bailey at ballet

yesterday was parent observation day at ballet.
where you can sit in and watch.
normally we just sit out in the hallway and wait...

last time they had parent observation i forgot.
wow.
that was quite a day.

anyways...i didn't forget this time.
and i came armed with camera AND video!

there are a LOT of pictures...but they were just all so cute.
this is going to be one of those "random tidbits as i share pictures" so i can keep you interested :-)



sawyer stood in the doorway for 40 of the 45 minutes of the class.
it was so cute (and so nice for me!)
oh, his fever was 101 yesterday...and is gone today! yay!
although he's very cranky...so still not sure he's "ok."

i was LOVING my camera yesterday...for allowing me to take these pictures!
is it just me? or are they amazing??

and, let's just keep things real.
just for those of you that might think i have things "together" all the time...

i vacuumed for the 1st time in 3 weeks yesterday.
we didn't dye Easter eggs.
we just didn't. no reason.
i even had the stuff...and lots of eggs!

we don't do Easter baskets, either.
that's intentional, though.

it's so hard to try to teach our kids the REAL meaning of Easter...amidst the "secular fun" that permeates us from every angle. i want them to have fun, i do. but we only have so much time that day...and we just don't want to focus on STUFF.

we did do an easter egg hunt this year.
some years we haven't (we've done it on another day).

but it was a special time as a family.

i read a couple quotes recently on being a mom that i loved:

"She [a mother] is handling never-dying souls. She's daily conducting heart surgery on eternal spirts whose forever destinies are influenced most profoundly by the hands that rock their cradles, wipe their noses, spank their fannies, open their Bibles, prepare their after-school snacks, and turn off their bedroom lights. Those motherly hands are molding characters which will become men and women who will turn the world upside down either for good or for evil. Now that's a job that counts. " - Mark Chanski, Womanly Dominion

"heart surgery"...that makes our job seem really important, now, doesn't it??
poor bailey...she's suffering from BAD allergies...and i had given her some medicine and she just kept yawning...

On feeling overwhelmed:

"Inspirational historical models may provide a temporary enthusiasm, but a mother of dominion needs something more. Otherwise, the grueling day and night demands of crying infants, filthy bottoms, vomit-soaked blankets, strong-willed naughtiness, physical exhaustion, dull routine, deferred gratifications, lack of recognition, cultural criticism, and personal disillusionment will bring the work of her hands to a grinding halt.
There she sits, exhausted on the edge of her bed, her face in her hands, wondering, 'Where is the glory in this?' She needs something more empowering to keep her going.

She needs to gain and maintain the deep conviction of the glory, honor, and nobility of selfless service. This she finds at the foot of the cross, looking up to the One who earned for Himself, 'the name that is above every name' by emptying Himself, taking the form of a bond servant. There she beholds her Savior, who mopped up the damning vomit of her own sin with the precious sponge of His perfect life and atoning death. The love of Christ constrains and compels her to press on. The Spirit of Christ empowers her." Womanly Dominion, pg. 120

"The season of young children is a time to refrain. Refrain from most outside activities, even church activities. Now is a time to be faithful in discipline...it's the springtime of mothering. Redeem the time, don't waste it." Sono Harris

i'm having a hard time lately "connecting" with joshua.
he's always been hard...in the sense that he's so quiet and low-key...it's hard to know what's going on inside his head and heart.

but with the girls i can always say, "let's paint your nails!" or "do you want to read a book?"
and i know i'll have their attention for those few minutes.

but i'm having a hard time figuring out my go-to "things" to do with joshua.
any suggestions on a 6 year old boy??

we were grocery shopping yesterday and he got a little bit behind us and as he ran up to catch up with us, he grabbed my hand and held it for a few seconds.
my heart soared!
he never does that...



i feel so unworthy lately to be their mom.
to be his wife.
to be a daughter of the Living God.
to be entrusted with the many blessings He's bestowed on me.

i am living my days so much more aware of HIS heart.
i've said "it hurts"...and it does.
and i've said "it's freedom"...and it is.

it's also "weird"...not sure how to explain that except that nothing seems "normal" anymore.
everything has another side to it.
nothing is simple.
every decision is harder.

actually, one thing IS simple.
HIS LOVE.

but, because of His love...everything else is ruined.

but that's ok.

i'd rather live a "ruined life" with Him...than a "normal life" without Him.


a guy in the pool this morning totally tried to "take me" (race me).
i beat him every time.
(and it wasn't my 80-year old friend :-))

and...i don't think the guy really knew we were racing...but we were :-)

i'm really not competitive at all...but i must have a little bit of competitive juice in me...because, boy, it came out!




towards the very end of the class...all of a sudden sawyer took off and ran right to Bailey!
it was the cutest thing!
she laughed so hard :-)
then he ran away...


and the video...
(it's just a minute or so...)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com