That is What is Important

Crazy.

Hectic.

Overwhelming.

I could go on for days.

And I know I am not alone.

There are lots of us in this boat.

Only we aren't in the boat together. We are all scurrying along with our obligations or opportunities, if I may.

Why?

That is what I wonder?   Why?  What is the purpose of this?  What is really important?

You see, to me it is not all about the sporting event or recital.  Or the pictures I can put on face book.  Nope.  It is about the little moments I want to cherish.  To remember.

I have no dreams of having a child that is recruited to play sports in college.  Nope.  Not important.  I don't fit in.  I don't care.  I just can't see the importance.

It is more like this.  I have dreams of cuddles and snuggles on lazy Sunday afternoons.  I have dreams of family bike rides and picnics.  I have dreams of vacations on the beach.  I have dreams of baking cookies and planting flowers.  Washing the car together and having a water fight.  Reading stories and singing ridiculously loud.

Listing these dreams causes me to acknowledge how blessed I am.  The purpose of this is simple.  To love Him and love others.  My "others" consist of these 4 little beings and my husband.  I am commanded to live my dream.  To cuddle and snuggle and sing and on and on.  Wow!

That my friends is what is important.  I am thankful I see.  I am thankful for the important things.

Maddie is 7

Oh my, how time flies!  I cannot count the people that have reminded me of how quickly your children grow up.  I now understand their urgency to remind me to cherish every day, every moment. Maddie turns seven today.  7 seems like such a big girl.  Everyone thinks they have the sweetest kids, right?!?  Maddie is certainly high up on the scale. Much to her benefit she has her dad's personality.  She is quiet and kind.  She has demonstrated empathy for others from very early on.  When Maddie was born, Chris said she "bonded our family forever".  She has done that in so many ways.  She is a great big sister and a good friend.  She is incredibly unselfish and loves others.  I am so thankful she is ours.  I look forward to her future, I know the Lord has big plans for her.  Happy Birthday Moo Moo!

Ava turns 5

Seems like yesterday that girl was tiny and yellow.  She had a terrible case of jaundice when she was born.  Now she is all grown up and ready for Kindergarten.  Time flies!!  We celebrated with a trip to Cincinnati.  The plan was shopping and the zoo.  Ava's request was a hotel with an indoor pool.  The zoo was a flop due to the rain.  Instead we visited the Cincinnati Children's Museum.  It was such fun.  Ava's cousins came along and we had a great time.

Our group shot!  Sam looks happy, huh? 

 

Pretending to be a Vet!

 

My favorite.  Chris and Sam goofing off in Ralph Lauren.

Good times!



We are building a house!!  The planning started last fall and finally it looks like a house.  We have a contract on our current home with the closing scheduled for the end of the month.  We are all excited and nervous.  The new house is in a subdivision with sidewalks and street lights.  The children will have a huge yard to play in (if we can get grass to grow :).  Picking out things for a house is fun in the beginning, then it turns into somewhat of a chore.  Hopefully we are almost finished with the technical stuff and I can start decorating!  Stay tuned.

Goals for 13'

My goals for 2013.  Better late than never :)

Personal:

• Read through the bible using an ESV reading plan
• Memorize Proverbs 31
• Exercise at least 4 days a week
• Run 1 5k race
• Eat/Prepare well balanced healthy food

Marriage:

• Read two books together
• One overnight trip away
• Date night each month

Mothering:

• Verse of the week
• Each child read each day
• Swim lessons for the girls
• Gymnastics for Anna
• Date with each child 6 times during the year
• Better chore responsibilities for each kiddo

Ministry/Friendship/Extended Family:

• Continue our Bible study in our home weekly
• One trip away with Vanessa and fam
• Continue attending "Come Aside" ministry twice each month
• Lunch dates with a friend monthly

Financial:

• Pay off our car
• Sell unwanted furniture
• Buy new furniture for new house
• Stay on our budget

Work/School:

• Send three courses for "Quality Matters" review
• Complete final class in ph.d program
• Take and pass comprehensive exam
• Begin IRB approval for dissertation

I am amazed at our little family and where we are.  I am thankful for God's blessings on us.  I look forward to 2013 and vow to be more intentional in my decisions. 

May 25

I have never been the type to remember specific days, I really do well to remember my children's birthdays.  May 25th is different.  I remember that day, everyday.  On May 25 in 1995, my life changed and a new "season" began.  I was 13 years old. Up until that point my childhood was happy and carefree.  My parents were divorced, but it was unusually functional.  Maybe it wasn't and they hid it from me, but all I knew was love and happiness.  Both of my parents loved me unconditionally and my step-parents treated me like I was their own.  It was dysfunctional happiness and I loved it!

May 25, 1995 my dad was killed in a plane crash.  Wow!  That hit hard.  The years following were even harder, relationships were broken and life was different, very different.  My mom poured her entire existence into my sister and I.  Our lives were happy again, but different.  I understood pain and loss, but I also understood God's grace and supplication even in our darkest times.  Thank heavens I learned that early on, it has been necessary a few times since.

Life continued on and I grew up; graduated from college, got married and my sweet Anna Beth was born.  At that point my life changed again.  I understood unconditional love.

Soon after Anna Beth's birth my mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness.  She was a fighter and she fought for several years.  She passed away when Maddie was 1 month old.  Life changed again.  God had prepared me for what he knew was going to happen.  Chris was and still is a constant source of support and love.

And today I am completing my doctorate degree, have a dream job as a college professor, and a husband that loves me and our children unconditionally.  God is good.  May 25th was a hard day, but life is made up of many different "seasons".  All of these parts woven together make a beautiful picture.  So today I am not sad, but instead thankful.  I am thankful for the "seasons" of life that make us who we are intended to be.

Tis the Season

The past week has been crazy.  And wonderful.  Today as I was walking out of the school I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.  Sometimes I tell Chris that "my heart swells up with love".  He looks at me like I have lost it and goes on.  But I don't know any other way to describe the feeling. I love  the stage of our life we are currently living.  I love having Maddie and Ava doing "little" kid things.  And I love that Anna and Sam are older and able to do other things.  This week Maddie and her classmates sang at the school PTO meeting.  She is ordinarily very shy, but she sang as loud as she could and smiled.  It melted my heart.