The Hunt for the McDonald's card leads to answered prayer!

My mom's good friend Rose has blessed our family many times with McDonald's gift cards. Thank you Rose! This past Christmas she gave each of the kid's one. Eliza LOVES going there and she also loves holding on to the card. I let her have this particular card with the thought that I needed to get it from her before she loses it. I forgot to do that and sure enough, she lost it. We looked in every possible crevice for it...in the books, under the beds, in every container, etc... We kept asking her where she put and she would say a different place every time! There are so many places a 2 year old could put things!
At that time, which is December mind you, we sat down and prayed that the Lord would show us where it was. I kept praying periodically for it but had no answer. Each time I cleaned the girl's room I looked for it.

Today I was changing the sheets of Adrianna's bed, which is a loft (and a pain in the rear to change I must say!). Something prompted me to lift up the mattress to look for it. And low and behold it was there! It was actually between the frame and the mattress on the front side of the bed. When I had looked for it in December I look on the side closest to the wall!
After the initial excitement of finding it I asked the girls if they remembered praying for this card a long time ago. They remembered and then I pointed out that sometimes God answers our prayers right away and sometimes we have to wait for the answer.
It is such a simple thing, but in our little world it was huge! It was a very tangible reminder that God always answers, just in His timing, and in His way. I'm glad I have this example to point out to the girls whenever we wonder if God is going to answer!

You can imagine how excited Eliza was to know we would go to McDonald's soon! She prays for it at every meal and before bed every night! I think she even asks to go there at least 3x a day!

I never knew how going to McDonald's could remind me of God answering prayers!

Ready for Kindergarten

We had Parent/Teacher conferences today for Adrianna and it was great! Her teacher said she was ready for Kindergarten which only re-affirmed in our minds what we had already thought. She is doing great with her letters and all of the other basic things she needs to know.
She does have a little trouble sharing(duh). I guess a lot of the kids in her class are firstborn so that explains why they all want to be in charge and boss everyone else around! Her teacher said she is also somewhat of a perfectionist...Oh... I was praying my children wouldn't get that from me but I guess she did. Overall she is becoming more confident and seems to really like school. She still looks forward to it and adores her teachers.

I was trying to do some school time with her before we left this afternoon and she was acting like the things we just spent a half hour discussing where completely new and she had never heard of them before! That really frustrates me when I ask her a question about whatever it is we are discussing and she says "I don't know". After she continually was saying this I said it was time to be done for today. I didn't' want to get mad at her and make it a negative experience. She got upset and said "Wait mommy, can be try again? I'm ready to focus now". I guess she must hear that at school! I had to hold back my laughter for a few minutes before I could answer her!

Can We Say Boy!!!

All about my Mommy

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
Adrianna: You love me
Eliza: Go to McDonald's

2. What makes Mommy happy?
Adrianna: Hugging
Eliza: a piano

3. What makes Mommy sad?
A: When people are mean
E: When I throw toys at you

4. How does your Mommy make you laugh?
A: When you smile at me
E: When you are funny

5. What was your Mommy like as a child?
A: like Barbies

6. How old is your Mommy?
A: I don't know...1..2..3..4..5...6...7....8...9...10..11...oh 15!
E: Um...you 4, I'm 2

7. How tall is your Mommy?
A: Big
E: Big like me

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
A: Hug
E: Play with each other

9. What does your Mommy do when you're not around?
A: Go to sleep


10. If your Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?
A: Love

11. What is your Mommy really good at?
A: the computer
E: at McDonald's

12. What is your Mommy not very good at?
A: Running--I would agree with that:)
E: Spaghetti...(this answer is because she is looking at a picture of Lady and the Tramp eating spaghetti)

13. What does your Mommy do for her job?
A: I don't know


14. What is your Mommy’s favorite food?
A: Sandwiches
E: Spaghetti

15. What makes you proud of your Mommy?
A: I don't know

16. If your Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A: Dorothy
E: I don't know

17. What do you and your Mommy do together?
A: School time
E: I don't know

18. How are you and your Mommy the same?
A: Our hair is both brown..I think that's all
E: I don't know

19. How are you and your Mommy different?
A: We are not different, we have the same hair and the same eyes so we are kind of the same, but not the same clothes
E: I'm smart

20. How do you know your Mommy loves you?
A: Because you have a heart and I just know


21. What does your Mommy like most about your daddy?
A: Loving him and he goes to work
E: He's a goofy goof ball

22. Where is your Mommy's favorite place to go?
A: McDonald's
E: McDonald's ( do we sense a pattern here?)

23: What is Mommy's favorite thing to drink?
A: Water (Hmm....apparently she does not see my constant consumption of diet coke and coffee!)
E: Apple juice

24: What is Mommy's favorite thing to do outside?
A: Ride your bike....(haven't done this in years!)

A few of my favorite sounds

The very first cry of each of my children when they came out into the world.

The contented sigh of my sweet little boy.

The laughter of complete happiness.

The fresh spring wind whistling through the trees.

Quiet in the afternoons when all the children are resting.

When the girls say "love you mama"

God is with us

There has been some uncertainty lately about Shawn's job. The district is moving things around and we are waiting to hear some confirmation on some things. It has been a very frustrating day because of the heaviness of my spirit, Eliza peeing all over the place, and just the normal day to day things. As I was feeding Caleb I was just about to have a good cry when Adrianna said, "Are you going to cry? It looks like you are going to cry". We have been trying to teach her that it is okay to feel sad, frustrated, etc...but we just have to learn how to deal with those emotions. I told her I was feeling scared because we don't know what is going to happen with certain things that mommy and daddy have to deal with, but that she did not need to feel scared. She looked at me with the sweetest look on her face, pushed the hair back from my eyes and said "I'm not scared and you don't need to be, God is with us".

Oh the precious heart of a child!

Messy House

Come in, but don't expect to find
All dishes done, all floors ashine.
Observe the crumbs and toys galore.
The smudgy prints upon the door.
The little ones we shelter here
Don't thrive on a spotless atmosphere.
They're more inclined to disarray
And carefree even messy play.
Their needs are great, their patience small.
All day I'm at their beck and call.
It's Mommy come! Mommy see!
Wiggly worms and red scraped knee.
Painted pictures, blocks piled high.
My floors unshined, the days go by.
Some future day they'll flee this nest,
And I at last will have a rest!
Now you tell me which matters more,
A happy child or a polished floor?

...Author Unknown