Obviously I'm not the greatest blogger, since it's taken me this long to post something other than my introduction, but at least I'm finally posting something! My life is so very busy these days, but in all honesty, this blog is really intimidating me, so I've been avoiding it! I seem to be having trouble getting my thoughts together, not to mention, forming those thoughts into complete sentences so that they make sense to someone other than myself. I'm truly hoping this will become easier with time and practice but for now…please try to stay with me.
About six months ago I officially entered a new season of parenthood! Levi started kindergarten and I became a mother of a grade-schooler. I'm still not sure how that happened! It seems like only yesterday I was attending my first "Mothers of Preschoolers" (MOPS) meeting and trying to adjust to the sweet, overwhelming season of "new motherhood" but yet, I've spent the last week helping that sweet little "baby" prepare for his very first spelling test. WOW! Every night he has written those eight words over and over (he has trouble with his hand-writing, so this is good practice). Last night I handed him a blank piece of paper and called the words out so he could write them without looking or talking. He struggled with this the first go round, so we did is a few more times. He can get so worked up and stressed out when placed in a new situation without warning. He's a "planner" by nature (NO idea where he inherited that from), and absolutely loves to know everything about what could possibly happen, before it does. It can drive me crazy at times and I'm quite certain he lives in a state of frustration, having me as a mother….the person that "plans" nothing! J So this was my way of easing his nerves and proving to him that he could do it (before he had too). By the third "practice test", he wrote every word without asking me if it was correct first!!! I was so very proud of him and could tell he was very proud as well! This morning, on the way to school I decided to run through the words one more time. I could see his confidence rising with ever correct spelling and by the time we got to school, he was almost excited about his "first test" experience!!! As he was getting out of the car, he said "Mom today is going to be great day! I'm going to be the best speller ever, just call and ask my teacher later"! I'm not really sure that being able to spell the words cat, can, run, red, etc., qualify you to be the "best speller ever" but I'm so very proud of him! He has worked so hard this week and I just know he did great today!
I'm trying to prepare for another milestone that is fast approaching…my sweet baby girl will turn 5 years old in 10 days!!! She is so excited and talks about her birthday non-stop, to anyone that will listen, but I'm just…..heart-broken! How did she get so big so fast? In a few months I will have to register her for Kindergarten! It's just so hard to believe!! I was recently looking back at pictures of her as a baby. While they were only 5 years ago, I was amazed how much she had changed, how much we all had changed! In fact my life, our family, doesn't even resemble those images anymore. It's amazing to me how everything can completely change, without noticing. A small change here, an adjustment there, before long you look up and realize… it's all different. We are currently planning a triple princess tea party for her and two other little girls! It's going to be a local B&B and all the girls are coming dressed like princesses!! They will be served a variety of snacks and tea (punch), learn about proper table etiquette, and some other fun stuff!! ! I'm hoping it will be a lot of fun!! Layla is really looking forward to it!! It's so cute to see how excited she is and I hope it lives up to her expectations!!
I have big plans this week-end that involve a lot of spring cleaning and organizing (it's an exciting life)! I truly have no idea how we managed to gather so much "stuff", but I'm hoping that will no longer be an issue very soon! Shane was notified of my plans yesterday, so he moved the utility trailer into the garage last night! YAY!! I plan to start going through all the closets, cabinets and storage areas around my house early Saturday morning!! It will be a big job, but I know I will feel so much better once it's done!!
I made the decision some weeks back to run in a 5k March 19th and begin training to do a half marathon (eventually). I really have no idea why I want to do this! Running is not something that comes naturally to me and it's not like I have a lot of free time to work on it! I suppose I had a plan to work it in somewhere, but apparently I've failed because I've only ran 4 times in the last 2 weeks! UGH!! I do have excuses though…I have the worst head cold and not able to breathe out of my nose correctly. Also, I seem to be struggling with a form of insomnia and currently living in a constant state of exhaustion, which is exhausting! But I also know that excuses are not going to run that race for me, so I suppose I will have to suck it up and get out there, if I really want to do it!!! Wish me luck!!
I'm trying to put together a small group Bible study by Lysa TerKeurst called Made to Crave! I recently read the book and absolutely loved it, so I was very excited when I discovered she created a 6 week small group study on the subject. I'm in the early stages of putting it all together but planning to start that towards the end of March!!
Right now, I'm in the middle of a 7 week Bible study by Priscilla Shirer called Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted! I've known the Bible story about Jonah and the big fish for as long as I can remember. It's defiantly thought-provoking and not easily forgotten, but has never really been a story I would have ever chosen to study on my own. I think this is because I felt that I understood the main point to be "you can't run from God", and so there was really no need…but that is so not true! While the whole "you can't run for God" point is there, this story is really about so much more and has taken me on a journey deep inside myself and the life I have lived. "What have I done when God has interrupted me and asked me to do something I didn't want to do?" "How many times have I ran, only to be swallowed by the "big fish" of consequence, in order to bring me right back to where I started?" I can honestly say that I never thought the book of Jonah would be a path to self discovery, but it has truly altered my views of life in general. It is truly allowing me to see that sometimes those "interruptions" that disrupt our lives, could actually be "divine interventions" sent by God, to swallow us and bring us back to the path he asked us to take in the first place. This idea has been a great struggle for me and I still don't believe that all "interruptions" are sent by God (some are because we live in a fallen world and others we bring on ourselves), but I do think God interrupts us when He needs too! I'm really looking forward to finishing this journey through the very small book of Jonah….hopefully with a heart that is more willing to obey and less likely to run!!
