Happy Mother's Day!

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.  - Billy Graham


Listen, my child, to...your mother's teaching.  What you learn will crown you with grace and clothe you with honor.  Proverbs 1:8,9 NLT

Message From God

I was headed off to work on Tuesday feeling a bit overwhelmed with the many responsibilities I seem to have....wife, mother, R.N., church member, daughter, friend, cook, maid, laundry doer, office clerk, accountant, list maker, shopper, etc.  I kept thinking how I am not getting to truly enjoy life and my many blessings because I'm always doing.  Not being.  As I was driving, a sermon off the show Building Blocks came on BBN and I felt like it was God using this pastor to speak directly to me.  It was all about moms and our many roles and duties and how what we do means so very much to our lil guys and gals and our husbands of course, too.  He based his sermon off the Proverbs 31 woman, which is one of my most favorite passages in the Bible.  Now that was an amazing woman!  The sermon was just what my aching heart needed!  It is normal to feel a little overwhelmed at times, I suppose.  Because it happened again last night.  Work was sooo busy and I didn't get to sleep until 1 a.m., knowing I have 4 lil ones ready and waiting for me in the morning to care for them, train them, love on them, discipline them, and teach them both the love of Christ our savior and schoolwork.  But through God's strength, I woke up this morning ready to do it!  Ready to be a wife.  A mom.  A maid.  A laundry cleaner and folder.  A dishwasher.  A chef.  A businesswoman.  A grocery list maker and meal planner.  The joy of the Lord is my strength.  I CAN do all things through Jesus Christ!  He gives me strength! 


On a side note, our friends at church had their baby!  A girl by ultrasound, but a BOY by birth!!!!!  What a surprise and a gift!  Life is a great miracle from God! 

5 Years Old

Ryan went for his well visit!  Look at the paper gown!!!!!  I heard it didn't last long!  He is 39 pounds (50th%) and 44 inches (we think, if remembering correctly) (75th%).  He is all healthy, PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

Happy 10 Weeks Our Precious Little Girl!!!!

Dollywood Pix

I think I mentioned in a previous post that we got season tix to Dollywood.  We headed out there for the first time last Saturday.  I think we are all going to enjoy going all season long!  The day was gorgeous!  It was a little busy there.  Ryan and Sean waited in line for a family roller coaster for 2 hours (including the half hour of waiting for the stuck coaster to be fixed!!)  That 2 hour time period proved to be a little interesting for me since I had the 3 youngest.  Started out fine until Hailey got hungry and I discovered I don't know how to read picture maps and ended all the way back at the front of the park (started at the way back) to get back to the baby center.  This is with Hailey in the Ergo and pushing the double stroller through the crowds with Andrew and Hunter in it.  Funny thing is (well, not funny at the time), there was another baby care center at the back of the park where I was, but I couldn't find it because of my inability to read a map!!!  I was a little frazzled and out of my normal routine!  God was observing the limits of my patience, which was worn thin, but I decided to start telling Him all the things I was thankful for, and that helped tremendously!@

Created To Be His Help Meet

Here's a few pages I scanned from the book I'm reading (see title above).  I thought I would share the section under "Just a Meal idea."  The author, Debi Pearl, offers some great suggestions on meal planning.  Ive done it a couple of times and it's super easy and tastes good and is relatively cheap.  

And then I just think this is cute :0)  If it's hard to read, click on the pic :)

God's Protection

I am a little sleepy today, but enjoying my day off!  I've been working a lil extra the past few days and we went to Dollywood on Saturday!!  It has been busy, but we are blessed! 


I have to share a story!!!  On the way to work on Thursday, I almost got hit by a semi.  See, he decided to change lanes while I was in the lane he wanted to change to and I had no other option, but to move out of his way, so I switched lanes, but was not able to even look to see if there were any other cars in that lane.  This was all on the highway at fast speeds, BTW!!!  Any way, praise God there wasn't anyone in the lane that I switched to and I was fine!!!!  I was thanking God and counting my blessings!!!!