I think it's a pain! I am constantly finding something new in there . . . Anyways, I saw something fuzzy creeping out of the cup holder, and for once in my life I was hoping it was a fuzzy spider or something other than fuzzy, moldy, stinky food. 

I slowly opened the cup holder, and what did I find - moldy pizza. A slice of Red Baron's supreme pizza to be exact. 

Ah, motherhood!

When I was a teenager and daydreaming about being a mom, I imagined myself taking my kids to parks, going on picnics, enjoying dinners around the table. I imagined my life would be perfect like the families you see in movies or in Norman Rockwell pictures. I never once imagined I would be pooped on, puked on, or find moldy food on a daily basis. 

Life is stressful. Being a mom can make one feel like they are losing their mind! I know I'm not the only one who has felt overwhelmed and sleep deprived. But I wouldn't change it for the world! I do not want to live life without my children climbing all over me like I am a jungle gym. 

Some days, like yesterday, I complain to my husband and ask what I'm doing wrong. Why don't they listen? Am I invisible? Do they even like me? He needs to call the "waa-mbulence" already!

When I opened the cup holder and was greeted by that horrid piece of pizza, I just stood there. I asked myself this:

You have two choices. You can get mad and blow your top . . . or you can smile, shake your head, and think about the day you will miss finding such surprises.

One day all four of my kids will grow up and move away from home. I will not have rotting food hiding around the house waiting to surprise me. I won't have the smudges on my windows from dirty hands waiting for their Daddy to get home from work. I won't have toys on the floor for me to step on in the middle of the night when I'm checking on my babies. One day my house will be quiet. I have a feeling I won't look forward to that quiet like I think I do now.

So how did I handle the moldy pizza? I shook my head and smiled while I put gloves and goggles on to remove the hazardous food. My kids are crazy. I'm crazy! I'm crazy-happy.

The Kitchen

If you didn't see my post yesterday about living in a laundromat, click here! It felt so good to get all that laundry folded and put away that I had to take a picture of my success!  Doesn't this look so much better?

The funny thing about laundry is that your success is short lived. I already have to wash, dry, and fold another load!

The next chore that needs tackled is the kitchen. I should be embarrassed for even posting such horrible pictures! But I'm not.  So here you go.

I started one load in the dishwasher last night, but I have at least one or two more before all the dishes are clean. The floors need swept and mopped. Poor Mr. Blue probably needs fed! Good grief. Maybe I am a little embarrassed to show such pictures!

When it comes to cleaning the kitchen, I love to listen to Focus on the Family's Daily Broadcast while I'm working.  If you have a smart phone, check out their app! You won't be disappointed! This helps pass the time while I clean and it doesn't seem to be such a boring chore. What do you listen to while you clean?

Next chore to tackle: The Living Room

Love to all!

Gracie

I live in a laundromat

I had my gallbladder removed last Thursday. It was a minor surgery and the healing process has been amazing! Yesterday was the first day I attempted to get some things accomplished around the house since it had fallen apart while I have been resting.

The first chore I decided to tackle: Laundry

Why? Because I didn't have any clean underwear!

One section of my couch is piled high with clean clothes that I have been folding for the past two days. I think this is pile #5.  I have one more in the washer and one in the dryer. Once I am caught up I plan on washing, drying, and folding one load per day so I can (hopefully) stay on top of it.

I am starting a new chapter on September 1st. Zoe officially starts preschool and I will be a home school mom! I am nervous and excited about it. I know Zoe is going to do amazing and we are going to have a lot of fun together -- but what about the house cleaning? How do other home school moms do it? Please comment below and let me in on your little secret!

Next chore to tackle: The Kitchen

Love to all!

Gracie

Where is the pause button?

A couple weeks ago my husband and I decided to drive out to the mountains.  He made sure to bring his camera with him and he got some beautiful shots of the kids!  I can't help but share them!

It was such a peaceful afternoon!  There was no cell service so we didn't have any distractions.  We just spent the afternoon playing while Paul took pictures.  Zoe got to pick wildflowers while the boys got to throw rocks into a creek.  I enjoyed the view -- my family.

Summer is almost over.  Zoe starts preschool next month.  Time is flying by and I hate that life does not have a pause button!  Or even a slow motion button! :-)

The Bible says, Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  This verse spoke to me this morning.  I read it minutes before my daughter came bounding out of her room and gave me the biggest hug and told me all about the dreams she had.

Billy Graham said that only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.  The influence of a mother upon the lives of her children cannot be measured.  They know and absorb her example and attitudes when it comes to questions of honesty, temperance, kindness, and industry.

How are you influencing your children today?  I am about to influence my children by having them help me clean the house! :-)

Love to all!

Gracie

*Proverbs 31:28

Celebration

Last Thursday was my husband's 29th birthday, so we had a party with family and friends on Sunday after church.  It was wonderful having everyone over to help celebrate my amazing man!  I am so thankful for Paul.  Words cannot describe how crazy I am about him!  He is my best friend!

For his birthday I bought him a lime green record player.  He really wanted a motorcycle . . . but I think he was pretty excited about what he got instead. :-)  He has one record so far, the newest Black Keys, and we have listened to it about 4 times now.  He loves it!

Here are a couple pictures Paul took a week or two ago of our little babies.  I love them so much they will be framed and hanging on my wall soon!  I can't wait for him to take more of the babies all together.

Let them be little

fill their hearts with

laughter

help them grow wings

nurture their sense of wonder

inspire them to believe

love them like there's no tomorrow.

As much as we want life to slow down, it isn't going to happen.  There is no pause button.  I want to enjoy every minute -- soak in every second I have with my family.  They are my pride and joy.  The Bible says life is but a vapor, it appears for for a little time and then vanishes away.  I want to spend more time loving and laughing with the ones I love and less time being stressed and aggravated, don't you?

My husband kind of laughed when I came home with my party supplies for his party.  He said he felt like he was turning 6 again.  For me, though, I wanted to celebrate his life!  I love celebrating the ones I love!  If that means feeling like you're turning 6 again, that's OK!  I would hate if he felt too old to celebrate his life. :-)  We are only given one you know! 

So celebrate the ones you love!  Celebrate the time you have while you can!  I know you won't regret it!

Parents' Challenge: Day One

Go the entire day without raising your voice.

Did anyone else attempt the Parents' Challenge yesterday?  I hope so!  I have to warn you, though, that when you say you're going to take the challenge...your children will become a little more challenging.  Yesterday I dealt with more temper tantrums, pouting, screaming, hitting, kicking, than I do on average.  But did I raise my voice?  I tried not to. :-)  Around 9:00 pm I may have slipped up once or twice, but at least I'm making the effort.

Today's challenge is to invite my children to cook with me.  This one shouldn't be too hard.  They have helped me in the past with certain things.  They love to help me make pigs in a blanket!  Do you let your kids help you make meals?  Is it hard to have patience, or do you enjoy the extra time help it takes do to certain things? :-)

Count Your Blessings

Last week all of America celebrated Independence Day with BBQ's, desserts, and fireworks.  Our family wasn't any different.  We enjoyed wonderful food, some of us went to a play in the park (Romeo and Juliet) while others played in the pool, and then we all went to the fairgrounds to watch the big show.

As you can see...most everyone enjoyed the evening. :-)  Our little town set off an amazing display of fireworks and our little group was front and center.  It was amazing!  All of us -- even Phebe -- had a great time.  Afterward, we headed back to some friends' house to set off our own fireworks before calling it a night.

We all enjoyed the fireworks very much.  They were so pretty!  We even had a couple paper lanterns this year which was fun.  It was getting close to midnight when my little ones asked me if they could go inside and lay down.  I brought them inside, changed diapers, and was just laying kids on couches when Melissa ran in and told me to go outside because Paul was bleeding.

I had no idea what was going on, so I headed outside to see a group of Paul bringing Paul in, and I was so confused as to what happened!  Someone finally told me he got hit in the face by a firework, but I didn't know the extent of it yet.  They brought him inside where there was light, his dad looked at him, and they immediately rushed him to the emergency room.

As soon as I made sure someone could take my kids home for me, I had someone take me to the hospital so I could be with my husband.  The whole time I was praying, asking God to be with him.  I still didn't know what had happened, but he was seriously injured.

I ran into the ER, found out which room Paul was in, pushed back the curtain...and found my poor husband with a big hole under his lip and blood everywhere.  He was moaning because of how much pain he was in.  I went to his side and continued to pray for him while I heard the story:

Earlier in the evening we had shot a off a mortar cake.  About an hour or so later, Paul was using a flare to light smaller fireworks, and he put the flare in one of the mortar shells and it tipped over.  When he bent down to pick up the tipped over shell and his flare, he was met with a dud mortar that was re-lit by his flare.  The dud hit him right in the face.  Thankfully it bounced off his face and then exploded -- but as you can see he was still damaged.

After the doctor cleaned him up, asked over and over how his teeth felt, if he could see, etc., he told Paul that if it was six inches higher he would have lost an eye.  Knowing Paul, that would have been the ultimate nightmare.00000

Poppies, Sunflowers, and Daisies too!

Target is one of my favorite places to go while I'm in Great Falls.  Their $1 section is amazing and I end up filling my basket with the goodies from there before I even have a chance to walk through the rest of the store!  I found poppies, sunflowers, and daisies that you could grow in these adorable little pots and just had to buy them for the kids!

The kids had a great time planting the little seeds in these little pots and then placing them on the window sill.  We have to look at them everyday to see if there are any flowers yet. :-)  They don't know this yet, but I peaked at them last night (I'm excited too!) and saw some of the little plants are trying to poke out!  They are going to be so excited to see some progress.

Just yesterday I read a devotion and it had a story about a man looking for flowers for spring planting.  While at the greenhouse he came across a beautiful golden chrysanthemum that was hidden in a corner growing in an old, dented rusty bucket.  In his mind, he thought that if that was his flower he would place it in a beautiful pot and display it proudly.  Why was this beautiful flower confined in this old bucket and hidden away in this concealed place?

When he remarked to the owner about the flower, she explained, "Oh, I started the plant in the old bucket until it blossomed.  But it's just for a short time.  Soon I'll transplant it to my garden."

The man laughed and imagined such a scene in Heaven.  "There's a beautiful one," God will say, "the product of My loving kindness and grace.  Now it's confined in a broken body and in obscurity, but soon, in My garden, how tall and lovely this soul will stand!"

I thought it was a beautiful devotion!  I know I will think about it every time I see these adorable little pots and the flowers that will soon grow.

Father's Day

I wasn't sure what our Father's Day would be like this year.  Paul had been training the week before in Great Falls and hadn't had a chance to come home yet.  But when the kids and I pulled up at church Sunday morning our superhero husband and dad was there waiting for us!  The kids were very excited to see their main squeeze.

The Father's Day service was wonderful!  I enjoyed every minute of it -- I'm sure the dads did too.  It's adorable to hear how kids feel about their dads.  They have so much love and respect for them.  Every child believes their dad is the smartest, strongest, and biggest man around!

After church we all headed out to a lake for lunch.  It was such a nice day!  After the men inhaled their lunch they grabbed their fishing poles and headed to the lake to do some fishing.

The women stayed near the tables with the kids and just enjoyed the sun.  We told interesting stories and laughed while the kids explored and played adorable imaginative games.  Before we knew it, it was 5:30 and everyone was getting tired so most of us headed to town.

I am so grateful for the dads in my life.  I believe my Dad is one of the best in the whole world, but I also am grateful for my father-in-law, and my husband.  All three are wonderful men of God!  They all are family oriented and are such hard workers.  My children are so blessed to have all three men in their lives.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day weekend spent with the ones you love.  I also hope you appreciated your fathers and husbands every single day -- not just on Father's Day.  They do so much for us, don't they?  If you haven't done it in awhile, go ahead and hug your dad and/or husband and let them know how much you appreciate them.