No Words to Explain This One...

I have arrived at a point in my life where I do not have words to describe where I am. I looked around today and soaked in my blessings. In the face of tragedy (of several friends), I am left to remember how blessed I am. Why do we forget our blessings? My kids are so amazing and yet, I forget that sometimes. My husband is completely wonderful and I don't remind him enough. I am lucky that I was given the opportunity this week to remember God's Grace and his amazing work in my life. W is in the third grade and is doing great. He loves his teacher and his maturing (until he gets home and then he lets it all out!). J adores his Kindergarten teacher and is in seventh heaven when he gets to go to school. He is excited to try his hand at wrestling this winter. C is learning how to survive without her binky and diaper this month. She is so very proud of herself. These are such small, yet important parts of our life. I need to write more and remember more.

An Adventure Just Around the Corner.

Well, we are surviving the cold and enjoying good health. Funny how you don't appreciate good health until it is gone. We live our day moving forward with great speed until we are down for the count. In the month of January, Dan and I had strep, then Claire, then Claire got a virus for a few days, then stitches for James, and Will was sick with a bug. Let's hope January is behind us and a healthy February will ring in!

We sold our Lakeside condo and I am sad but, keeping my hopes up that new adventures await. We are ready for a different type of adventure. It appears that our new adventure will be a large pull behind camper with all kinds of goodies to take us around the U.S. of A. More family time to be had.

Back to it... Isn't it hard to come home from vacation and jump back into life again? At this point in the school year, it is a bit of both. I am ready to get back to school and enjoy the best part of the school year... the fun part. No big tests, no real stress, and a good time to break out the scissors, markers and glue. This is what I went to school for... the joy. It is so much fun to "get back to it" in the classroom. We are writing scripts, playing math games, and laughing and learning. Good to be home and ready to wrap up the year. It is such a nice way to make the kids forget all the testing and stress. Yea for the end of the school year.

New and Not so New

Yea for us... we are back at Lakeside. It is a good feeling to love this place and to see my childhood memories everywhere I walk. But there is joy in finding the new memories too. I now have new friends that I see on the street and at the park. The new is fun when you watch it through your family's eyes. The boys love the new playground and are excited when LKSD folks remember them and speak to them. Dan and I find it a bit crazy sometimes when we all pile back into the condo for "reprieve" and there is absolutely none of that going on.

We love LKSD, Ohio and embrace the new friends and adventures like: The Wild Animal Park, the park, the waterfront, kite flying, bikes, mini-golf, ice cream and Marilyn's shopping. I just love browsing the awesome shops. I love to sit on the dock alone and walking around. Oh, the donuts are the best. But, most importantly... the fun. Good to be back for another summer.

Working it Out

I love my three children. I will say that first. I don't like the carcus of a body that three children have left behind for me. I look at myself everyday and plan to take time for myself but, just like today... the day will fly by, the demands of motherhood will mount, and I will collapse into bed tonight without having "worked out" a plan for my physical reclamation.

With my motherhood role, also comes a full time job. I love teaching and know that it is my time for missionary work. Going into the "field" each day leaves me in God's hands so that I may guide, mold, and work through Him. This also leaves very little time for myself and the molding of my physique. As I sit here and vent about my plight in life andsuck down Easter's jelly beans, I know that my kids don't care what I look like. They don't even know what I used to look like or act like. They love me unconditionally, accept me, and know that I will be there for them.

The similarities between their need and my knowledge of what Christ is for me are wonderful. Christ's sacrifice for me was more than I can ever give. I know that I can sacrifice for my family and also find time to "work out" time for myself so that I can be the best mom possible.

Changes at Home

Why is change so hard sometimes? We grow from it, we need it, but we fight it most of the times. Take the arson in Old Town Pataskala. It changed the landscape of town forever. It robbed us of history and yet, with change a newness has spread over our town. There is an unspoken (sometimes spoken) fresh breath that has swept over Pataskala as if to say, "We are ready for change and it is time to unite for a goal". I feel it as I step on my front porch.

I look at my own family and I see my JCH starting to pull herself up and get teeth and with that brings a lot of change to the dynamics of the house and the grocery bill. JDH has become very successful with his language and with that come new frustrations for him. WCH is losing teeth rapidly, getting taller, and adjusting to different rules as he gets older.

Dan and I maintain this three ring circus to the best of our abilities and with the strength of our good God. No day is perfect, my house is not "in place" but, I am in love with my husband and with that brings changes as we grow older. I don't need to mention our physical changes, but we change emotionally and spiritually with each other too. How blessed am I but, yet so resistant to change. With all of this, why is change still so hard?

Winter fun

Winter brings a certain amount of fun every year. While it is not the joy of summer, it brings a moment to sit back and learn who your family has become. My family is growing up. We are still a young family but, as WCH turned 7, he brought to the table new skills and characteristics. JDH is gaining speed with his pronunciation of letters and sounds. He mastered the word 'puzzle' this week. JCH is bringing more personality to the house with her giggles, crawling, and need for total attention. As for Dan and I, we change with their needs, our work needs, and our own needs (sometimes).

Lately, we have been getting organized, playing a lot games together, and taking some time to just hang out. I love this time of the year when we can look at each other and learn more about one another. When summer and more sports come, we often don't take the time to do this. I wonder if this is how God feels when we take more time to get to know him. Am I spending enough time with him and when life gets busy, do I stray away until I have time. I imagine God desires our attitude to be more of a "winter" attitude where we get to know him and hang out.