I'm not one for making my private thoughts public- it's quite uncomfortable, but I've realized that sometimes sharing hard things can be healing.

This devotion is SO for me today!!
I have been dwelling on different therapies and such for Zayne and Noah this summer, knowing that, if I'm not careful, I could overwhelm us all! There is always this dooming feeling that your racing against this short window of time to get them all the help they need so that they can reach their fullest potential. I believe that comes from all the reading you do early on. There is such an emphasis on getting the most amount of therapies as soon as possible for the BEST outcome. Who doesn't want the best outcome? Everything says push them out of their comfort zone. Expose them to everything you can. So for me, things tend to stops becoming "for fun" and everything becomes "potentially life-changing or therapeutic". Swim lessons, a sport-because that would be good for his social skills, learning to work as a team, taking turns and dealing with taking a loss from time to time. Music lessons (have you heard all the benefits playing piano does for the brain?) Equine therapy would be beneficial in so many areas, speech, OT, PT, a reading tutor, social skills training because let's face it, they have autism and talking and expressing is a challenge around here. Aba therapy is an actual possibility now but the nearest one is 45 minutes away, but I'm willing to do it if it means "the best outcome". Also the possibility of art classes for Zayne could be in the works. It's exhausting. It's great to be intentional but maybe there is such a thing as being over-intentional? Obviously there's not enough time (or money) for them all. Zayne and Noah are just 2 out of the 5 of us. I still have Nathan, Drew and myself to think about. It doesn't take long to start feeling overwhelmed!
So Lord, I'm praying that you would help me sort out what's important and what's not. What needs to be done now and what does not. Help me to focus my attention on You. Lay the sticky notes and the checklists aside for the moment and trust that You've got this and I'm not left on my own. They are YOUR children and if it's important to me as their earthy parent, how much more important it's got to be to you, their Heavenly Father. You want the best for them just as we do.

Prayer Journal

Lately I have been doing something that has taken my prayer life to a whole new level... A prayer journal. 

I find it very easy to express myself through writing. The words and thoughts just flow out of me and onto the paper. 

I truely believe it has strengthen my relationship with the Lord. There hasn't been a night when the tears aren't flowing down my face.  

 To me its a sacred time. I can't wait to read through it one day and see what the Lord has done! How he is going to take those heartfelt words on paper and turn them into a testimony.

 During this special time It's just God, me, the dog(ha!)soft lighting, and candlelight. No tv. I alway wait until after the kiddos have gone to bed. Whatever is conducive to a good writing environment for you. I always play my favorite praise and worship songs and there is just something about having that worship music on. It is a very important element to my journal time. 

If you are feeling like you'd like to go deeper in your prayer life,  try a prayer journal. I can't recommend it enough. 
  

Blessings,

enough already

May I quickly share something on my heart that I've been thinking about tonight?

Usually what you speak of a child is what they become, so be careful how you speak about your children. If you call Susie a spoiled brat, don't be surprised if she becomes one. If you don't want Johnny to be a menace, then don't tell him he is one. If you want confident children then stop telling them all the things they are not, and start telling them the wonderful things that they are.

        xo,

Baby needs a new pair of shoes.

Noah needed a new pair of shoes, so I turned to one of my favorite places to shop (amazon) to see what I could find. I have been wanting to get the boys a pair of keens for a while now so I figured this was as good of time as any. I was excited to see that they had some pairs about twenty-five dollars less than the original price. He wanted blue (that is his favorite color) but that particular pair was about twenty plus dollars more, so I easily convinced him that an "awesome fire engine red!" pair would be equally as cool. He was happy with that! He has been asking each day if they had come in yet, and I told him I expected it to be tomorrow, but to my surprise, they arrived tonight! He absolutely loves them! And they are a perfect fit. Score! I was a little nervous about buying shoes online since he could not try them on before hand, but I have read that these shoes are pretty true to size, so I gave it a shot. He wore them until bedtime so they must be pretty comfortable.
I love this about children, that when something so ordinary as receiving a new pair of shoes, is "the best day of his life"! Kids have such a wonderful zest for life, don't they? I wish I could record all of the cute, sweet little things that he says. He is always saying something that makes me laugh or smile.

Mother's Day 2015

I had a great Mother's Day this year! Drew had to work, but he left work long enough to bring me a Starbucks coffee in bed. He knows how important my coffee is so I thought it was incredibly sweet of him! He also gave me my gift which was a Starbucks mug, two edible chocolate straws, two nice candles, and a sweet card. I always love his cards! I have watched this man pick out a greetings card. He is quite meticulous about it and he doesn't pick one until he thinks its just right and fitting, so I know whatever the card says, he's truly saying it from his heart.

Nathan made me a sweet little card. Homemade cards rock! He also told me numerous times throughout the day, "Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!"

Zayne made a cute little painted mason jar vase at school and a card. I can't wait to pick some wild flowers to put in it!

Noah colored a cute little card that said mom, and gave me a little flower pot with a close up picture of his face. Planted in it was grass which is supposed to be his hair. Too cute!

That's one thing I love about elementary school,  all the cute little holiday crafts.

 

After lunch, we drove out to Millwood to spend some time with my mom and also for my cousin Courtney's sweet 16 party! I'm blown away that she is 16! I remember the day she was born.

Time flies!

The boys, along with their cousin's Lily and Emma had a really fun time riding on a handmade boat built by Mr. Mullis, the girls papa. Chelsea played so hard with them and they enjoyed it so much! The kids hung their feet off the boat while Chelsea was in the pond. They would each take turns throwing her a plastic cup and make her swim for it. Each time they would throw, they would move their little legs and splash. Nathan was able to drive the boat back to the dock. He really liked that.

                                                          

 After we left there, I picked Drew up from home, and we met his mom and dad at the cemetery where Drew's Nana is buried. This was Nana's first Mother's Day in heaven so it was bitter sweet to say the least. Afterwards, we ate dinner at their house.

I hope that whatever you did for Mother's Day, you felt loved and appreciated. But if by chance your day did not go as well as you had hoped or planned, just know that the ultimate Father was shining down with so much love and adoration for you. He see's all of the hard work you put in to caring for your babes. He's see's every boo boo kissed, every tear wiped away, all the late night's your stay up worrying about your child, every good moment and hard moment and everything in between. Older Mom's, you may no longer be kissing away the boo boo's, but you are still painstakingly doing for your children. Praying fervently for them. Worries for them do not cease with age. He sees. He knows. He cares. He smiles down and knows that He created a masterpiece when He created MOTHERS.

Isn't there something just so special about the bond of motherhood? No matter what type of mother you are, it is a day when we are all on common ground.

Blessings,