Christmas fun and news

From last week- mailing their letters to Santa.

A lot has transpired this week (more at the bottom of this post.)

Monday, I worked on some Christmas shopping and grocery shopping.

We also were notified that C Girl's 3rd grade teacher would be leaving for the rest of the year due to medical issues. We were all pretty shocked. She is actually meeting her new teacher today. Kids are so resilient. She seems very excited to meet this new lady.

Tuesday, I spent at home wrapping presents, cleaning house, watching a Christmas movie and various other things.

 Look what happened here this week!

 I spent all day Wednesday making treats for Tim's co-workers and all of the kids' teachers. It was exhausting but I love being able to show them some love!

 I realized that I have not posted any pictures of our Christmas decor.

 I love getting Christmas cards in the mail almost every day!!!

 This is how I started displaying them last year. I love walking by this everyday!

 I ate lunch with these two cuties before their class parties yesterday. They were so happy to see me KFC for lunch.

Their class parties were fun. C Girl only has one more year of elementary, so I'm starting to feel sad about that. I don't want them to grow up this fast!

 Daddy got to come by both of their parties!

 B Boy's class had set up a fun photo booth!

 I received a couple of other pieces of news yesterday- one fantastic, and the other, not so fantastic. The fantastic news is that one of my dear friends from church is going to be our new Women's ministry director! Our current one is retiring. We are going to miss her, but I'm so excited for the future too!

The not so fantastic news- I received the results from the biopsies of my colonoscopy and it agrees with the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. My heart sank when I read those words. I really had not believed that I would have this diagnosis. I'm still sort of in shock about it.

I have an upper GI test soon to determine how much is affected and to what degree. All I can do is pray. I'm so thankful for my wonderful friends who have given me words of faith and encouragement. Sometimes that's all you can give, but believe me, it definitely gave me a boost that I needed. I'm thankful that Tim is supportive and loving and just wants to take care of me no matter what it takes.

So, not the best news to get before Christmas, but it sure does explain so many things that have happened over the past 7 years. I'm just trusting in God that everything is going to work out.

weekend recap and some funny things

A few funny/memorable things first:

I bought C Girl God's Little Princess bedtime devotional for Easter. She was reading it one day and brought it to me to show me a section that she said described her. 
It said, Dear God, I'm not always patient, and I'm not always sweet. Sometimes I'm selfish and stomp both my feet. Lord, change my heart and fill it with love- the love that's from You, sent from heaven above. Amen.
The girl obviously knows how she behaves! After I quit laughing about it, I was just so thankful for this devotional. I love the prayer and that it is teaching her that only God can change our hearts when we ask Him to.

B Boy is super into Pokemon cards and begs everyday to go to Walmart so he can buy some. I'm putting him off right now telling him that he will probably get some for his birthday. He also wants a binder to organize them in! He is so funny with all his varying interests in things! He is obsessed with sports, reading, math, writing, and Legos.

There is a part in the movie Planes where El Chupacabra says, You make joke? You make joke? Very well... you leave me no choice! I swish my cape at you! You have been shamed.
We started going around saying it to each other to be funny. On one of our vacations this year while we were stuck in traffic, someone had said the phrase. Of course, Tim latched on to it and had to create a new character with a new phrase- "you give me multiple choices!" So then, it turned into a running comedy where he would come up with outrageously funny "multiple choices" of things he could do to someone!

Also- I never want to forget the sound of the garage door opening when Tim gets home and the kids immediately yelling, "Daddy's home!!!"
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We had a pretty nice weekend around here. Friday evening, we took the kids to Red Lobster and then to see How to train your dragon 2. It was such a good movie!

On Saturday, Tim went to the farmer's market to grab a few things and he got to stay a while to hear some good music.

When he got back, he took the kids to a mini-maker faire in Rogers. Afterwards, they tagged along for him to shop for some new clothes and then he took them to get frozen yogurt.

 I still had not been feeling well until Sunday so I was very glad to get out of the house and go to church!

I have been feeling like myself again this week and I am so, so glad!

I spent Monday running a ton of errands that I didn't get to while I was sick.

Yesterday, I cleaned and cleaned around the house and I still have a ton more to do today. I can't believe how a house can get when momma isn't doing her normal work!

Tonight is also the kiddos' last swim class! They have learned SO much!!!

/ / thirty three / /

I turned thirty three on Monday. I wish that I had time to think and write profound words and thoughts. I feel like my brain is ADD most of the time. I'm usually running from one task to another, with stops by my "list" to write something down so that I don't forget. I email myself multiple times a day with reminders.

I was really overwhelmed by all of the texts, calls, and Facebook posts from everyone wishing me a happy birthday. It really, really made my day.

I had lunch with my very good friend, April at Chuy's. I got my favorite- Baja shrimp tacos!!!

I went shopping for a little while in the afternoon.

 We went out to eat Mexican for my birthday dinner.

I finally found a white shirt that was what I had been wanting for years- dressy, comfy, and not plain!

It was a really wonderful day and I'm just so thankful for good times and good memories.

A mother

Almost every day that I've been a mother, I've prayed that God would make me a better one.  
It's hard to believe that I've been entrusted with two precious souls to lead and guide and care for. I feel so inadequate. Being a mother is such an important job and I learn that more every year.

I didn't have a lot of life skills demonstrated for me as I was growing up. I'm the child of two parents with mental illness. I don't have a great relationship with my mother. I wasn't raised around extended family. I didn't have babies to dote on. Its a wonder I have done half as good a job as I have done!

I'm so glad that every morning I can wake up to start a new day, to work harder, to speak softer, and to love deeper. 
These two babies mean the world to me. I see so much of myself in both of them even though they have such different personalities.  Some of the things I see in them, I wish I didn't. I see things they learn from me. 
These are the things that I wake up every day and ask God to help me with.  I know that He keeps working on me, and I pray that He continually works in their hearts throughout their lives.  

I cannot think of a bigger blessing than the day that each of them will choose to follow Christ.  It's not my job to make that happen; it's my job to guide them and live in a way that they long to have what they see in me.  
That seems so daunting after I write those words.  I just feel so imperfect and I hope and pray that somehow, they will see Christ in me.  

These kids bring me more happiness than I ever dreamed.  When I see what they accomplish and how they are growing into their own persons, I am overwhelmed. 

There has been nothing else in my life that has changed me as much, been harder, or been more joyful than being a mother.