Today's reasons to rejoice:

Sand from the sandbox in our house!

Why would this cause rejoicing?
Because the sand in my house means:

We have a house (that I need to clean)
I own a vacuum to clean the sand up with
I have 4 darling children (who bring the sand in)
All 4 are healthy hapy and full of energy to play
We are blessed to have nice yard and sandbox
I'm healthy and happy and full of energy needed
to love and rasie 4 beautiful children
The sandbox reminds me of the wonderful man
I married ... among his many, many talents is the
ability to built gigantic sandboxes, and love his family!

You see, there are many reasons I'm thankful for the sand on my floor ...
... but now I better go clean it up.

Today was the end of summer t-ball.
Players vs. their parents games ... and it was 90-something out there!
But we love'em and we can play t-ball in MN heat!

Whatever things are true,
whatever things are nobel,
whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report,
if there is any virture and
if there is anything praiseworthy -
think on these things.

Philippians 4:8


hmmm... I need to commit that verse to memory
I do carry it in my purse on a note card ... but I really do need to remind myself that all my "what if"s and "if only"s ... are neither true nor noble or just ... I need to turn my thoughts to the things of God. And what better way to do that than to think on scripture.

(for anyone interested on this idea ... best book I've ever read on Philippians 4 is Loving God with All You Mind by Elizabeth George)

Today's Reasons to Rejoice:

• I'm saved by a wonderful merciful Savior!
• Allen is cleaning the garage
• I got a table cleared off in the "school room"
• beautiful sun shinny day
• chocolate
• I've gone 48 hrs without drinking a coke!

I belong to a Friday morning bible study ... for the summer we have been going thru Proverbs 31 with a book titled Becoming a Woman of Joy ~ A Scrapbooker Looks at Proverbs 31.
It really is a great study and fun way to look at it. But I must say the verses we looked at today are very convicting to my heart.

Proverbs 31:14-15
She is like the merchant ships, bringing food from a far.
She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

Well, I feel like a merchant ship, running here and there after stuff, but not sure I do much of the bringing home good food. We eat out far too much and boxed convenience foods far too often. I was not the only one feeling this way, so we discussed where it was that we were lacking ... Why weren't we able to do more "home cooked meals"? I think the basic conclusion was many of us with children of varying ages were so busy we lacked time to prepare, but also that the planning piece was missing. I know this is true for me. When I write a weekly menu and stick to it, we do so much better. I have in the past sat down on Sat. or Sun. to make a meal plan for the week, and on the back of the paper I've made a grocery list of the things I would need for those meals. Allen is so kind and generous to shop for me if I make a list like that. Then when I get up each morning its like I already have a goal ... I know that certain things need pre-cooking or cutting and that certain things need to get in the over by a certain time (depending on which meal it is). There is no standing with the fridge or freezer door open at 4:30 thinkning ... whats in here ... and what do I feel like doing????

So my goal (I use that word loosely) is to place those verses in my kitchen and try one again to be more committed to my meal planning. But I think it won't be possible without medtating on scripture ... if I'm doing it to be "the Betty Crocker or Martha Stewart wife" thats the wrong reason. I want to do this to please and glorify my God!

Well, today its T-ball, then T-ball, hopefully a trip to Northwestern bookstore to look for some lang. arts books and music for a baby dedication.

Then we'll hang with my mom, and nieces and head to bible study in the evening, while my mom watches the kids. Can I just say I'm tired already ... oh wait ... that might be because the baby likes to wake up and 2am :)

And our adorable little 10 mos. old has learned to crawl ... it was a couple slow moves at atime two days ago ... now I'm putting up the baby gates ... he is on the move! And His big brothers think its great that they can build things for him to come topple ... I wonder how long they will enjoy that game? :)

Memories I Love

Our family in Argentina - Jan. 2006




In Buenos Aires with my mom


Is there anything sweeter than a sleeping baby?


These are the most kissable feet in all the world :)

Hmmm ... who would have thought ... I have a blog

Well, I guess today its all about learning to rejoice in all that life brings -

Whatever happens, wherever we are God is there and we are His - I can't begin to tell you how that changes how I look at life! Well, thats just it, I long to be able to tell you ... I long to find a way to share, to tell, to write about all that God is teaching me as I walk this road called 'life' , so why not in a blog!

A thought for today :
Our life needs more color ... so whats one to do with 8 kids, but tie dye, of course!