A New Season of Life

I have neglected the blog this summer, but we had a lot going on ;)  I really wanted to share what God has been teaching me about letting go and embracing each season we have in life.  

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I love these verses and I love how God's Word can speak to us many different ways at different times in our lives.  When I read these a few weeks ago, He was telling me that it was time for Lily Kate to take the next step in her independence.  That step happened yesterday.  My firstborn went to Kindergarten.

God knew this wasn't an easy step for me so He gave me encouragement through his Word and through a library book.  Here are the words from On the Way to Kindergarten by Virginia Kroll

When you were Newborn, you ate, burped and cried, 

And yawned with your cute gummy mouth opened wide.

You slept in your bassinet, stroller, or swing,

Calmed by the lullabies Grammy would sing.

When you were One, you pulled yourself up

And drank all your juice from your red sippy cup.

You messed lots of diapers and drooled down your shirt

And tried eating ants and a handful of dirt.

When you were Two, you got your big bed

And picked panda sheets and a dinosaur spread.

You giggled and clapped when you saw the full moon.

You ate yogurt all by yourself with a spoon.

When you were Three, you skipped down the hall, 

Pedaled your tricycle, caught your first ball.

You liked the same storybooks day after day

And molded a snake out of modeling clay.

When you were Four, you tried figs and kiwis

And blew shiny bubbles that danced on the breeze.

You brushed your own teeth till they sparked white-clean.

You drew trees and turtles and colored them green.

But Now when we eat at that great bagel place,

You put back your own tray and wipe your own face.

You sit- no more booster seat- tall in the booth.

You're just about ready to lose your first tooth.

You can name all the beasts in your Noah's ark set

And help fill the fish tank without getting wet.

You don't need the stool now to reach the snack shelf.

You get on the swing and pump all by yourself!

You're teaching your best friend the ABC song.

You put back your building blocks where they belong.

You help carry groceries home in a bag.

Last Tuesday you said the whole pledge to the flag.

You print your first name in almost a straight line

And count all the way from one to twenty-nine.

You zip up your jacket and dial the phone

And play tinkly tunes on your new xylophone.

You buckle your seat belt for trips in the car.

You've saved thirty coins in your "wish money" jar.

You know all the seasons and days of the week.

You find secret spots when you play hide-and-seek.

You play super heroes in costumes and capes.

You know all your colors and most of your shapes.

In swim class, you paddled the length of the pool

And suddenly, here you are, going to school!

Just think -the exciting adventures that wait!

Imagine the things that you'll craft and create.

You're cool smart and funny; you know things galore...

Cause now you are FIVE and a baby no more!

I intended to make a board with all of this info, but I ran out of time :)

Lily Kate August 28th First Day of Kindergarten

Favorite Bible Verse: John 3:16

Favorite Song: And Jesus Grew

Favorite Color: Pink and Purple and Turquoise

Favorite Book of the Bible: Acts

Favorite Food: Chocolate

Favorite Snack: Chocolate Teddy Grahams & Chocolate Goldfish

Best Friend: Holden

I want to be a MOMMY when I grow up.

Hobbies: crafts, playing with my dog, playing on a playground, drawing

Favorite show: Sofia the First

I love to play with Squinkies and My Little Ponies, Lay with Star Blankie

 She did great!  I was the one who was a slight mess (thank goodness I opted for waterproof mascara).  She said she had fun and enjoyed reading Pete the Cat and Kissing Hand.

Celebrating with cake for after-school snack!

Happy Birthday, Aubrey!

Dear Aubrey,
Today you turn 3!  I cannot tell you how much joy you have brought to our lives.  We are so thankful God gave us you.

You can make just about everyone that you encounter smile.  You have never met a stranger.  You happily greet people everywhere we go.

You are wide open and still live up to your nickname of wild child.  Whatever you do you give it 100%.

Your smile lights up a room and you are learning the power of your cuteness.  You often tell Mommy, Daddy or Lily Kate that they are your best friend.  You spoke with a South African accent (which you picked up from Ms. Leigh at CBS) When you asked "May I please have some water" with an accent, Mommy almost fell over!

This year, you broke your leg when jumping on a trampoline.  You loved your new pink accessory (your cast) and you didn't let it slow you down one bit.

You love your sister and often imitate everything she does.  You love to play and love to fight.

You are full of enthusiasm and love life.  You are either 100% happy or 100% unhappy- there is no middle ground.
You take great care of your baby dolls and have a very vivid imagination.  You love to pretend you are a waitress taking people's orders.  You also love telling them that you don't have what they ordered.

We love you sweet girl!  We are so blessed to have you as a part of our family!
Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Wordless Wednesday

Mommy Day

 On Monday's while Lily Kate is in Preschool, Aubrey and I have "Mommy Day."  It originated one day when Aubrey was sad she wasn't going to school, so I creatively told her that she had "Mommy Day" to look forward to.  Most days we just run errands or come home and get stuff done around the house, but occasionally I try to do something fun- a trip to the park, a craft.  Today we got her haircut and then went to the library.

I usually cut her hair, but I can never get it straight in the back- so since I had a coupon we went to Doolittles!  She did great!

 I thought it was just going to be a normal trip to the library to get some new books, but it was Elephant and Piggie Day!  (Based on the books by Mo Willems).  They had a play, story time, crafts and games.

Mo Willems is a really fun author. Our favorite book is Knuffle Bunny, but There is a Bird on Your Head is also a classic.  If you have never heard of him, check out this video adaptation of his book to see what it is all about :)

 Aubrey made a bird on her head :) 

I love these sweet moments together.  Time goes so quickly and my little ones grow up so fast.  I try my best to cherish every moment.  Mommy Day is one way we make the "ordinary" special!

Prayer for Families

May 2 is the National Day of Prayer.  I had the privilege of meeting with my Community Bible Study group today to pray and my prayer focus was families.  Here is my prayer for our families:

God right now we pray for families in our nation, our state and throughout our community.  We ask that You protect and strengthen marriages, encourage parents and bring healing to relationships.

God as sisters, daughters, mothers, wives, grandmothers, aunts and friends help our love to be sincere.  Help us to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. Let us be devoted to one another in love.  Honoring others above ourselves.  Never let us be lacking in zeal, but keep our spiritual fervor, serving You.  Lord, Help us to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Help us to share with people who are in need and practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)

God we earnestly ask you to turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; so that no destruction will come to our land.” Malachi 4:6

God help families to keep their focus on You.  May they strive to serve You and You only. (Joshua 24:15)  God, lead us like a shepherd, gather the lambs in your arms and carry them close to your heart.  Gently lead those that have young.  (Isaiah 40:11)

Help us to teach our children and grandchildren in the Way they should go so that when they are old they will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

We ask Lord that you protect the marriage unit, we know what your Word says that marriage is between one man and one woman, help us to honor that institution, by living out the example you have set.

As wives, Help us Lord, to submit to our husbands as we do to You.  Help husbands to love their wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Ephesians 5:22-28

Just as we received Jesus Christ as Lord, let us continue to live in Him.  Let our marriage relationships be rooted and built up in Jesus, strengthened in the faith, and overflowing with thankfulness.  (Colossians 2:6-7)

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.  Psalm 33:22

Brookies

Alright y'all- I owe this easy and delicious recipe to a Facebook friend who posted it on her wall and then my husband saw it late at night one night.  Brookies!

It is simply brownie batter (plopped into a muffin pan) with cookie dough (I cheated and used place and bake cookies) plopped on top.  Bake according to package directions and YUMMO!

This is easily a new family favorite.  I made some as teacher gifts and man were the teachers excited!

Wordless Wednesday

 

One Love

It has been a while since I posted and I have all intention of catching up  Life just got busy and blogging went on the back burner.

Stephen and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary in May and we decided to celebrate a little early with a trip to Jamaica!  We went to a Sandals resort for our honeymoon and he found a new Sandals resort just down the beach from the one that we honeymooned to.  Sandals Royal Plantation only has 74 rooms so it is a bit quieter than the other resort.  

View from our balcony

Room service!

This is what we did most of the time :)

We decided to have a truly low key vacation- we didn't even leave the resort!  But we did take advantage of the water sports.  We went snorkeling, for a glass bottom boat tour, sailing, kayaking and Stephen tried stand up paddle boarding.

The resort mascot- 20 peacocks live on property!

The resort had top notch dining and each night we would get dressed up for dinner and then enjoy live music or a swim in the pool.

Our butler decorated our room for our anniversary.  He pulled out all the stops!

One of our butlers, Kenroy.

We walked over to the resort where we honeymooned :)

Dessert with every meal- Yes please!

 We had a photo session on our last night at the resort.

 This is the cheesiest of cheesy pictures, it just makes me smile ;)

Other New Posts

The Lodge!

February Fun

Happy Birthday, Lily Kate!

Dear Lily Kate,
You are such a wonderful daughter.  I am so thankful to have you in our family.  You bring so much joy, laughter, imagination and love to our family.  You have such a giving heart- you love to give away your belongings, and buy and make things for others.

You have your daddy's sense of humor and love to make others laugh and smile.  You are just the right amount of silly.

You take great care of your baby dolls and toys.  You love to play dress up- both the toys and you.  You are definitely a princess at heart.

You are a daughter of the King.  You love to learn about God's Word and love telling others about Him.  You always have a song on your heart.  You evangelize your sister on a regular basis and you love swimming lessons because they are preparing you to be baptitized.

You are a very talented artist and you love arts and crafts.  You even make up your own projects.

You are such a fine little girl.  I'm so thankful for the person that you are.  I love spending time with you.  You are beautiful both inside and out.  We are so glad you are a part of our family.
Love,
Mom & Dad