5.23.16

Thankful that prayers keep getting answered...and I act surprised when I hear it... ... but I should just be like... "yeah and?!"
We know we have a powerful, holy, amazing Father who hears and answers... and when He does... we just rejoice and smile...and keep praying!! Thank you reader friends for praying with us! Keep praying. :)
This is week 3 of someone coming up to Matt & Kerwin after a service letting them know that they have trusted Christ. We pray for salvation. It happens. Each week. And I guarantee, it happens way more too just they aren't all vocal about it. It is SO SO SO SO SO encouraging.




But please know I keep things real...
Real Talk to you Mom's....you can relate- Dad's away doing God's plan- normally I love it... and normally I am super excited for that plan...but the nights of being a single momma get extra nuts when out of nowhere some "magic crazy dust" gets sprinkled on our house and the kids act like they're aliens.... who are they? Where did they come from and how in the world am I supposed to handle them... in public!? At a Thursday night baseball game... when the whines begin and the case of  the gimmees is too much.. and Hudson, bless his sweet little heart keeps saying "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom" until I finalllllly answer him for the 1 millioneth time....
I just wonder... really Lord... this is what you want for us? You think I can handle these kids like this? After handling 24 extreme cases all day??
And then I see the picture with Heavenly glasses... ahh.... the perspective changes...souls are saved...relationships strengthened...and the lost lonely guys at PGM get brought into a Heavenly family... and my little crazy wacko kid problems seem minuscule... and I just smile as I know God, as the Father looking at me as His crazy wacko kid, smiles too and I pray that more patience gets sprinkled on me. :)



Thankful for more answered prayers....
We have prayed that we could find a way to begin a city gathering or share our Hall with the city friends, and boom. Again the Lord answers. A PGM Bible student and his fiance have come for 3 Sundays now, and see the biblical truths of why we do what we do & want to be apart of our gathering in the near future.


Thankful this week that summer plans are shaping up. Initially it sounded completely insane, but now it sounds completely insane and amazing! WA--->NJ Driving!! We are excited for the sites along the way and the family memories that will be made. {Prayers so very appreciated!!}

Thankful for some Vitamin D this weekend! Loving the 80s!!

Thankful for Anne's cookie donation, making our subtraction lesson WAY more fun :)

 Thankful for Marshalls. Love their prices on cool clothes. Love that Harrison has fun style.

Thankful that although it's a busy whirlwind routine, having Matt drop off our kids each day at school is such a blessing. 

 Thankful that Uncle Dusty and Auntie Milla came to the kid's "Special Person" day and hung out with both kiddos :)

Thankful for a dad/son quad date.

 While the big boys played, Momma and Hannah had a park date

Thankful for 7-11 Shark Week Fun!

5.17.16

Thankful for kids who love on each other.

Thankful for friends who send texts and quotes at just the right time XO Rach!

Thankful for our gym who has healthy lunch options for our kiddos so Daddy can kill a workout & get kids fed before school starts

(Yes, gross, he is totally sweaty, but hey looks like he got a workout too!)

Thankful for spring sports & our awesome coaches.

Thankful that my hunny can be fun and flexible and snuggle his mother in law ... in public...

 Thankful for this passage in scripture that encourages

Thankful that this amazing meal was waiting for me after a 2 hour doctor visit ( smoked pork that had zero sugary sauce- just amazing taste from being smoked alllll day!!) 

Thankful for my hubby. Not getting all mushy here - but the truth is, I've got a great mAn 

with a big heart & a beast mode chef inside him! His fire for the lord & for our family is impressive & enjoyed. 

Thankful for strong meds that kicked strep throat away! 

Thankful for 99 cent iced coffee and iced tea time at Dunkin every afternoon.

Thankful for Harrison being Harrison. He had his end of year band concert and he was told to dress up as his favorite movie/rock band character. He picks Batman. Everyone else picked like rockers and stuff... and then there is our trumpeter wearing a batman mask. Love his authenticity. Love his bravery. Love his determination. I cannot even believe his countdown til 6th grade is happening!

5-9-16

Thankful today for leaning hard on God during our life. Any situation... the goods.. the crazy... knowing God hears is so encouraging. Keep praying for Jane... today is her birthday (May 10th)

 Thankful for a fun wedding weekend!
 Thankful for safety... as we drove and for our kids that we left  back at home.
 Thankful for Beccy giving us the kick in the pants we needed to 1- go to the wedding kidless and 2-  ride with  them :)
Thankful for so many memories made!

Trio of sisters (Sherri Cindy Beccy)

 Meanwhile back at the ranch.... Susanna was having makeovers, baking cookies, having movie marathons and having fun with our trio
Thankful for Susanna's patience and care.

Love this fam!! Dave and Jeannie Netti and the coolest cousins ever... Abby and Nate (best dancers ever!) and Kurt & Cindy

Post wedding fun! Taking down the amazing decorations.... Paul getting his pull ups in. 

Happy Birthday to Beccy! 

Morning after the wedding- cleaning up the barn together- what a great way to hear about family memories.. loved it!! (Sherri and Frankie)

 Thankful for my mom and Matt's mom!

 Thankful for our school's positive motivation for attendance... DLo came!

 They're getting ready to dance a bit before dismissal :)

5.2.16

The weeks just keep on flying by... somehow we are in May, although temps outside make it seem like October....

Pray today friends for Jane Aubry... I thought today was Day 1 of Chemo, it's not until Wednesday, but pray pray pray... pray for Mark and Sara too... no clue how you'd be able to see your mom going through this kinda thing... xo




Thankful this week....

for God giving us the biggest hug ever. Like ever. ever. ever.
 

all my other thankful thoughts pale in comparison to that one....for real....but here goes ;)

Thankful for Hannah's 1st softball game... in the pouring rain... they were kind enough to let all the girls bat once and play outfield once. No one said they were cold or minded being covered in mud. They LOVED every second. It was adorable and chaotic and adorable some more!

 Waiting to bat...

 She's a hitter! 

{"Hannah remember what I taught you, step into the ball when you hit" -Harrison}

 {Played the Pink Pandas} Her coach is amazing and their team won't talk about the "W" word (win)- it's just about having fun and learning the skills for Softball. How cute right?

Thankful for my new fave song... 

Thankful for words of truth spoken in an all day meeting on Saturday. 

Thankful for power in the Word. 

Thankful for reality that hits, that makes you draw closer to God.... I know that we should always be drawn close, but friends real talk- sometimes it takes hard hits to wake me up- and those hits aren't ever fun. Normally tears are shed. Pity parties are had. Emotions displayed. But God hears. He sees. He captures all my tears. He picked me up and carried me and still is. I know it. I also know that since I actually we as a couple, are giddy by God's blessings right now... we know that Satan is just that close. Like literally. So pray him AWAY.... go far far away and let God's glory shine....

Thankful for Hudson loving "school" {Speech at school 2 days a week, along with in home therapy 2 days a week too} 

Thankful for random people I ran into this weekend. 

{I went to Ulta to use a GC ... I felt like a bull in a china shop- no clue where to look or for what... it has been years since I've been in an Ulta... and I was in a daze... a sweet lady approached me and plopped me in her chair and began a mini makeover... just like that she's like "relax, I'll take care of you". And that she did, in the sweetest, non sales-pitchy way. I learned a few things, one that she was awesome, two, that you need to wash your brushes often!? Am I the only one on the planet that has (eww sorry) never washed my blush and bronzer brush!?! She was in complete disgust!! Oops!! Lesson learned. Also- she could read from my skin that I was dehydrated? Amazing. Then that night we stopped at 7-11, the lady blew my mind. People want to talk to others in powerful ways. Humans need that relationship building time, and this lady had lots to share, and she was a doll!! Anyways... as I got in the car, it made me think how easy it could be to actually put our idea of city outreach into practice... just a little "aha" moment :) 

Thankful that we had a fun birthday party last Monday night. Boo for black hawks losing, yay for the yummiest cupcakes & adorable cupcake plates thanks to Target & family memories.