Heaven is for real ...Multitude Monday 820-830

Monday... the last Monday of July... seriously!? This summer feels like it's in fast forward mode.

820-Thankful this week to live just 45 minutes away from a VERY cool city. I love summer time in the city! We drive downtown every weekend, and we love love love the crazy hubbub of Chicago. And ohh the food joints...yum!! Our newest fave is a hole in the wall {those are always the best!} italian ice place...

821- I love having Harrison home. He is such an awesome helper & good big bro. He is such a tender dude.

822- I love being a stay at home mom! ( This is such a God thing, as I truly never ever ever thought I could embrace NOT working!)

823-Thankful this week for family date time with the DVD "Heaven is for Real"
We enjoy reading the kids the book & we enjoyed the movie. Every time we can make the joys of heaven real to our kids... it feels like success! What a great hope we have.

824-Thankful that ministry Sunday was on... Heaven! And the reality that our loved ones who are there, are worshiping NOT worrying and rejoicing NOT regretting.

825-Thankful for Randy Alcorns book "Heaven"

826-Thankful that our dear friend, who was plagued with cancer is now in a heavenly healthy body in... Heaven!

827-Thankful for the 9 fruits of the spirit - learning about these is really humbling. I can put a mental check by a couple "fruits"... but to too many I fail. Patience is my fruit to specifically target right now.
828-Thankful for my dad's gravestone being done & installed

829-Thankful for free slurpees - you gotta upload the 7-11 app :)

 830- Thankful for missionaries abroad. Please pray for my dad's cousin Mark & Lori Procopio and their activity for God in Aningas, Brazil. Satan is active. Prayer warriors unite.

XO

Mulitude Monday & Birthday Excitement

Happy Wednesday! It feels like it should be the weekend. The week was BUSY & AMAZING :)

Multitude Monday Thoughts:
*Thankful this week for an awesome week at VBS. {Note to other moms- when you leave your kids at other churches besides your own, it is super helpful to stick around to hear what goes on.... Hudson & I did each morning...and it was a great way to ensure the Truth was proclaimed or if there was some differences in teaching we could redirect after}

*Thankful for one on one time with Hudson. He is such a mover, and loves playing outdoors. He loves munching on munchkins as we yard sale & he loves singing and clapping. His happy personality and love for snuggling {new thing & I adore it!} is so special.

*Thankful for the Respect Dare ... I am at Dare 16, and I have really enjoyed this growing process. Not only do the stories and daily devotions/advice help with my marriage - they are changing my heart, which helps every relationship

*Thankful for Harrison's desire to follow God's desire for baptism.

*Thankful for Dustin's desire to help out at Pacific Garden Mission. 

*Thankful for ice cream dates with Mimi.

*Thankful for time to dig out dusty boxes of my birth mom's stuff. So so so so so so special to see old family photos, read letters she wrote, read cards that she got, learn about her accomplishments & to learn more about what an amazing mom I had.

*Thankful for dad son dates.

*Thankful for an encouraging Sunday & a baptism of two very special teens.

*Thankful for a list full of expected friends to attend Hannah's big 4th Frozen Bash. We are so blessed & she is beyond excited! One more day!

(Attention parents- I found the greatest attention captivator! Mosaic sticker crown crafts! Hobby LObby 80% off! Woot woot :)

Get crafty for ribbon wand favors

BIRTHDAY FUN!

 

800-810

800- I love Mondays. I love the new week vibe & the "I can conquer anything" feel ...on a Summer Monday especially :)

801- Thankful for "Weird Animals" VBS theme at a local church. There were 259 kids today- 1st day... and they had over 100 staff members ( that's amazing!) and wow, organized to a T... loved it!!

802- Thankful for night swimming with "the teens"... I am loving the positive vibes and love of life that teenagers have. I was there before... not too long ago :) and oh how I love reliving it now as a 31 yr old

803-Thankful for tent meetings. {Week 2}

804- Thankful for consistency.

805- Thankful for a husband who gives his all to our marriage and family
We {heart} Dave and Buster's Dates when it's too wet for outdoor fun!

806- Thankful for saying no and setting up boundaries. Another Ann Voskamp quote that I love- "Invitations are options, not requirements". How often I feel that I say yes so much and then I wonder why in the world did I over commit and stretch myself and our family too thin? There is power in saying no to some good things to save ourselves for the greats ( From Randy Alcorn). 

807- Thankful for meatballs. {Our church does a weekly meal after the morning services on Sunday, and we all stay and eat together....Matt & I had main dish & decided to whip up Matt's amazing meatballs & pasta...so Friday night after the tent meeting we were up til midnight, cooking & laughing and stinking up the kitchen with garlic and 400 handmade, handrolled meatballs...we discovered that cooking them in the oven was super fast & they turned out super moist & soft compared to the stove top seered kind...it was a love tank filler for us both}

808- Lincoln Park Zoo Date with friends

809- My mom's stockpiling habit. I never knew I would appreciate her storing ALL my stuff until this week. I had the awesome aka daunting task to clear out a closet of STUFF of mine from college and high school... Wow, did I enjoy that trip down memory lane! Baptism cards, notes from people who have passed away, every RSVP card from our wedding was saved, and I loved reading each decline. Engagement photos, the list goes on... so special & although I purged 98% of the stuff, the 2 % is so special & I am so thankful she kept it all.
















810-Peace of mind & peace that our current path is most def God's plan, and we are enjoying that!

PS: The official Frozen Birthday Party is 8 days away! Our princess will be f-o-u-r...what!?!?!!
The official body change challenge ala Hebert/Hill mode, will be complete on November 7 when we fly the insane 9 hr flight to Oahu... Join us as we get CRA CRA CRAZY the next few months :) I will try & post some fitness/eating tips that are tried & true.
XO