And the winner is...

The winner of the drawing for the Siesta Scripture Memory Team spiral is...Janna!  (Just so you know I didn't make Janna up, she entered on facebook.)  Thanks for playing! 

A Giveaway!

I have been blessed by some bloggy giveaways, and I have always wanted to do one.  I finally found something to give away!  Beth Moore's Siesta Scripture Memory Team has made a huge impact on my life.  She is starting it up again for 2011, and she designed these cute spirals!  I have one for me and one for the winner of this drawing!  (You can absolutely do the Scripture Memory Challenge without this particular spiral.  A $1 one from Wal-Mart works great too.)

You can see more information about the challenge from Beth here.  If you are interested in joining the challenge and want a spiral, then leave a comment here or on my facebook by 10:00 pm on Tuesday.  I'll draw and get it in the mail to you as soon as I can so you'll be ready for your first verse on the 1st of January!  Leave me your name and email, so that I can get in touch with you if you win. 

Scripture Memory Team 2010 #18

I can not believe it is December 15th and the last Scripture Memory post for this year!  God has been so faithful again to love on me through His Word.  As I review my vereses, the theme that keeps coming up is knowing Him.  What a blessing it is to be able to have a relationship with the God of Heaven and Earth who reveals Himself to us--He wants to be known!  He has chosen us to know Him (Isaiah 43:10), we can know His love (Eph. 3:16-21), we can know what He reveals to us (Deut. 29:29), we know there will be an inheritance (Col. 3:23-24), John 17:3 even says that knowing Him is eternal life!  We know that our brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings and that God is the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:5-11).  We can't, however, know or imagine what He has prepared for us (1 Cor. 2:9-10)!  That blows my mind!  I love how the Message says this portion of 1 Corinthians 13 "...understanding will reach its limit.  We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete.  But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled."  Even still, "my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately aquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly." (Philippians 3:10).  Knowing Him restores me, and makes me strong, firm, and steadfast (1 Peter 5:5-11).

That 1 Peter 5:5-11 is the portion that I have been working on recently and that steadfast has echoed through my days.  Then I heard this verse on Michael W. Smith's Worship album and thought it would be a fitting verse to wrap up the year...

Psalm 57:7  My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.

I don't know what your year has been like, but I have done a lot of stretching and growing this year.  At least it feels like it--I hope there has been growth!  When I read this verse in the context of the whole Psalm, I could relate in so many ways.  There are days that I'm not so steady, but I want to be steadfast, knowing my God, and praise Him because He is absolutely faithful!

This is the song that Psalm 57:7 introduces on the Worship album.

Forever

by Chris Tomlin

Give thanks to the Lord

Our God and King

His love endures forever

For He is good, He is above all things

His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise

With a mighty hand

and outstretched arm

His love endures forever

For the life that's been reborn

His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise

Sing praise, sing praise

Yeah

Forever God is faithful

Forever God is strong

Forever God is with us

Forever

Forever

From the rising to the setting sun

His love endures forever

By the grace of God

We will carry on

His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise

Sing praise, sing praise

Yeah

Forever God is faithful

Forever God is strong

Forever God is with us

Forever

Stockshow and gingerbread

Only on this blog would you find a combination like "stockshow and gingerbread!"  Here are the stockshow tournament pictures that I mentioned in the last post.  SweetDoll did Pee-wee showmanship in both shows.  The first time she got a ribbon.  The second time she got a dollar!

This was SweetTate's first time out in the ring with the lamb for showmanship.  We borrowed a lamb (We thought Lightnin' might be a little fiesty for him to handle and that way both little ones could show.)  He did really good.  The judge asked him what the lamb's name was--he had no idea because it wasn't our lamb!  So they just decided it was Lightnin' II!  He got a dollar too.  When he showed it to me, I said, "That is better than a ribbon, right?"  "No."  And then Mom wouldn't even let him go spend it at the consession stand!  Poor baby!  (Enough sugar, that is all I'm saying!)  Anyway, I thought he was precious!

 SweetBoy had a great day showing.  He placed 7th in the first show and 3rd in the afternoon show.  He learned a lot and had a quick opportunity to put it into practice.  It was good experience for him.  And we had a fun day together.  (It was a long day!  I'm still learning to be an ag mom!)

 So here is where the gingerbread comes in.  This week the kids and I did a gingerbread house.  Mmm...it smelled so good when we opened the package!  We had a good time putting it together.

 Voila!

No promises that I'll get on here with pictures again before the 25th, so Merry Christmas from the Sweet House!



Thanksgiving pictures

I promised myself that I would go to bed early these three weeks before Christmas so I would be well rested and enjoy the holiday with family.  If my kids could only see that I break promises to myself too.  Oh well,  before it is January, I wanted to put up these pictures of Thanksgiving.  We had such a great time!

My kids

Three generations of Lastname men--blessings!

 All the ladies--precious!

 Surprise birthday party, SweetHeart!

 Cousins jumping on the trampoline.

 Big cousins playing games.

If you missed the happenings of the holiday, you can find them here.  Since we have been home, we have finished decorating for Christmas, hosted the Christmas lunch at SweetHeart's work, and had a stockshow tournament (sort of--two in one day).  But again, the pictures are still on my camera, so there is a little teaser for the next post that might eventually happen.  ;)  Good night!

End of November

It's the end of November, really?!  I see that the last post was Halloween pictures!  November has been busy with the normal ol' stuff and getting ready for the holidays.  Hopefully that preparation will pay off and I will get to enjoy Christmas this year.  I like to have all my shopping done by Thanksgiving, but last year I had barely started, and I felt behind the entire season.  And we were still in the middle of all the "firsts" of a new community and I didn't know what to expect.  This year, before we left for Thanksgiving, the house was decorated, except the ornaments on the tree--I just couldn't get in the mood for that and SweetBoy didn't want to hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving.  I'll give him that one.  We got it decorated when we got home and it worked great.  The presents were all wrapped even and ready to go under the tree!  OK except for one that I'm making, and I have to get my sewing machine fixed before I can finish it.  And the kids have their shopping or projects for each other, but we can handle that because the bulk of it is done.  So bring on the basketball schedule, SweetHeart's week of training every evening, birthdays, baking, class parties and the calendar surprises--this year I'm more prepared for it...I hope! 

Not to skip over Thanksgiving.  We had a great time with SweetHeart's family.  It was not the typical lastname visit.  Usually it is my family that has the projects going on!  My in-laws have been remodeling the home that SweetHeart grew up in.  We have offered to help before, but for whatever reason, we didn't.  This trip we kind of pressed a little harder.  SweetHeart's two brothers and our nephew came over to work on it with us.  The mission was to put flooring down in two rooms and a hallway.  One of the rooms had to have a subfloor put down first.  I stayed out of the construction zone of building the subfloor, but had a blast laying laminate flooring!  I am so addicted to accomplishing something that stays done!  After working on it for three days--I'm glad to report that we were able to finish the job!  And just in time!  We had planned to go to one of the brother's home for our Thanksgiving celebration, but his son was sick, so plan B was the house we were working on!

We had a great time together!  We had our traditional Mexican pile on for dinner.  (We had turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings Sunday with Mamaw and the rest of the family.)  Then we played spoons!  It had been so long since I played that with my cousins.  What is it about that game that makes you laugh so hard?!  Too fun!

Thanksgiving morning we were ready to veg and watch the parade and football.  But the power went out, so we went to see Mamaw, and then went to the brother's house for lunch.  It probably worked out best that way!

AND while we were in the area with family and friends...I organized a surprise party for SweetHeart's birthday!  It was a little early, which helped with the surprise, and we totally got him!  He was so comepletely surprised!  That was fun!

I have pictures that I haven't even downloaded from my camera yet, but I'll have to share those later.  Gotta run to gymnastics!

Trick-or-treating 2010

SweetTate as Buzz Lightyear.  "To infinity and beyond!"

 "Falling with style!"

 SweetDoll as a flapper girl.

 SweetBoy as a knight.  (Not exactly King Peter like he wanted to be, but it had a sword and shield so we're good!)

 My three characters!

 This is the first year we have gone to houses trick-or-treating.  We have gone to a few houses of family before.  We have gone to Mamaw's to help pass out candy.  And we have gone to the church or school activities, but this year we just did regular ol' trick-or-treating.  It was good!  We still just went to neighbors we knew.  At one house, the ladies were outside and we weren't necessarily going to stop, but they invited us over and it turned out we did know their parents who lived there!  That is the beauty of a small town I guess.  And let me tell you, this town has some good candy!

 We made a short loop around town!  Yes, that is a cotton field in the background!

Then it was back to the house to wait for trick-or-treaters to come see us!  (You know we had to go out early and get back because the Rangers were playing in the World Series!  We saw the pre-game and National Anthem was on in some of the houses we stopped at.  It was recording at home so we didn't miss a thing!)

I've never been real big on Halloween, but I must admit, I will be a little sad when my kids are too big to dress up, so I'll enjoy it now!

Speaking of the Rangers...they lost the World Series in game 5.  But my Rangers played baseball in November...it was a good season!  Hopefully they will make it back to the series again soon.  Even if they didn't play well in the championship series, it was fun getting there!  This year, beating the Yankees in the ALCS was our championship!

DIY

We have the DIY network for free as a teaser this month. I have found that I’m obsessed with…that might be a little strong, but I really like… change. In my own life I hate change. But on reality TV, I love to watch shows about change—Extreme Home Makeover, Biggest Loser, DIY network with all the renovations that take drab to fab. I love to see the before and after. I love the change!


On the crash DIY shows, the licensed contractor will find an unsuspecting customer at a home improvement store and go home with them. They may have come to the store for a rake and they go home with a guy who plans to totally redo their whole backyard beyond their wildest dreams in two days! Why hadn’t they done it before? Maybe they ran out of time, energy, money, or needed inspiration.

So here is my DIY aha moment. I have had insecurity all my life, and really struggled with it in the last 10 years. In the spring I made some real strides to kicking that bad habit with Beth Moore’s So Long Insecurity. This summer I did Beth’s Bible study, Stepping Up, and at the beginning she asked if we were ready to go to a new place with God. I thought OK, I know more about the roots of my insecurity. I’ve dealt with a lot of that. Now it’s time to move on. I just started Stepping Up again to do it with the ladies at my church, and here I am in the fall still struggling with the same insecurity…again.

In the study Beth asked us to read 1 Peter 5:6, but this second time through I read the verses around it also.

1 Peter 5:5-11

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.” (Prov. 3:34)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

I responded: God knows it is hard to submit to others. My pride says to bow up. But God gives His grace to the humble. I need His grace so I can grace others. I bow down to God alone. He knows it’s hard and He cares about my hurt feelings...

Be aware! The enemy is ready to pounce and he recognizes pride in a heartbeat and will jump all over that. I’ve been there! I need to wise up to the enemy’s schemes! Resist him! Stand firm in what you know! My God of grace who called me to suffer a little to share His glory will “Himself restore me and make me strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (Romans 8:17 says we are “co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”) Amen!

How do I do what He is instructing here in 1 Peter? He’s been teaching me for two years now to set my heart, mind, and eyes on Him and Him alone. When I’m weak and defeated, I know my focus is on me instead.

So my Heavenly Father has been “stalking” me like they guy at the home improvement store, waiting until I got so sick of my situation that I’m ready for anything He has to offer. Then when I buy into His plan for my renovation, it will be beyond my wildest imagination! His plan is restoration to make me strong, firm and steadfast in Him. That sounds so good to me! Not doubting who I am, not dreading rejection, not feeling beat up and defeated, but strong. firm. and steadfast. Right now, I cannot imagine going into a particular situation with that attitude. That is where I want to be.

Here is the catch. I’m just like the people who haven’t done their home projects. Why have I not already done this change? I’m afraid of failing and being defeated—again. I’ve tried to do it myself and run out of resources. I want it quick, but it takes time. Unlike these guys who come in and they knock it out in a few days or weeks, this takes little changes every day. But my Contractor is going to be with me every step of the way.

I got an email from Becky Tirabassi that spoke to this very thing. (Imagine that...I’m telling you, it is like God is stalking me!)

“For those of us who have gone through a recovery program, we know that no matter HOW MUCH we want or need to change our lives, it won't happen unless we make DAILY, LITTLE CHANGES first!”

I had a test this summer that went ok. I was working on my memory verses, had my sword ready, and my eyes on my Father wanting only to please Him. I have another test coming up in a few months that will really show the change. And the enemy is already trying to get his footing, and I’ve had days that I lost some ground. Everyday I’m going to have to work on it, but I have the end in mind. I will be able to show up empowered by the Spirit at work in me strong, firm, and steadfast. I can’t just Do It Yourself. I have to Do It with Yahweh! My covenant God who fights for me, believes in me, and loves me more.

All of that to say 1 Peter 5:5-11 are my verses I'm working on this month.  I have to keep the blueprint in mind!

BTW, I hear Beth Moore is going to start up the Siesta Scripture Memory Team again in 2011.  When she did it in 2009, I was too afraid to invite people to do it with me because I didn't know if I could do it.  This time around I want everyone to do it with me!  Memorizing Scripture has had the most profound impact on my life, and I would love to share the experience with you!

I heart Ranger baseball!

I have not always enjoyed baseball.  When I was younger, I thought it was the most boring thing on TV!  Then I met SweetHeart, who played a little college ball, and I had to learn it out of self defense!  He taught me how to score a game, and I learned the lingo.  Now I can talk baseball, especially the Rangers.  We have been fans for years, and now they are going to the World Series!  We could not be more excited!

A FB friend asked what is your favorite baseball moment.  It got me to thinking and reminiscing...

• I love to go on Opening Day!  The fan fair and the excitement in the air is so much fun!

• When Pudge played for the Rangers and he threw a runner out at second, that was great baseball! 
• I love to watch them turn a double play! 
• Home Runs at The Ballpark are always fun because they shoot off fireworks and play the music from "The Natural." 

• Seeing the players smile like they are having the time of their life. 
• I have come to appreciate the slow pace of the game.  It is great for visiting.
• The Rangers have a storytime for pre-schoolers in the morning.  We went one time and had a blast with the kids!  We even got to eat our lunch in the stands and watch all the workers preparing for the game that evening.
• We have been there in the cold, in the rain (the rain delay of 2010 is not my favorite memory, but it was definitely memorable!), in the stinking hot, and when it was absolutely gorgeous for baseball. 

• We have seen them loose and win. 
• We were at the Rangers game on my due date with SweetBoy, and SweetHeart caught a foul ball!
• We have been there when they retired the numbers for Nolan Ryan and Johnny Oats.  We were there when they honored Michael Young for being the Rangers All-time Hits Leader.  We were 5 of thousands who signed one of the giant congratulations cards.  (I'm sure he noticed!)
• We have had seats all over The Ballpark so every camera angle on TV looks familiar.
• We have gone to games with family and friends, just the two of us, and with the kids.

• And there is the food at The Ballpark--hot dogs, pretzels, lemonade, lemon chills, cotton candy. Yum!

• Our kids have grown up going to Ranger games, and those are family memories that I treasure!

• We have had access to more games on TV this year and have watched a lot of baseball! SweetHeart laughs at me when I get so into the games--gasping at close plays and doing a happy dance when they won the ALCS.

Go Rangers!  ALCS champs!  Go for the World Series!

Scripture Memory Team #16

My memory verse for this time is from Beth Moore's simulcast on kindness I told you about a few weeks ago. 

Proverbs 31:26  NKJV
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and on her tongue is the law of kindness.

This is short and sweet, but I have a list of things to do before the weekend gets here in 4 hours and 13 minutes!

Festive October

This month is full of get togethers!  We have a birthday girl, a festival here, a hometown festival...and this year we threw in a family reunion! 

For SweetDoll's birthday, she had a cupcakes with classmates (She thought the hat was silly, but I thought it was adorable.)

Last year we rode horses, and she loved it so much that she asked to go again.  Sure!  This year Granny and Papa were able to go with us.

The ranch where we were had a great place to take pictures.  Aren't they so cute in their western wear!

Happy birthday, SweetDoll!  Love you!

Scripture Memory Team #15

Wow!  October 1st!  This year is really flying by!  I told SweetHeart I didn't even get sick of the heat to be ready for fall yet.  Today I put out some fall decorations, so I'm good with it.  And these beautiful days are certainly welcome! 

Around here it has been quite a week, but I finally got my to-do list done and we have ball games tonight, so this will have to be short and sweet but I didn't want to skip it!

This is a very familiar verse, but it came up in a book I was reading the other day and they had it in The Message.  Wow!  A little background...in Beth Moore's study Believing God, she had us memorize a 5-statment pledge of faith that for me was very profound.  It is:

God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
I am who God says I am.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
God's Word is alive and active in me.
I'm believing God!

Beth pointed out in that study that many times we struggle in these areas, and the enemy attacks these areas often.  Over the years, I have found that to be true.  When I have defeat in my life, it is usually because of unbelief.  And the area that typically gets me is believing who God says I am.  So with all that, here is my verse for the next two weeks...

Philippians 4:13
Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

I had a converstation with another mom about how we struggle to be a "good mom."  She said that one day God said to her, "You are a good mom.  Just be who I made you to be."   That is truth!  I just need to believe it! 

The other day I was making SweetTate his usual for lunch--a hotdog wrapped in a flour tortilla.  Here is the conversation we had.

Me--You are going to turn into a hotdog.
SweetTate--No, I'm not.
Me--You know what they say, "You are what you eat." So you are going to be a hotdog.
SweetTate--People don't turn into hotdogs!
Me--That is what they say!
SweetTate--Did God say that?
Me--No, Baby, God did not say that.  I'm just teasing you.

Oh, that I would learn that lesson and when I start to feed myself lies that they say stop and ask "Did God say that?"  He is the One who makes me who I am.

Kindness

Whew!  I finished my scrapbook projects!  Sort of.  Getting them actually ordered has been...um...challenging to say the least.  Getting my computer, the internet, and the CM website to cooperate has been difficult.  But they are done, and they will be ordered soon.  I should have them in my hands within the month!  That is one thing that is difficult for me with digital scrapbooking is having something tangible to show for the time I've spent on it.  I can't wait to see it!  That has consumed me for the past couple of weeks so on to other things.

I completely didn't realize it was the 15th and time for a new memory verse when I posted last time.  I have a new verse picked out, but like many other things, I have let that slide and I need to nail down the ones I'm supposed to have been working on before I add to it.  So I'll see you on the first for the next Scripture Memory Team!

You know I'm a Beth Moore junkie, so it will not surprise you that I signed up to go to the simulcast last Saturday.  (It is not really about her so much as I know I'll be with the Lord and learn something new of Him.)  I had been looking forward to it for a while, and all week long, God kept telling me, "I've got a Word for you on Saturday."  So I was really anticipating what Beth might be teaching on.  It was going to be a crazy busy weekend--the ballgame was FAR away so SweetHeart went to that and we went to Mom & Dad's.  I wanted to use the internet at Mom's to get my scrapbooks uploaded on Friday so I could get in on the sale that ended Monday, the simulcast was Saturday until 4, SweetBoy was showing his lamb at the fair at 4, the in-laws were coming in...crazy busy.  So Friday, I finished my books and we went to the big city.  Daddy went with me to the office to upload the books.  One went fine, but the other one didn't.  I flattened it some (I don't know what that technically is, but I think it compress the files).  It didn't work.  Flattened it some more.  Still no go.  Mind you that every time I went through and flattened it, even if I spent 30 seconds on a page it was 100 pages, so it took about an hour, and at least 30 minutes a try to upload it.  At 4:30 AM I woke Daddy up from his short nap and told him it wasn't working.  He tried a few things, and by 5:30 I told him we had to quit and go home to get some sleep.  After 2 hours sleep, I went to the simulcast thinking I would be too tired to hear what God had prepared for me.  He had me at hello and I think I only yawned once!  Here are the points that she made about the Law of Kindness:

Proverbs 31:26 NKJV
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.

The "law of kindness" is translated from the "Torah of kindness"--This woman lives by the instruction of God.

This is important to study because
1) we live in a mean world, and we have to choose to not get mean with it,
2) she "openeth her mouth." (KJV)  We are going to open our mouths.  What will come out?

8 tastes of Biblical kindness
1)  Kindness is not a weakness.
2)  Kindness is not an action.  It is a disposition.
     * There is a difference between nice, and kindness. You can fake nice. You can't fake kindness.  Nice originates from Latin meaning ignorant or not knowing.  So they said, "She is nice because she doesn't know."  But kindness knows full well, and being aware of the situation makes a decision to reflect the Father empowered by the Spirit.  (Luke 6:35-36)  In a particular situation, I have tried to fake nice, but I hate that.  I need a change of heart that acts out of kindness empowered by the Spirit.
3)  Kindness wears down when we do.
4)  Kindness looks pain in the face.
5)  Kindness is a Savior!
6)  Kindness has a good memory.
7)  Kindness craves an outlet.
8)  Kindness leaves a legacy.

It was all good, but that one part is what is echoing in my head this week.  There is a situation that I needed some direction on and that speaks exactly to it.  My God was faithful and strengthened me to hear it even though the enemy tried to keep me up all night to miss it. 

Well, I made it to SweetBoy's show with plenty of time.  He didn't place, but he and the lamb did well in the show.  And I had to go back Monday to Mom's to try to upload my book again (I crammed all week long to get it done by Friday so that I wouldn't have to go Monday.  Oh well.)  I had to break it down into two books, but it is ready to order...yes, after all that I missed the coupon deadline.  It's a long story...ok, longer story.  But hopefully I will have my books soon!  And I'll be practicing kindness, so it will be my disposition when I need it and I won't have to try to fake nice.

Howdy!

I have been scrapbooking like a mad woman lately trying to finish 2 books and take advantage of a sale Creative Memories is having.  (Yes, I know I'm crazy and will do just about anything for a coupon!)  And I need to get back to it because my deadline is fast approaching, but I'm taking a bloggy break.  I'm on facebook now, and I just have to say that I love reading your blogs and hearing your heart!  FB is nice for little blurbs now and then, but blogs are fun and to the heart of the matter--whether it is decorating, cooking, insight, or just life!  You made my day!  Thanks!  More when I finish my project!

Scripture Memory Team #14

This verse is one that I have seen before, but it came up in a Bible study recently and jumped right off the page.  It is one of those life verses that if I could really take it to heart, it would be life changing. 

Philippians 3:10 (Amplified Bible)
For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly. 

I'm beginning to see a theme emergingg in the verses I've chosen this year.  I didn't realize it until I was going over them the other day.  Check this out.

Isaiah 43:10 (NIV)
"You are My witnesses," declares the Lord, "and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He.  Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.

John 17:3
Now this is eternal life:  that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.

I am so glad that I can know my God.  Not completely, I understand that.  First Corinthians 13 tells us that "what we say about God is always incomplete" and "We don't yet see things clearly....We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.  But it won't be long before the weather clears..." and we will "see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly just as He knows us!"  And Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds us that there are secret things of God that we will never know, but He does reveal Himself to us.  So can I know Him completely on this earth? No.  But "my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly."  That is experiencing eternal life here and now!  That is something I can get excited about!

First day of school

Ah, the first day of school.  I have been looking forward to this day for weeks.  As much as I don't like structure, I need it.  I have missed early bedtime!  Some quiet time at the end of the day--yea!  I have kids (one in particular) who needs an agenda for the day, and today the agenda is not my responsibility!  My kids are good for other people, but they save the arguing for me.  Today they can be good, and I don't have to hear arguing all day!  I can pick up the house and it will stay picked up for more than 2 minutes!  Yes, I still have one at home, but I can usually keep up with him! 

But there is nothing like dropping your kids off at their classroom to remind you that these days are passing way too quickly.  I didn't think I would cry, but I did.  Barely got SweetBoy to his class before the tears started spilling over.  I'm thankful for their great teachers, and they are going to have a good year.  But I do miss them already.  I guess that is what it is to be a mom.

The kids and I walking to school.  (That is my attempt at artsy photography!  I thought it was a cool shot!)

Watch out here we come!