Five and a Half!

Kalena is growing up so fast! It has been hard to keep up with her (literally as now she rides SUPER fast on her new bike). She has finished her year in Kindergarden, lost two teeth, and gotten glasses all in the last few months. She is quite an avid reader now and reads to us every night before bed.

Here are some of Kalena's thoughts about her new bike: "Mommy, I want to just stay out here FOREVER and ride my bike!!" "My bike is like 100 toys all in one." "Mommy... this is exhaustingly fun!"

I love it when Kalena gets hurt (and is crying) while hugging and consoling her she also rubs and pats my back too. It is precious.

I love it when Kalena is trying hard to make a decision, and she always asks me "which one would you pick?" or "What do you think I should do?" It has been fun to think of creative ways to teach her how to make good decisions and I hope she never looses her desire to seek council.

I love it when one of her brothers or sisters goes too close to the street or a pool and Kalena becomes so extremely worried that she just can't handle it. She panics! It just shows me how deeply she loves them.

I love that almost every night Kalena asks me to massage her back and wants to cuddle. We have so many wonderful conversations at night in bed. She is so much fun to talk to.

I love her sweet smile, giggle and laugh.

After Mark and Emily's wedding, late at night, Kalena sat with me on my bed and picked out all the bobby pins from my hair (there were quiet a few). She was so sweet and gentle, and seemed so grown up. We both had so much fun, talking and giggling... it was such a sweet time we shared and I will never forget it. I am so thankful to God for this sweet little girl who is also becoming such a wonderful companion and friend.  I love you Kalena. More than words can say. 

10 Wonderful Years!!

Justin and I celebrated our 10th anniversary with a little getaway. We went an hour north to the beach up by Bodega Bay, and a little town called Occidental. We had been there once before when Justin took me on a surprise trip during our first year of marriage. It was fun to be back in the same town remembering back when we were there 10 years ago. It feels like so long ago. We were such different people and just starting out in our marriage. It is fun to look at how far we have come, and how much more we know and love each other now. This has been the best 10 years of my life.  In every way it has been more than I had ever dreamed of!! Justin is an amazing man to be married to, and such a wonderful friend, partner, teammate and leader... he is my best friend. I look forward to the next 10 years, and all the joy he will bring to my life.  Thank you God for the blessing of Justin in my life. I pray we will have more anniversaries until Jesus comes in the clouds to take us home together with our family. 

Proverbs 31 not 21!!

Recently I have struggled through saying no to various commitments I would love to do for the Lord. Our community group leaders, Mark and Amy Wenslawski, sent me an article that was really convicting and encouraging at the same time. As I desire to be a Proverbs 31 woman, I fear in my desire to do it all, I have become a Proverbs 21 woman!  Here is a short clip of the article they sent me from the gospel coalition:


"Many women's Bible studies discuss how to become a "Proverbs 31 woman." An excellent wife, who can find! These studies would also do well to caution women against becoming a "Proverbs 21 woman." "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman (Proverbs 21:9, 19)...  Are you a quarrelsome and fretful wife? Are you the common denominator of dissension and strife in your home? Or are you a supportive and helpful wife? Are you building your home by God's grace in order to bring it under the headship of your husband to the glory of Jesus? Or do you foolishly tear down your home with your own hands (Proverbs 14:1)?"

My wonderful mentor Cindy McCary gave me some very wise words today. She told me a lot of times we try hard to do things the Lord has NOT called us to do. She also advised that only... and ONLY... when the ministry God has called you to is completely in order, can you even think about adding another ministry.  I have always known this in principal and have tried to apply it, but it has really "hit home" in the past month as my kids and hubby have needed me more than ever in the various stages of their lives.  There are only so many hours in the day, and all my hours are now filled up.  All other good and wonderful things I want to do for the Lord will have to wait until another season of life.  I have a new and divine peace in this area of my life, and I am loving my wonderful God who is so faithful to me and is always teaching me and guiding me. He sends people and circumstances consistently in my life that fit together like a puzzle to teach me things, there is no way it could all happen by chance. I would be insane if I didn't trust him fully.  He is so gentle, patient, and loving to me... my heart overflows with love back to Him!!  I am so grateful for all the wonderful people God has put in my life to encourage me and spur me on towards godliness!!

My Wild Thing

Katelyn Anna is two and a half!! We love our wild and crazy girl! She keeps us on our toes and makes us laugh constantly through each day. Katelyn is very independent and yet so very attached to me at the same time. She is brave and tough, but at the same time had a complete panic attack when she found a ladybug crawling on her leg. It is hilarious to hear the things that she talks about... including talking to inanimate objects. She will frequently talk to the birds and the clouds. She also has a fascination with crocodiles and runs around the house eating things and biting people as if she were an enormous crocodile, or calling out for help because she is falling into the crocodile lake. We have now nicknamed her Katie Crocodile.
We love our wild and crazy Katie! We hope she will never loose her loud and outgoing personality, while maintaining a "gentle and quiet sprit" for the Lord. She has shown great progress in her self control when it is needed, and has even memorized "Titus 2:5 Be self-controlled". We pray all that crazy energy will be harnessed for the Lord and she will serve Him tirelessly just like Anna of the Bible who she is named after.  Anna is introduced right after Jesus is introduced to the temple by Simeon. It is clear that Simeon and Anna are faithful people the Lord used to testify and spread the word about the deity of Jesus. Anna was wholly devoted to the Lord and I pray our family would follow this example. Serving the Lord day and night. Fasting. Praying. Speaking for the Lord to all those looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Lord may my sweet daughter follow in this woman's example and serve our Lord with enduring effort, and faithfully until the end!
Luke 2:36-38 "And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. ³⁸ At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."

Me: "Katie, why do you have band aides in your hair?"

K: "Because I bumped my head on the table. It was very ouchy." 

4 years old!!

Our Sunshine girl is now 4! Sara Grace is a true light in our lives and we are so thankful for how she smiles freely and so often amidst the chaos that is our home. She has been a blessing to all of us. Sara loves to do art, play in the pool, sing songs (she has a sweet little voice that is oddly always on key), and play with Kalena. These two are inseparable and love playing Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony. She loves helping me with Katelyn and Andrew. Recently I found her and Katelyn playing a game of hide and go seek on their own. It was hilarious! They chose the same 2 places to hide over and over but the thrill of the game was the same every time. Sara's favorite color is still yellow, favorite animal is the bumble bee, and her favorite flowers are sunflowers. On her birthday, Sara made a drawing and declared "This picture is for God. I am going to save it and bring it to him when I go to Heaven." I LOVE the "child like" faith I see in my children. It always encourages me, and spurs me on to living with an increased eternal perspective. I pray Sara will always have this strong faith in her Creator and continue storing up treasures in heaven! What a wonderful 4 years it has been with Sara!!

Sara's Cubbies assignment: Draw what you think Heaven will look like.

Me: "Sara, tell me about your picture."

S: "There is God in the middle, and his disciples (pointing to the heads below) and there is me" (in the pink dress to the side)

Me: "What is that next to God?.... is that a table?"

S: "Yes. He is at the cafe."

Teething!

I have two little teething ones as of last week! Andrew has two new bottom teeth, and Kalena has her first wiggly tooth! It's an exciting time for teeth around here!

9 Months Old!

Andrew is almost 9 months old now and his new accomplishments include pulling up on anything and everything, and clapping. (as I type he is in the kitchen. he has found a small packet of cream cheese one of the girls dropped and he is intensely trying to get it open with his gums.) It was a cute moment when he first started clapping. We were in the car when the girls noticed he was clapping, and they were so proud of him. They were laughing and shouting "Good job Buddy!" Andrew's eyes have been changing since he was a newborn...and these days they have been looking more green than blue. It is fun to watch them change! Our sweet Buds is so mild tempered and happy. He fills our days with the cutest songs, smiles, giggles and cuddles. His sisters love him, sometimes too much. I often have to rescue him from the constant smothering he gets all day long. When he wakes up from a nap though, he is not contented until he sees his girls. He looks all around the house for them until he finds them. He loves them and they make him laugh constantly. I pray for our sweet little boy that he will continue to grow strong and healthy. He weaned from me earlier than I would have liked, but he has taken to a bottle and formula quite well. He loves to eat solid food, anything and everything. I always think about the analogy that the Bible uses when talking about "milk" and spiritual food. How a young or new believer needs milk, or simple, digestible theology. However, as we mature in our faith and knowledge of the Word and God, we begin eating "solid food" of Scripture. We crave and need to learn the real meaning of what the Bible says, and how to apply it rightly to our life. Unfortunately so many never progress past "milk" theology. I pray all my children progress from the easy digestible simplified milk of the word of God to intense "solid food" of complex theology and deep spiritual truth. May God be glorified as they wean spiritually from Justin and I as well. That they would grasp their own faith one day, apart from us, and understand how to study and find truth on their own. I pray they will love, serve and worship Him until they die. Hebrews 5:11-14 "About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." I love this last part "for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" What a great verse for us as parents! This is our job, to "train our children by constant practice" so they will be able to distinguish good from evil. Lord give me strength through Christ! (1 Cor 3:2 and 1 Peter 2:2 reference this principal as well.)