beginning of 2015

i've been horrible at keeping up here. i'm good. but life is sure hard and messy. i'm so very thankful for a God that i can cling to and KNOW without a doubt He is there...even when i can't feel Him.

it's been 2 weeks since i've really written.

the kids were back in school 1 day after christmas break...and then it snowed.

on the first snow day, i was in the shower begging God to help me to love them well, and feeling overwhelmed because on these days when they are all home "all of a sudden" and i don't have a plan, i feel like the day just goes by in survival mode and i don't REALLY connect with any of them even though i'm with them for a whole day. God is SO good...when i pray to specifically connect with any of my kids, He ALWAYS answers. and He did. He told me to have a "date" with each of them that day...just 15-30 minutes, but one on one with each of them.

so i made it a semi-big deal. we passed the date sheet around the breakfast table and they signed up for a time slot. they got to pick what we did...but it had to be AT OUR HOUSE and FREE (game, color, just talk :-))

levi chose a game..

 so did lincoln.

 rebekah just wanted to talk :-)

 sawyer wanted to build a snowman (loved his creativity and thinking outside the box!) the snow wasn't the kind that would build a snowman...and it was SUPER windy and cold, so we didn't last long, but we did have fun!

 bailey wanted to create...

 and joshua wanted to play a game. (and not be pictured :-))

 it ended up being such a nice day!!

sundays are for being close...

 new week. new snow day :/ we don't have a small home...but they are usually always this close together. i love it.

 these 2. they do NOT get along. hardly ever. but they asked to bake together and it made my heart SOO happy!!

 he DEVOURS his sport illustrated for kids as soon as he gets his hands on it!

 2 hour delay..see *all* that snow?? :-) we all walked the elementary kids to school...that was fun! it's just so hard for me to feel on top of anything with snow days and delays...hence the quiet here...

i'm preparing another talk. panera is my place. i just can't seem to think complete thoughts in my own house. any tips on that?? i just buy a tea, but that adds up...

 one of her chores is to run 3 miles once a week. i run with her. win-win-win! i love our conversations. and i love pushing her. i pray knowing she CAN do something she didn't think she could boosts her confidence in herself.

 this past thursday morning, i woke up to a friend trying to reach me in the middle of the night. never good news. it was THE worst news imaginable...

 spent every spare minute (which in our lives isn't many!) cleaning out our basement and storage room this past weekend. i mean...rebekah :-) my first baby...

 got to take the youngs out for their birthday dinner on saturday night!! peyton and i were twins :-) (and it's the last time i think we'll go to that restaurant...all of pat's dinner came back up all night long...SAD!)

 and doubly sad because i had to take the kids to church by myself on sunday morning. and sit through the most beautiful and awful church service i've ever been to. denise's husband was killed on thursday night by a gunman. they'd been married 3 months. she has lived through SO much heartache and pain since i met her 14 years ago. it's just hard to imagine how she can live through this. but she is. she was at church on sunday morning...hands lifted STRAIGHT up to Jesus as we sang, "Christ is enough for me"...she is so so strong. but can use ALL the prayers she can get (and her kids. and his kids. oh, it's rocked me to the core....) for more on the story, google "corey mattison"...

 

 rebekah and joshua were the baking duo for this creation. it was all for Pat. i'm not sure the reason...but i think it might have something to do with the above story...

and this morning was back to school...but only for 2 hours for joshua...then he got his braces off!! we'll see how many more cassada kids have to get them...