A mother's day message to all the moms out there!

I remember when I was just a little girl instead of playing with barbies I was pretending my baby dolls were real babies. As a teenager when the guidance counselor would ask me what I wanted to do with my life, I would answer "be a wife and a mother " . I didn't know what being a mother would really entail. The sleepless nights, struggling with nursing, worrying about them making friends, what school to send them to, should I homeschool, when should I step into a conflict and when should I let them handle it on their own. The list could go on and on.
 

One thing that I really had no idea about was how much these children would complete me. When I have had a horrible day, when I've embarrassed myself or been hurt by someone else, I didn't realize that one little kiss, hug or "I love you mom" would literally make me feel better. That the weight of the day would be lifted off of me as they put their little hand inside of mine and snuggle up close. I also love how I can do the same for them. When they have had a rough day, struck out after every time at bat, flunked that spelling test, had a fight with a friend, I can snuggle up to them, and tell them how much I love them and what they mean to me.
 

As mom's I know we all struggle. So much out there telling us we are doing it wrong. So much pain we are trying to protect our kids from. It can overwhelm us if we let it. For me right now at this stage in my life I'm trying to realize I'm doing the best I can and that's all I can do. I just need to love my kids and show them that my arms will always be a safe place for them. Forever.
 

I hope all you Mom's this Sunday enjoy lots of snuggles and kisses. I can't wait to see the joy on my little ones faces as they give me their homemade cards and see how much joy they have just seeing me smile and knowing how much joy they bring to my life.
 

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOMS! We are doing a great job and we just need to keep it up!!! :-)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anna turned 2 and why I'm going to blog even if no one reads it :-)

 I know that I have always worried too much about other people's view of me. I have since I was in junior high and maybe before then although I don't remember. In fact if I'm perfectly honest I have sometimes used Facebook and blogging as a way to validate me. I've used it to try and make me feel special and make me feel like I mattered. I have battled insecurity for a long time but I am slowly learning that it only matters how God sees me and that I don't need to compare myself with others. In this world of social media it's so easy to see everyone else's life and their accomplishments, their children's achievements, everything that might make you feel your life is less than what it should be.

I started thinking social media was the problem, or other people and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I need to change how I think. How I think about myself. I can't control why other people do or say what they do but I can control how I choose to think about myself and how I choose to respond. I have heard that said a hundred times but sometimes you have to wait until you are ready to really listen and understand and then do it.

Blogging was one of those things that used to bother me. I love blogging but I started to think no one was reading or that I wasn't writing eloquently enough. I started comparing myself to others who blog and thought what I had to say wasn't important but then I realized if I love it I can do it for me even if no one else reads it. :-) Someday I will have a journal, an online recording of my life, moments where I have learned a life lesson, remembered something special. So I am going to blog. Even if no one ever reads it :-)

The first significant thing that happened this year is that my little and only girl turned 2!

She is getting so big and we are so thankful to have her smiling face in our lives!

We also had our yearly Awana Grand Prix last week at our church. My 3rd grader got 2nd place and all 3 boys had a blast!

Joseph received 2nd place

Samuel with his American Flag Car

Jonathan with his Hot Wheels Batman car :-)


 

We also had a visit from Grandpa and Grandma and Brother Michael from Missouri. We love it when we have family visit because we miss them sooo much!

Until next time :-) Have a blessed week!

10 Years! WOW!

Today marks 10 years of marriage for my husband Mike and I. I remember the day he proposed... 2 years of dating (I was impatiently waiting for this moment) and then 6 months later we were married.

Mike and I actually grew up in the same town and even went to the same youth group for a while but him being 5 years older than me we never really got to know each other very well. We reconnected after I graduated high school and we were inseparable from the first date. We found out through our dating that my older sisters had actually given him rides home from school when he was in high school and that we grew up in the same subdivision. SMALL WORLD. :-)

 I remember him walking in with a walmart bag (I found it later it was to disguise the Shane Co ring I was bout to receive) and going past me as I was sitting on the couch at his house. He came back after a few minutes and told me to close my eyes. I stood up and when he told me to open them he was on one knee with my ring box open and he asked me simply "Will you marry me" and I of course said yes!!! Then I proceeded to call my family and tell them the good news :-)

Aug 2001 a few months after we began dating

Our dating years brought lots of changes into my life. For starters with him being previously married I got to welcome a wonderful young man into my life. Michael Craig III. He was 3 and 1/2 when I started dating Mike and I had always loved children and it was a joy getting to know him and spend time with him.

I was sure I wanted to marry mike from the very beginning but he was patient and took his time... :-) I'm thankful for that now. Those 2 years of dating gave us a lot of time to get to know each other  and for Michael to get to know me.

One of my favorite pictures of mike and I

Our wedding day was PERFECT. Oct 4, 2003. It was a sunny gorgeous day outside and the ceremony went off without a hitch. Our reception was so much fun and it was so nice getting to spend such a wonderful day with all of our friends and family.

Through our 10 years of marriage we have had a lot of ups and downs but we are making it through! God has blessed us in that commitment and we both have grown and changed and I can honestly say I look forward to the next 10 years with him.

My 2nd favorite picture of Mike and I

We have been blessed with 4 additional children since our wedding day. With children come challenges and it definitely reconnects you as husband and wife when you are co-parenting if you allow it too.

Mike has grown as a man of God in the 10 years we have been married and he aims to lead our household to serve God and make God our #1 priority and for that I am so thankful. He is an incredible father to our children and sacrifices for them all. He loves to play with them, wrestle with the boys and he also makes time to sit with Anna and play with princesses as well :-) He makes sure I have "girls night out" when needed, and he helps me with the stuff around the house even after he has worked a 10 hour day. I'm so blessed that God brought us together and am thankful for every day I have with him.

Mike... I love you very much. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY sweetie!!!

 

Mike and I Oct 2013

 

Watching my little girl grow.... and Jonathan's first day of Pre-school

I wish I had blogged from the very beginning of my experience as a mom but I guess the good thing is I am doing it now. Even if no one else ever reads these, I have a great memory book for me and my kiddos someday.

Anna is bringing us so much joy. She is almost always smiling and giggling and even though she is 18 months old when she walks in the room all 3 of her brothers stop whatever they are doing to come over and hug and kiss her and talk to her. Here are some pictures of her over the past few months :-)

On September 3rd Jonathan started pre-school. He goes 5 days a week for 2 hours. I can't believe how big he is getting! His speech is still behind but he also goes to speech twice a week and I have high hopes that he will keep improving and hopefully will be able to start Kindergarten next year.

 We are also enjoying the cooler temperatures :-)

 

 

 

 

 

I'm so looking forward to the trees changing and all the fall activities that will be going on soon! :-)

First Day of School :-)

Well yesterday my boys had their first day of school. Joseph in 3rd grade and Samuel in 1st. I love hearing about their day and what they are most excited about. Joseph LOVES science and he was so excited that they will be having science textbooks this year :-) Samuel was excited to no longer be a kindergartner and to be able to do more "big kid" stuff at school.

They grow up so fast. As I'm looking at pictures of all my friends children on their first days I see and read how their "babies" are starting high school or college and it makes me really stop and savor these moments with my little ones.

Pre-school

 

Kindergarten

 

 

1st Grade

2nd Grade and Kindergarten

 

 

3rd Grade and 1st Grade

 

 

Going to start with this year taking a pic of all 4 of them first day of school to see change in growth :-)
Anna wasn't so thrilled! :-)

 

                                   Praying that all the kiddos have a great school year!!!

Highlights of Summer 2013

I have been wanting to write this post for a while but I knew once I wrote it, it would really feel like the summer is ending and I wasn't quite ready for that yet, but if I don't do it now it will be time to be posting back to school pictures.. so here it goes :-)

These are pictures of my highlights of this summer. It was a really great summer and we got to do a lot of stuff with the kids and had a great visit with my stepson as well.



Joseph and Samuel before their first baseball game :-)



Jonathan's first firework experience

While visiting grandparents Anna had her first gator ride



A shot of all 5 kids :-) Love this picture!

Got to stay at a hotel one night in Ft. Wayne

Went to Science Central in Ft. Wayne, IN and had a blast!

We went to the Children's zoo in Ft. wayne as well, the picture on the far left was a skyride that took you above the zoo.

 



The boys all went on a camping trip :-)



Sammy pushing anna around the neighberhood

Perfect summer day

 

We also went to some movies and Mike took all the boys each out seperately for a special day with dad. He took them all to an air force museum and they all had alot of fun. We went swimming and just enjoyed the cooler weather this summer by playing outside. I am sad to see that school is about to start again, but thankful for the memories we created this summer and looking forward to a new school year and all the wonderful things that come with that as well. I hope everyone else has had a blessed summer like we have had!