such strong words

"I HATE MORNINGS"

" SUNRISE? WHATS THAT?" ( i bought a a candle from Yankee Candle that smells like early sunrise :)

Did your mom ever tell you that "hate" was a strong word?

If you know anything about me, you know that I am not frequently up before 9.

Then enter school. We get up (Joel, me and Logan) about 6:30. Yep, that's right i said i get out of my bed at 6:30! I have also grown to LOVE it! I get a few minutes with my husband that we can run thru the day-after he has showered and becomes coherent- and he talks to the baby(who is in the excer saucer in the bathroom) while he showers. Typically i can over hear their "conversation" while i am in the kitchen making Lexi's lunch. Then he quietly tip-toes upstairs to wake sleeping beauty up and brings her down to get dressed.

Laying on the couch are four outfits. Eight shoes sit neatly with socks tucked in side beside the couch, ready for our early day. A hot pink mesh back pack hangs packed by the back door ready to go.

Enjoying the alarm clock sounding? Well i wont go that far but i have recently been awakened earlier than the alarm. The best sound I hear all day? My two girls learning our weekly bible verse and praying for each other on the way to school.

This week we are learning "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

I learned that as a child so i may have combined a few versions in my head. Either way it is something now stored in the precious hearts of my children. Would i have pictured my self a stay at home mom, driving to school every morning? Not really. I wanted to have a career, and wear heels everyday. God had different plans. Different. Very talkative. Energetic. Even a red-head. Plans.

Hate is a strong word. I always claimed to hate mornings, but i hadn't really ever been consistent enough with trying them to know.

Trusting Him with all my heart and leaning not on my understanding? Well it isn't wearing a suit and carrying a pretty brief case. Seems Trusting Him with all my heart has led me to place i would have chosen. The growth we have experienced as a family in the last nine days has been more than I could have ever understood. So now i want to publicly Acknowledge Him and give Him all the glory for the amazing things He has done in our lives.

Avid GPS user is laughingly what I am. Getting lost is what i do. But somehow no matter how far i would wander on my own... He shall direct my paths.

Now those are strong words.

Readiness?

I have taught in a preschool setting, and even had a few Chinese fire drills in my day. That considered when there was a risk of a tornado hitting my city i had nothing! We recently had a water system installed in our counter-top so we drink from there-- eliminating the need for bottled water. Batteries are what i see as a source of power to really annoying toys. So we have what we need for remote controls and that's about it. Heck i was just told that my car battery has corrosion for goodness sake! My family of six rarely leaves left overs, so we don't exactly have food just hanging out either.

Joel and I had to quickly go over where we would go if a tornado actually hit and instructed the kids not to ask question , just to go! Which, you know, opened up the door to ask a billion questions! Drama queen melted down, Sister insisted on bossing everyone around about what they were allowed to bring to the special spot, and bubba... he just refused to move-- anywhere. He protested that he needed to be in the rain playing!

After this lovely-thankfully short lived- adventure it occurs to me that we need to have a plan in place for all the possible disaster situations. So i guess that is my task for tomorrow?

Nope because half way thru this blog my before mentioned "spiderman like son" tripped and fell down the bunk bed stairs. You know the bunk bed that has stairs instead of a ladder because its safer. Sigh he has a good black eye and some bumps and bruises else wear. So tomorrow i watch a boy for signs of a concussion.... disaster plans will have to wait just one more day....

just a commical photo from today to share :)

he WAS wearing underwear....

Powerful

I want to share a song with you. This is " Fall Apart" by Josh Wilson

Why in the world did I think I could Only get to know you when my life was good? When everything just falls in place The easiest thing is to give you praise Now it all seems upside down 'Cause my whole world is caving in But I feel you now more than I did then How can I come to the end of me But somehow still have all I need? God I want to know you more Maybe this is how it starts I find you when I fall apart Blessed are the ones who understand They've got nothing to bring but empty hands Nothing to hide and nothing to prove Our heartbreak brings us back to you And it all seems upside down 'Cause my whole world is caving in But I feel you now more than I did then How can I come to the end of me But somehow still have all I need? God I want to know you more Maybe this is how it starts I find you when I fall apart I don't know how long this will last I'm praying for the pain to pass But maybe this is the best thing that has ever happened to me 'Cause my whole world is caving in But I feel you now more than I did then How can I come to the end of me But somehow still have all I need? God I want to know you more Maybe this is how it starts I find you when-- You will find me when-- I fall apart Just so you know this font is "Georgia" I also want to share with you how this week has been personally. Yesterday i told you about kindergarten, and really it is probably a blessing to be distracted. My cousin Stephanie sent me this song yesterday on my way home from dropping lex off. Being kid-less I blared it all the way home! It fits me to a T right now. I was so plugged in that i was almost lost in my "service" before i moved here. Serving is such a blessing to me that i would volunteer for EVERYTHING that i could, because i enjoyed every minute of it. Sometimes after being home all day with my kids i looked forward to the meetings, or the rehearsals.... but i was ignoring my husband. If we "hung out" on the weekends it was with groups of friends that had kids the age of our kids. Again that is something i loved so i never saw the down fall. My friends and Bible study gals almost knew more about me than the person that vowed to spend the rest of his life with me. So submersed in what i thought being a christian was that i lost sight of exactly where i stood with my Father. Through the Bible studies I learned tons of Bible knowledge and leading kids worship put me in the word in a way i had never experienced -- you wanna be able to answer any question they throw atcha! But I wasn't waking up craving His words. My desire wasn't to just sit and soak Him in. I didn't know that my husband was craving this Awesome Bible knowledge i was learning--- i was completely lost. I was lost in what i thought was the best spiritual place i had ever been. Moving here and screaming at God night after night and month after month has shown me that i am now Closer to HIM than i have ever been. Not having any close friends here has brought me back to being best friends with the one God gave me to spend my life with. God never promised life would be easy, and He most certainly didn't promise that every step of it would be "happy".  Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He hasn't left me and in my wallowing the last 18 months i have learned more about His faithfulness than i could have imagined. Three weeks ago i was giving the opportunity to M. C. VBS at my home church. During two nights specifically, i was over come with the spirit. I was supposed to be there speaking His words... because they were meant for me. Hearing others say it, it's always easier to dismiss because "they don't know where i am ". Saying it to kids, with a passion from Christ, makes it a whole lot harder to blow off. God is watching me. The way He watched Jonah and knew when the whale would spit him out. Where did the whale spit him out? Right where God wanted him. God was in control the whole time. Today i sit in a different place. A place i reached by going home and trying to get lost in what used to be. You know what? What used to be isn't anymore. Relationships are different and life has moved on. Thankfully I am still lovingly embraced each time i "go home" and it will always be that way because of incredible Godly people He put in my path. They each hold a special place in my heart. Every summer will have a camp week and if it works out a VBS... but my life continues HERE...

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I WILL SURVIVE!

I have survived the first day of Kindergarten!

Several posts ago I was really not sure how i would handle this big day, and was not not quite sure i wanted Lexi in public school at all. After a month on the road and seeing friends that she misses terribly, she was longing for this day. Openly requesting friends--- I longed for this day with her.

My mom drove up last night, so that Joel and I could take Lexi to school all by herself. She was as excited about one on one time with us as she was about going to school. IN my house riding in daddy's car is rare. For obvious reasons the kids are almost never in the Honda-- so her request this morning was to ride in daddy's car to school. Beaming with pride because his car is "fast and cool", he strapped her in and off we went.

Walking down the hall in her purple top, denim leggings and silver sequined belt with coordinating silver shoes, she clung to our hands. Outgoing is almost an understatement for Lex-- but today she was plum stone faced. Entering the classroom was uncomfortable and tough. She hugged me and then daddy... enter water works. I didn't shed a tear, but that "daddy hug" got to her. The teacher assured us it would be short lived and so we left knowing she would be fine.

I asked Joel if he wanted to take me to breakfast and he laughed and said all i have time for is McDonald's! So i excitedly agreed to a kid free breakfast with my hunny!

Mom and I caught up on some things around the house and then the time came to pick up big sister from school. Luke wandered around several times saying "less less cool?" it was neat to me to see that he missed her. Lorelei was a totally different child today. The element of competition was eliminated and she really enjoyed stepping into the big sister role.

Climbing into the car Lexi could stop chattering. Telling us all about each thing. Rest time, lunch, what she ate at snack, and so on and so on.  As the evening progresses more details emerged but all in all i think she loved every minute!

first time I held her

first day of Kindergarten

Tomorrows carefully planned ensemble has been laid out complete with tennis shoes for PE! I will drop her off curbside and that will be a little more nervous for mommy but one day at a time! A friend told me today "don't cry because its over, smile because it happened". So today i celebrate the five years at home i had with my Lexi girl and and look forward to the journey we will share together thru her school years.

Father thank you for my beautiful daughter. Thank you for sharing her with me during her time here and trusting me to teach her about you. Please teach me to trust you thru her each day and watch over her as she goes to school each day. In your AWESOME name i pray-- Amen

Things that make like simpler, well as simple as life with four toddlers can be!

I have decided to put together a list of some of the things that help me to survive with my four little ones. In my recent travels some moms have said "I can't believe you take all your kids with you, everywhere!" or "you are super mom" and " I just don't know how you do it"

Well rule number one is don't fear it-- plan for it! I frequently get teased about the GIANT bag i carry. This is a MUST. I have cars, diapers, wipes, make-up bag with various meds/thermometer,extra panties for the girls, changes of clothes for the boys, snacks for me and the kids.... and the list goes on. I think some of you would prefer to carry a minimally stocked diaper bag just for the sake of not breaking your back. But if i get somewhere without it, I am going to wish i had it! My darling husband even order clips from "J.J. Cole" to attach my bag to my stroller in a more accessible way. They were only $15 and offer a great solution to digging in the bottom of a stroller and not being able to focus on your kids at the same time.So remember ITS ALL IN THE BAG!

Number two might scare some of you off, but hear me out. Sometimes if it cost more than we originally budgeted we deem it unnecessary. However with four little ones as close together as i had them, i needed some convenience helpers. We shopped for months for our stroller and it was seriously the best money we have ever spent. My first double was great- it survived our Disney trip- and was a great asset when the girls were little. I LEARNED A LOT FROM IT! things like when you go stroller shopping take a large diaper bag with you, even if you have to borrow one from a friend or take your biggest purse. "Basket space" is a huge factor! Most strollers add a disclaimer that warns against bags on the handles, this is for risk of flipping your stroller--- this WILL happen! most of the high end strollers are weighted but mine still flips. We did spend more on a stroller than we would have even considered, but mine can with the attachments accommodate ALL of my kids, so we decided since i am a lone ranger often that it was worth it for the safety of our kids.

Number three: Don't be afraid of returning things. I just mentioned two of the most used mommy essentials, and if you take these things home shove all your stuff in that bag and hate it, TAKE IT BACK! it doesn't matter if you have looked at it online for two months while you were waiting for the price to go down, if it doesn't work for you, you don't need it! I have gone thru several bags before i found the one i LOVE. I won't tell you how many because i kinda have a bag weakness, but this is one of those things that falls under the spending where it counts factor. And strollers can be returned if they haven't hit pavement! If you walk a mall with a new stroller, chances are that it won't show wear and tear too bad. So load up or borrow a friends kid for a day and test that sucker out! I am always amazed at how different a stroller feels with an infant in it than with a toddler-- these are things the manufactures don't want you to consider!

There is a great website called babygizmo.com where a mom of three kids orders every baby gadget on the market and reviews it on tape. She does things like the diaper bag fitting, kids of different ages/weights in a stroller and even reviews high chairs. it is a great blessing if you live in a smaller town like i do as far as your shopping options.

I NEVER PACK LIGHT! Rule number four: if it fits in your car-take it. I have been hassled about the "drawers" in the back of my suburban. Well in them i  have an extra car seat cover( vomit never smells good baked in a car for eight hours), socks (for when you get to the jumpy place in flip-flops), spare outfits for the girls (my bag is only so big), a spare shirt for me etc. I think some of you might be freaking out now but seriously if you don't have it you will wish you did. I recently invested in a Fridge for me car. It is a coleman cooler that plugs into the cigarette lighter jack- i have one in the trunk so if works nicely- and it has made traveling much easier. You can then opt for a rest stop with a park and pb&j to save a little money. Capri suns and a sandwich sound pretty good after three hours in a car-- this way you can spend the time you allotted for eating running in the grass at the rest stop... you know with the soccer ball you always have in your car :)

Rule number 5: always build in extra time. If you know me well, ok if you know anything about me you know i am LATE. I can't blame that on my kids because i was late before kids too. But if i have to be somewhere like a dr that i will lose my appt

Okay these are my first five. It is midnight and all my kids are sleeping so i should be too, so i will post more later. In the mean time, tell me your tricks and little secrets that help you survive in the hectic life of being a mommy!

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me", even one handed with a baby on my hip! Phil 4:13

sneak peak

while we were in Austin my Cousin Stephanie took some great photos of my kiddos. I have one in a file form to share today soon i hope to post more! Here you go!

Grateful Hearts

MY kids can easily be defined as not wanting for much. Maybe even spoiled. Some might put me into that same category. I will sheepishly admit that my husband, dad, big sister, mom and my in-laws all provide my hearts desires regularly. That brings me here. I HAVE really everything a 26 year old broad could ask for. Why am i still sad?

Well after a jam packed, adventure filled 4 weeks in Texas i can answer that. Although i am on some medicine to help i truly believe being surrounded by my support system is a huge factor. People have begged to spend time with my kids these few weeks-- i love that. My mom is a huge help in Savannah and my dad and sister have both taken week-long shifts this year to help me as well. I am truly grateful for all of those times, but its the grocery trips, and quick errands that are made easier as 1 person rather than five that I relish. I will miss you all more than words can explain.

There have been three specific occasions that i was allowed to sleep in while someone else cared for my kiddos, I got almost a whole day with a grown-up-girlfriend (by default as we headed back to trinity pines) but we talked and had actual CONVERSATION! My tank is beyond full. Might even be sloshing over the top :) There are several that i wish i had been able to spend more time with, but it seems like that is always the case. No matter how long i am here i wish i could stay longer.

School supplies are purchased, new tennis shoes and soon a "first day of school" outfit will be carefully assembled. It is time to head home-- back to reality. I am reminded how much my life will soon change. Encouraged about meeting other young moms through the kinder programs; I pray that this is the case and that this new chapter brings a welcome "world change". Excitedly Lexi and read books about her first day at the book store and with a heavy heart I anticipate so many fun times while watching her grow this year.

The washer and dryer run quietly in the background as I begin to pack for my journey home. We carry with us memories in the capital city, VBS at our "home" church, an AWESOME week at kids camp, and lots of individual moments with great friends. Texas our Texas you will forever hold our hearts. Joel commented several times about how nice it was to come "Home" for a few days. No matter where we live or however long we reside in another state this will ALWAYS be home.

On my list to purchase today is a Texas Flag, But at the moment Georgia is on my mind....