9.26.16

Thankful for this song.
Watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxkNj5hcy5E





The week before big changes had me semi nerve wracked all week.... Although I know God has it all mapped out... and I know we are doing the right thing.. and I know opening our home to Mary is the right thing... it doesn't make wrapping my head around it any easier.. and when the rubber meets the road I have hard time embracing change happily and care free...also throw in conference prep, Open House, and a near jail experience for hubby... then we hear songs that literally just help.
 The line from the above song "I am surrounded by the arms of the father". It reminded me of my dads HUGE bear hugs. It reminded me of even better hugs from our everlasting Father... and that gave peace... and we kicked Satan out again.. in a big way... man, he is vicious.

 
Thankful that open house went well, I did a new format, with less teacher talking. more parent/child involvement as they did centers together and I fell in love watching them play and work together. It was a great way to provide a little glimpse into how they may work together at home. And then that whiny mom, yeah, she gave me a bigger heart towards her son, as I realized his pain for dealing with that day in and day out! "I don't want to do Centers, I'm too tired", buries head in her hands. Really Mom really!?


Thankful for this blessing. Sitting by the wall near the dumpsters... in perfect condition... and we had one thing on our Mary's Room list.. a dresser :)  Thankful for hubbies willingness to drag it home drawer by drawer :)

 

(this is how I envision the dresser's future :)) 

Thankful for Hudsie's school excitement. Love his joy. Love that he has learned SO many new phrases while having so much fun!! Latest news is "Starbucks" ( essential) and "What you doing". 

Love these two!!! XO

Thankful for piggy back rides & smiles 

Thankful for Food Friday ( I borrowed the great idea from kindergartensmorgasboard & so far love it) 

Each Friday we try to create a fun snack - this week it tied into our ELA activity with This Little Piggy .. .

Pigs in a blanket!! and our cafeteria manager is a doll and cooked them for us... 

 Miss Jordan.

 Worlds Best "Grandma" to all these little pumpkins and best teacher's aid ever!

That was before the news that Matt was nearly arrested.....
The text came at lunch and my joy turned to panic and tears ....
But in my partial defense... my emotions were on high alert anyways that day,, and then totally sparked by my Principal showing our grade level this...
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZe5y2D60Y

Sitting together with staff... they're loving the Amazing Grace... I'm wondering if I'm dreaming ...

then I'm like how do I invite my Principal to conference this weekend since the thoughts he was a practicing Muslim may not be true with an amazing grace episode !? and he was crying too!? WHAT!?
It was a HOT MESS Friday!!!

But then I got a text from Matt " I may get arrested" as he was filing his police report...  his brother stole his identity... for the.... 4th time... so after grace upon grace (which in my head felt like craziness the 2nd time anyways).... no more Mr Nice guy... police reports... legal action...lots to pray about and lots to juggle...that sent me to another level... love that Miss Jordan left her 4th grade afternoon shift to stay with my littles...
and although Matt's license was suspended, it was his AZ old license not his current IL one.. and somehow they are not linked !?!?! Seems TOTALLY weird crazy etc... but bottom line... He was not arrested on Friday night :) OH MY WORD... now lets eat ice cream and party .. we have 6 friends coming tomorrow :)

Thankful for these kiddos!! Look at them!!! Melt my heart. 

(at conference)

 Loved our Ebay matchy matchy dresses, although they may fall apart tomorrow, the quality STUNK but for a day, they were fun :) 

Thankful for Matt's serious encouragement. He was also drained Friday, but Saturday was a new day and WOW..., from AHHMAZING messages at conference, to good chats with friends, he packed the van and brought a crew ( and surprise, 2 other families met him there and super encouraged him!!) to PGM! 

Here is Dan posing ;)

Thankful that our 2 littles napped from 2-4:30 Sunday afternoon. So our hearts and minds were totally refreshed. Praying our spiritual high sticks around :)

Thankful to have a fun day at work today... Johnny Appleseed Day! I simplified WAY more than last year.... praise the Lord for flexibility.... Playdough... Applesauce...10 Apples up on top... Painting... And Youtube Apple songs :) 

 J is for Johnny

Plate painting

10 Apples Up On Top

Harrison's last 2 mile run for this season!!

 Finished!!

9.19.16

Thankful for it being our week leading up to conference.... love this time of year ( the pumpkin everything helps too!)

Thankful for Bath and Body Works.. their creativity makes my heart so happy. 

You guessed it... the sparkle coffee cup is in my car... and football in the van... with Cinnamon Pumpkin... Yummmmm

Thankful for this song...  

and good thing Google knew what I meant because spelling her two names was like ??!?!?!?!?

Thankful this week to have had my car filled up with gas the night before & all my windows cleaned... #thisnotetho

Thankful for this smiley girl & her love of wearing dresses every day.

Thankful for this reminder. The submitting part though...oh so hard...

Thankful for Harrison's determination. He perseveres during the 2 mile race even though he is totally shot and hot. He is obsessed with checking his legs after each race expecting to see some sick muscle growth. He has taught this momma a thing or 2 about not giving up. And I love it.

 This happened Friday. Bus riders.

Wikki Sticks how we love you.

Thankful for my Saturday workout partner :)

Thankful for this Heaven sent material blessing. Guys. This is Pottery Barn kids. Found all 3 pieces (hutch over the desk, desk and swivel chair) at Salvation Army for $50!!!! Serious savings!!!!!
Love our stow n go van, which made getting this inside, a breeze!!

Thankful for shady dates while we waited for our AC to get repaired ( which it did) Hooray!! Nothing like an AC going out the week before conference :) 

Thankful for Dusty & Milla sharing this twin bed with us. 

This weekend had us getting crazy with re-doing our living spaces....Hudson's room was taken totally apart... and oops those 3M little sticky squares wreak havoc on our walls!

 Hudson's bed was moved into Harrison and Hannah's room... well just the mattress- the bed frame was shot... all three monkeys in one room... leaving this guest space... for our friend Mary who we hired to be our live in nanny....

 because.... 

Matt got a job as the Career Development Coordinator with PGM! 

Guys, this is SUCH a crazy time for us... as we were FINALLY okay with how God had worked last year out.... and now this. We are like God why in the world are you throwing us so many loops!? Like a real life roller coaster. But with God at the main station, we have to enjoy the ride!! 

{We've been praying about how to continue to build relationships with PGM guys.... and then a  brand new role was created at PGM...they needed someone to guide the Bible Program graduates, after their 1 year program, helping them get settled in "the real outside world" .... helping them with interview practice, GED studies, getting corporations to interview them, ect etc etc.... Matt jumped at the opportunity and the Lord provided.....}

But then we were like no way, this can't work- our kids!!!!! They are all over the place, with all sorts of different timings.... 

Then Matt, the non bus parent between the two of us ;), was like- hey why don't they ride the bus.... this could help whoever is our babysitter, with not driving like a maniac all day :) 

Friday was their 1st day and of course they loved it and secretly Matt did too :) 

But... two cars in the city just 8 miles apart!? Isnt that crazy?  We thought so..... but then Matt's boss asked if he could work from 7-3. Guys..... I normally get to work about 630-645, and leave at 3:20ish....  sooooooo we will ride in together... ride home together... except on his preaching nights.... 

Seems like crazy Heaven hugs all around.... 

and the best part is Mary... 

Mary Corduan is such a go getter... we loved watching her embrace God's call to teach in Taiwan for a couple years... God shut that door this year... She's 22... She's at home but wants to get college courses done... and work... 

Well we provided the work :) 

And there's a college in walking distance from us ... which she applied to... :) So we are excited yet totally curious as to how life with 6 will be in  our house....

 Pray for her to have grace with our crazy wonderful fam jam and for me to have grace having another friend always with me...

 We will have the weekends as protected family time, with her shift ending Friday afternoon.... but the in between time... when family life gets real.... pray that we all see Christ in each other... 

 praying for grace... upon grace....