More Sunflowers....

Last night the kids and I went down the road to a field of sunflowers. It is so beautiful. The sun
was setting.... and we took lots of pictures. The kids played hide & seek. It was so neat... they
would run through the field and I couldn't even see them!




Breath taking....

I love sunflowers.....

simple things.......

May we see HIS glory ... even in the simple things....

For Encouragement....

Because we all need it.... because sometimes life is hard.... because we need to remember that HE is God.... and we need to believe.

Brian Doerksen - Creation Calls lyrics LyricsMode.com

I hope this works~

Be blessed~

Scrapbooking.... and more~

The last week I have really focused on scrap book. I am so far behind. Some friends shared that they have the pictures separated into the pages they want to do and it goes a lot faster. That has worked for me too. I haven't journaled on my pages or added *accessories* yet but I am really accomplishing a lot. I am thrilled. I love scrap booking but have felt very overwhelmed with how far behind I was. I am still far behind but not as much.

I love reading several blogs and I am often blessed by what I read. This has happened again and again. A Wise Woman's blog really spoke to my heart again and I know it will you. So often I fall into the trap of letting other things (outside things, computer... etc) steal my time at home, with my family and my husband. I have enjoyed spending more time at home... with them, cooking each night and just enjoying our time together. I love walking out side, swimming, watching them swim, reading to them, giving lots of hugs.... sitting around the table as a family at night and sharing.

I hope this blesses you as much as it did me~

http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2009/06/distracted-christian-mothers.html

here is a snippet.... from her blog~

As Christian mothers, we need to be careful to manage our time well and decide whether or not our time is being used wisely. Many 'good' things can steal away our 'best' from those we love the most if we are not shrewd in our evaluation of this precious commodity.

May the JOY of the Lord be yours~

also... if you didn't read the post on Sunflowers below just a reminder to atleast look at the pics~they are not mine but they are beautiful.

Sunflowers....

Aren't they beautiful? We planted a very small circle of sunflowers this spring.... it has taken them the longest time to bloom. They kept growing taller and taller. They are almost as tall as I am.... 5'5".

Couple of weeks ago our miniature horses walked through our Sunflower Circle and knocked over several of them. They fell flat. I was sad. One of the tallest ones were knocked over. They were not broken off but I was pretty sure they wouldn't live.

This morning as I finished my walk.... I decided I would sit in the swing that faces the small sunflower circle ... in our front yard. I was reading my bible & journaling. I stopped and looked at the sunflowers.... I smiled.

Two of the tall sunflowers have bloomed. The ones that were flat... had blooms and it is so funny because they grew flat and then CURVED up towards the SUN. I thought this was so neat.

Even though they were knocked down, almost broken and crushed they continued to grow and then still grew UP towards the sun....

Isn't that how we all are... or should be? Even though we are knocked down, almost broken and sometimes crushed.... we continue to grow and point towards the SON! Atleast that is what we should be doing... it was a wonderful picture of how desperate those sunflowers were to point to the sun...

I know this may seem silly.... but I needed this reminder this week.... to remind me to stay focused, look to HIM, and draw near. Remember the hymn....

Turn your eyes upon Jesus....

look full in His wonderful face

and the things of earth will grow

strangely dim in the light of His

glory and grace.

May your weekend be blessed~

Making more memories....

This past Saturday I had to run to Lowe's to get a few things. I remembered that they were having a workshop for kids. I woke the boys....


"Boys, want to go with Mama to the Home Building store?" I said.


"yes." they said.


I didn't tell them about the workshop.... wanted to surprise them.


We left everyone else asleep.... my olders like to sleep in on Saturday.


When we arrived at the store I said....


"BOYS, look they are having a building workshop... do you think MAMA KNEW and wanted to SURPRISE you?"




They looked a little confused.







They loved it.

















Thank you to their helper, Chris. Thank you to Lowe's for offering this twice a month to our children. They made a treasure chest... received a badge and apron.... FREE!







They begged to go back.... and we will. On the 24th of July they will make helicopters!

Welcome Home Mandi!

As we waited.... and waited....

I promised I would share with you about Mandi's mission trip to Ukraine. Thank you all for praying. She has been home now for over a week. The boys were so excited to see her. She brought gifts to all of us. One of our favorite things is this



Matryohska Dolls~ aren't they cute?

A little book we may buy about our new found treasure

As a side note... our Alyssa (11) reads the American Girl books. While we were at the beach she bought the newest book "Meet Rebekah" it is about a little girl that is from Russia that moves to NY. We thought it was so neat that this book came out and we bought it at the same time Mandi was in Russia! Oh and Rebekah has a Matryoshka doll! How cool is that....


ok ... so back on track...

Her plane was delayed four times! We spent a lot of time waiting.... (and I will post another story about what we did while we waited in another post).... They left Keiv, Russia two hours late because of engine trouble! That caused them to miss their flight in New York... so they had to take a later flight. After boarding that plane.... something was wrong so they had to switch planes. She FINALLY arrived in Atlanta at 1:35AM! I woke the boys up.... (they were asleep on the benches... waiting) and we watched for her to come up the stairs!


Here she comes..... here comes Mandi.....

















First question.... Wesley said "Mandi, why do you have socks on your feet with your flip flops?" she said "I was freezing on the plane!"

Thank you, Father for allowing Mandi this awesome trip.... for making the way.... for bringing her safely there and safely home. We praise You and give You all the glory~

From A Wise Woman's blog....

I want to share this here.... it has really blessed me. I hope it blesses you. I fall so short. I know He picks me up and plants my feet on the ROCK.... to begin again.... for that I am grateful.

Such a good read.... posted from here. http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/

How should a Christian mother view children?

1. As a gift and miracle from God and not as drudgery.

2. She has been entrusted by God to care for them for their time on earth.

3. She delights in them and is thankful for them, even on hard days.

4. She is protective, never bad-mouthing her children to others or slandering them.

5. She understands that they are the next generation entrusted with the Gospel.

6. She knows their souls are precious to God and He knows the number of every hair on their head.

7. She knows she is accountable to God for how she raises them so she faithfully sacrifices her love, her patience and her life for them.

8. She understands that even as they are in a state of infancy now that this precious season is quickly fleeting and in a blink of an eye they will grow up---so she savors the moment.

9. She welcomes the number of children the Lord gives her and treasures each one in her heart because she knows the He has a purpose for each and every single one--- even if the world doesn't see it that way. She rejects the lie that children are a burden.

10. She understands and embraces the future--she knows her job is not done when her children graduate from high school or when they turn eighteen, instead it continues on until she takes her last breath.

11. As she cares for a crying infant or sick child she realizes it is part of God's great plan to mold her into becoming a nurturing mother and into the image of Christ.

12. She acknowledges that she is the best one to take care of them as God has chosen to give them to her. She understands her children in a way that a stranger cannot. She realizes that mothering is her sacred work and is careful not neglect her responsibilities. She is protective over who cares for her children.

13. She recognizes her season with little ones and uses wisdom. She tries to surround herself with like minded women who are going through the same season or have been through it and can encourage and support her.

14. The Christian mother does not rely Oprah, Dr. Phil or the latest trends in parenting magazines for wisdom but instead searches God's Word to help her raise her family because it is the source of all truth.

15. She clearly understands that her and her husband are an undivided team when it comes to parenting their children and respectfully allows him to lead the home. She knows that if she is dominating, controlling or manipulating she would destroy her home so she purposefully learns to trust God on matters of submission.

16. She wisely spends her time in prayer---for herself to be a godly mother, for her husband to be a godly father and for children's salvation and their futures. She knows her time in prayer is never wasted time.

17. The Christian mother seeks to educate her children about the Lord so she wisely invests her days teaching them all she knows about Him and His Word.

18. When her season of raising her children has passed, she looks forward to investing her time and love into her grandchildren as they arrive. She doesn't try to move far away to 'begin living her life' but instead she considers them a blessing and her love for them evident. She considers it an honor to take part in their lives. She is loyal encourager and faithfully supports her children in raising her grandchildren.

I posted "Beach Trip Part 2" last night so if you missed it .... feel free to look below :)

blessings~

Beach Trip Part 2

Here's more of our pics... this is Wyatt sitting on a tree by the bay.

Making castles ... older brothers Mike & Dakota help Wyatt.

We love our time at the beach, we are so thankful that we are able to go and be together.

Mike & Amber~ our oldest son and his wife Amber. I am so blessed to have her as a daughter. Isn't it neat how for years we have our children... and then God continues to add to our family... through the marriages of our children. How cool is that?

Fun times each day on the beach... this was our last day there .... we talk about going back in the fall.... we talk about how fast the time flies... but our Destin memories are great. I am blessed....

Thanks for letting me share with you...

Please share ... what your summer memories are.... I would love to hear from you.

Our Beach Trip~

Each year we spend a week on the gulf coast. It is a relaxing time. We make memories and enjoy our time there. We stay at a military campground in one of the trailers/cabins.

My three youngest on the beach. Wyatt (7), Alyssa (11), and Wesley (5 for a few more days). Each day we would spend some time at the *big beach.* The campground is on the bay and each morning I spend some time sitting, reading and just being quiet.

My special place each morning.....

Our skim boarder.... Wesley

He loved skim boarding. His older brothers skim board and a last year he started doing this. He was actually pretty good .... and he is just 5!

Dakota on the beach~

They loved building castles in the sand. Our Wyatt's favorite thing to do... so the older guys helped Wyatt with his castle building.

Wyatt building castles on the beach.

Michael (our oldest, married to Amber) took the littles kayaking. They had a blast.

Here is our daughter in law with Wyatt.... at Joe's Crab Shack. We always make it a tradition to eat there while we are on our beach trip. You can see how crisp they are... and that is using sunscreen of 45... and reapplying.

We have more pics. I guess I will have part 2 next. I hope all of you are enjoying your summer. Making memories.... for tomorrow this day will be a memory. Laugh more.... Live Life on purpose....