Some more pics from our trip to disneyland!

We had a busy weekend with some good friends, and now I am tired...ready to curl up on the couch and take a nice nap! One of my favorite sunday routines :) but before I do I decided to share a few more pics from our trip to disneyland over Christmas!!!

I thought this was such a precious moment...

Enjoying our time with Nana and Papa!

Not only is she our sassafrass...our stinkerbell...our baby....she is soooo incredibly silly!

More to come...

Thursdays Thoughts...

I have started this year doing my devos in my chronological bible, and today I was reading about Abraham and Issac. It was a story I have heard and read many times yet today something different stood out to me.

In the past what I always got was how amazing the Lords provisions are for us. For example the Lord provided Issac as a promise to Abraham and Sarah, the Lord provided a burial place for Abrahams decendents in particular Sarah, the Lord provided a burnt offering in place of Issacs life, the Lord provided much wealth and many possesions to Abraham, God also provided a wife for Issac in such an incredible way...the list goes on and on!

Today though God showed me how close Rebekah must have been to the Lord, how much she loved and trusted, how she didnt have to think twice or even pray about what she should do. When Abrahams servent went looking for a wife for Issac as Abraham had commanded the Lord led him directly to Rebekah. Not only was she a sweet willing woman who fetched water for the servant she went back and forth filling her water jug to also water the mans, whom she did not know, camels! This to me was just a small glimpse of her servants heart. A small gesture of her love for her Lord. This however was not what popped out to me today.

What really spoke to my heart was after the servant had gone to her house and spoke with her father asking to take her back to be Issacs wife. The father readily gave his daughter over for this marriage, but the mother and brother asked that she remain with them for 10 days...when the servant asked to leave immediatly they decided to leave it up to Rebekah. This is where the Lord caught my attention! Rebekahs response was "I will go". I tried to think about the situation and how I would have felt and reacted.

Rebekah did not know this man nor did she know Issac. Rebekah had no say when it came to this marriage, nor was she even consulted. Yet she responded...I will go... I am pretty sure that would not have been my response. I would have wanted details, I would have wanted to know what the future would hold, I would have wanted to at least visit the place I was being taken...I would have wanted so much before agreeing! Rebekah did not say I need to pray about this, she did not say why me...Rebekah said I will go!

I want this to be the attitude of my heart! I want to be so close and have so much trust and faith in my Lord that my heart does not question. No matter what the circumstance or situation I desire to be so intune with my Lord that I am ready and willing as soon as He calls me for anything! I know times were different then and cultures were different, but Rebekah was a girl who had a free will just like I do. She was a girl who could have asked questions and she could have been stubborn or emotional about what the Lord was doing in her life but she chose not to! I so easily become frazzled, emotional, and stubborn when things change in my life. I so often need to hear God tell me something over and over again before I am sure its what He is actually telling me. The attitude of my heart is so often the opposite of what Rebekah displayed as God called her.

As I go through this next year I am going to try to be more like Rebekah. I am going to try to draw so close to the Lord each day that I cant help but be in His will the second He calls me without hesitation or concern. I am going to attempt to stop questioning Him when I know exactly what He is saying to me! God has done so many amazing things in my life and though things get tough He has always shown me His plan and His desire for my life. He has never left me hanging or wishing something different would have happend. Even the hard times that have left scars on my heart He has used to grow me and change me into something beautiful for Him!

Today I thank Him for His word and the sweet way He reminds me and motivates me to work toward becoming who He desires me to be!

Wordless Wednesday

Im gonna start trying on wednesdays to just put a picture that captures the personalities in my life

Steven face after coming off of the tower of terror!

He is an adrenaline junky just like his mommy!

Some of my favorite photos from our Disney trip

I just realized i have alot of favorites so i will have to share in chunks over the next couple weeks

Memory Sharing Monday

I am gonna attempt to be better and more regular at sharing our life with all of you that love us and dont see us often enough! We will see how that goes once I am back in school...So I have decided Mondays are gonna be for sharing a picture or 2 from a while back. Hope you enjoy them!

I am truly a blessed woman

So this one is not very old just a few months but I havent had the chance to share any of our family pics we had done in September.

Next Monday I am gonna dig back into the archives :)

This requires getting on the other computer where all those pics are!

Please take time to look at this blog and Pray for Daisy and her family!

http://prayfordaisy.tumblr.com/



Please take a look at this website and pray for this sweet little girl daisy love... also please pray for her family Britt and Kate Merrick! He is a pastor in california and this family is going through some tough stuff!

It is a sad story, but Gods faithfullness to this family is such a huge blessing! Please take the time to look at and pray for this little girl and her family!

Its Soccer Time!!!

I know its been a while since I shared some pictures with you all but my life has become extremly full now that I am in school full time!

So on top of me being in school, all 3 kids doing gymnastics, steve working full time, serving in our church, and taking our dog to puppy classes...we thought soccer would be fun! :)

Today was the kids first games, and I think they enjoyed it.

I will try to get some better pics next week but here they are.

The Boys team is for 4 and 5 year olds and they have named themselves the Orange T-rexs.

Princesses team is for 6-8 year olds and they came up with the name Fireflies

Since they are not able to be on the same teams we spent pretty much all of today at the soccer field! I thought it was fun that they ended up with the same color uniforms though!

Sassafrass is not old enough this year to play so we let her wear an orange shirt so she could be their cheerleader! Isnt she so stinkin cute!

Sassafrass was pretty tired from her day at the ball field, and just before Princesses game it got pretty breezy and stormy. She was cold so she decided to get inside the bag that carries our big camping chair. She fit perfect....looks like a sleeping bag to me :)

Back to School for MOM

Its Official I have gone back to school!

This is what I will be spending every free second of my life with over the next few months!

*Algebra

*Human Biology

*Nutrition

*Psychology

I am pretty excited, and a little nervous to see how I will be able to pull off being a full time student again, as well as taking care of my husband, children, and home.

Its been a long time since I have taken on so much, but I feel confident that this is where God has called me at this time our my lives.

Please pray for me and my family as this new season begins in our home!

My Newest Hobby!

When I was in Oregon I decided to learn how to chrochet, not that I have much extra time on my hands or anything, but I wanted to learn so I could make gifts and stuff!

This is my first project EVER!!!

I would have to say it turned out pretty good for a first timer :)

Since my brother and his wife are having a little girl I thought they would be fun to make something for first! This hat and blanket turned out precious!!!

The baby is a doll that belongs to my girls...makes for the perfect model!

I am sure there are many more things to come...cant wait for my next project!

First Day of School

So this post is a week late but better late than never right! At least I remembered to actually take a first day of school picture :)

The Princess on her first day of 1st grade, and The Boy on his first day of Kindergarten

Cant believe how fast my babies are growing up!

A Visit With My Brother

I am not exactly sure when the last time i saw my brother was, the closest i can get is that it was at least 6 years ago, and he was not the man God is making him into today!

On our adventure to Oregon we stopped in Utah to see him and his wife and have some dinner :)

My brother and his wife and the baby they are expecting at the begining of september!

It was so good to see him and see how well they are doing!

The kids took right to them, Victoria even gave Cammi a braclet she had made out of pipe cleaners :)
My brother and his wife are living proof that God has us all in the grip of his palms even when life gets hard and we choose to go down the wrong paths He never lets us go. Not only does He never let us go but He welcomes us back with open and loving arms!

Our Vacation

So I am gonna warn you now, this post has way to many pictures, but i really did leave out a ton! When you are gone for 10 days to a beautifull place doing lots of fun things the result is TONZ of pictures!

We decided to embark on this adventure by driving all the way to Astoria Or! Me, Prince Charming, 3 kids and the dog! It took us 30 hours driving straight through, the kids were amazing, and it was well worth the drive!

This was our first stop for streching legs, just before entering Utah


Our Make do road potty

Beautifull Utah...Duck Creek Canyon

The kids kept themselves busy, I dont think they really even complained once

30 hours later we finally arrived and needed to stretch, so we went on a walk to pick berries!

Huckleberries...YUM

Sunday after church our friends took us to a beautifull waterfall

Sunday evening we went to the ocean with the church for a bonfire, worship, communion, and a baptism!

Ella loved every part of our trip

Our next adventure was at Gnat creek! The kids played the hubbies fished, and Erin and I got to hang out another beautifull place and another great day!

The Boy caught his first fish

Everyone tells me the sun doesnt shine in Oregon, however this day we all ended up absolutely FRIED!

Prince Charming and The Boy flying daddies kite

After our day at the ocean she was wiped out! This was before we even left the beach!

The Columbia River...our friends live 2 blocks up from the river and have an amazing view from their home

Riding the boardwalk trolley

The coast guard exhibit at the Maritime Museum

We also went shooting

My redneck friend :)

On our last day we decided to visit the Astoria Column

The View at the top

This is the column...we climbed the circular stairs on the inside all the way up to the lookout!

Time to drive home :(