Project 365, Week 5

We had a full, hectic week. I tried to count the number of different people who came in and out over the seven days, either to say hi or have a meal or play video games, or to sleepover...I stopped counting when I got to around thirty. It was fun, crazy...and I'm tired. ;) And so very blessed.

January 23

His happy place. :)

Even when his schedule is crazy, Shaun is so good about snagging time with the kids.

January 24
Boy time. Aiden got some rare Gavin time while the girls were at basketball practice

January 25
I worked late so Shaun could get to the girls' basketball game. I sort of kind of could see the sunset.

January 26
I had Bethel Music Radio on Pandora while we were getting ready for school/work in the morning. Out of nowhere, a "parental advisory" song came on from a group I've never even heard of. To Pandora's credit, they were responsive to my email and stated they had "fixed the problem". Yikes!

Company for dinner...and stories.

January 27
H's first time ever holding a baby. He thought it was pretty cool. :)

January 28
Ginger went up to the girls room and brought a pillow downstairs for herself.

January 29

Brent did a powerful presentation at church.

After, we did teamwork to get it all taken down and packed in the trailer.

Aiden lost his first ever tooth! He came to me and said, Mom, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, I lost my tooth!! The bad news is, I lost my tooth...I can't find it! Oh, wait! I know where it is! There was a bead in my cookie. Well, I thought it was a bead, but it must've been my tooth! I'll go get it!

Project 365, Week 4

Lots happening in our country this week, lots of history being made, lots of reasons to pray. I thought of (and took comfort in) this verse all day Thursday:

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; 

he turns it wherever he will.

Proverbs 21:1

January 16

A fairly quiet Martin Luther King Day. Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. :)

January 17
Such a good helper and a gentleman...also fun company.

Love seeing the kids active and learning.

January 18
This is how Aiden attends his sisters basketball games. :)

January 19
All the other kids regularly have friends over after school, but this was Aiden's first time. The boys had fun together. Its funny to watch a new person get acclimated to our household. They really like it, but its usually not something they've experienced before. The activity, the random people in and out, etc.

January 20
So fun to find beautiful nature photos on my phone that a kid took...I want them to always be notice-ers and to have a sense of wonder and awe.

The unplanned blue team. :)

We all went to a special service at church. A friend of ours shared his personal story of drug addiction and redemption. After several difficult years of hurt and pain and shame, God redeemed him and he is now a pastor with a precious family. What "Satan means for evil, God can use for good", if we're willing to let Him use it. Powerful!

January 21
We had a couple cousins sleep over and after swim classes, we stayed for open swim so everyone could join in.

As we were walking out I laughed to myself at what a scrappy bunch they made. :)

January 22
Another amazing weather day. We took an almost three hour walk and explored nature, no doubt giving the birds and squirrels anxiety.

Signs of Life

Its been a while, but that doesn't mean I don't daily pass by evidence that little people live here, and for that I am so grateful. Truthfully, it can also make me exasperated. Collecting the signs here is my way of being intentionally thankful for this season of my life.

 

Project 365, Week 3

January 9

The kids braved the cold to take advantage of the leftover snow.

January 10
The only photo I have left from the 10th. Its a clean sink at the end of the night. I'm not one that feels like the kitchen has to be all cleaned up before bed but I read this article and was inspired to at least give it a try and see if it works for me. Its not likely to last long.

January 11
January is set aside for prayer and fasting at our church each year and special services are held. I took Avery and H to the mid-week service and it was amazing. They are SO excited to go this week!

My dear friend got up and she and her husband briefly shared the story of the miraculous way God healed him last year.

January 12
Aiden and I had a little pocket of time that was just the two of us, so we went to the park and watched the dog skate around on the ice. :)

January 13

Z's grandmother made me aware that Z's school was playing a school in our town on Friday afternoon, so we got to see him in action and then talked with him for a few minutes. I also got to talk to his grandmother during the whole game. I thank her often for allowing us to stay in his life.

Amanda was nervous about her upcoming game, so Shaun talked her through plays and positions while watching the boys play.

The basketball program is back at the kids school and the girls (with a significant amount of encouragement from their father) joined.

It went in. :)

Teammates/classmates/friends.

My morning was filled with meetings regarding H and one thing that came out of them was some positive-direction news regarding school. So after the games, we went to celebrate. We also recognized the bravery and perseverance that it took for the girls to get out on the court.

January 14
Early morning sky.

When we talked about goals and resolutions at the beginning of the month, Aiden declared that he wanted to learn how to swim. So...swim lessons it is.

January 15
Happy Birthday to me. :)

One of the (many) gifts of cancer is having to take a long, hard look at your own mortality. You think you have this long life stretched out before you but then you realize the end really does come, and maybe sooner than you were planning.

Shaun told me no less than three dozen times yesterday, Happy Birthday...I'm so thankful you're here. Because, I almost wasn't. But I am. And never again will I begrudge a birthday...it is truly a celebration.