Favorite Child

I have heard several times that every mother secretly has a favorite child. At first I was thinking that is crazy! The more I have thought about it though, I agree. I do have a favorite child. It is the one who isn't throwing a fit at that moment. Who is obeying. Who comes up and cuddles. Who is kind to someone new at school. Who is running crazy through the house crazy like. The one who is sensitive because someone was mistreated. So yes you may have figured it out. Both of my kids are my favorite. It is because they are different and have qualities that are different and make them individuals and so very precious.

God can change you 2

I have to give you a warning. One thing that happens when you open your heart to the Holy Spirit to come in and work through you. Well, you may get put into uncomfortable situations. Ones that aren't always in your "Spiritual Gifts" column. This has happened to me lately. So, the neighbor boy is good and all that. And my husband and I are really called to a group of non christians. Not totally sure how it all happened it just did. It started out (however) and we really gravitated to the 3 couples in the group who had kids. They were close in age to ours and they all played well together. Well the one lady whom I felt I knew the least. Her son is younger and they live out in Turner, where as the rest of us are west siders. Her and her husband came to the birthday dinner my hubby set up for me. Well, she plops herself right next to me and proceeds to tell me that she went to church on Sunday. I mentally made note not to let my jaw drop. And she was telling me that the pastor challenged them to choose a word for the year. She chose learn. She has one other friend that was a Christian, however, she had decided to become jewish and since that just didn't seem very solid to just switch that way. Well, she asked if I would mentor her and help her understand it all better. Yep thats right HOLY COW. If you know me, that isn't me. My spiritual gifts are not teaching, leading any of that. Now if you need me to encourage you, have faith or show hospitality. I am all over it. Needless to say I am freaking out and yet so excited that God feels like I can do this. We have invited one of the other ladies to join. Not sure if she will yet or not. Her husband has been asking mine questions and they do upward with us. But, since all that I feel like satan may be attacking her. Just strange things she is doing. So, I am praying harder for them and their marriage. So again I give you a warning be careful what you pray. And yet be ready for the ride of your life that God will lead you on.

God can change you!

God sometimes puts you in places or situations you didn't ask for and if you are willing he can use that for his glory. Last year I took two additional neighbor boys to school. Not a big deal. They were on time and easy. But they were off to middle school and so I was excited to have it just be my son. However, that was not to be. Right before the school year started our neighbor came down and asked if I would be willing to take his son to school and pick up. Here is a little background on our neighbor. First, they are nice and all and have been through so much. But, the little boy is rowdy, wild, and had no supervision. His mother had died before he turned 5. He lives at Great Grandmas house. With Grandma, dad, uncle, sister (17) and Brother (16) and himself. Needless to say he was at our house a lot and sometimes just wore me out. But, it is someone to play with and like Jim said. Would you rather not have a kid for our kids to play with? I know, at least they were always at our home and I could supervise. So, I begrudgingly said yes I would take him to school. Well, every morning I would pray for patience and that I would grow to care for him. I was encouraged by the people who told me good job. He needs this and my husband telling me I was becoming like a mother to him. Another neighbor saying they could tell he was with me a lot because he was getting Sparkman manners. (I expect my kids to have good manners) I started kind of side hugging him when he would come out after school. He started leaning in. He has started being even more respectful in the mornings and he LOVES good news club after school. So much that his grandma called and asked if he could go to church with us. Now you must know. I was still praying about him but I have grown to LOVE him!! I don't worry now about dropping him off after school if I have stuff to do. I just bring him with me. So of course I told his grandma YES he is more than welcome to come with us. The kids were estatic. They couldn't wait for Sunday. However, that first week was not to be. They overslept. That was okay. My kids cried and we prayed he would be able to come after Christmas since we were going to be gone. Well, last week I had to go to the church after school on Wednesday to set up coffee for my mom's group and so I took him with me. His grandma asked for the churches address so that maybe they could come. We got there and he loved it. Again we weren't doing anything amazing. There was no programs or anything. But he asked several times if he could come back with me. I said of course. Just come down Sunday morning. Well, he didn't come but I saw his dad and grandma getting in the car and figured they had something to do. Well, they did. They ALL came to church. They didn't stay for Sunday school so we are going to see if he can stay late with us but they all came. I am so feeling loved by the Lord in all this. That yes he can for sure use me where I am and how I am loving on the kids in my life. Jim and I have always said 2 kids was for us and we wanted to be open to having kids in our home that need us. I just didn't think it would be happening when ours were so young. So excited about his leading. I will post another one on some other things he is doing. :)

Another sad thing of Divorce

Our kids are growing up in an age where divorce is so "normal". I hear my kids playing it, they tell me when they get their new mommy or daddy. It breaks my heart. I explain to them that that won't happen to mommy and daddy. It is so sad to hear of separations and divorces of friends and people we know from church. It is so hard to here how they must have let their focus come off God. I know marriage takes a lot of work but it is so worth it. Now I know there are some situations where it is a must and it is safer for all involved.
So, I pray for our kids and that they realize how sad divorce is and that they should be so thankful that we have no plans for divorce. Today I think it actually sunk in to Riley how sad it is. I clean a new house where the dad was married before and his daughter from that marriage comes only a couple days a week and then he is remarried and has a son.
So as we are driving there and I am explaining who lives in the house. I left out the daughter. And she asked if they had a girl. I went into the divorce and remarriage and how there is a girl just not all the time. She got quiet and then she said, so she doesn't get to see her daddy everyday. I said no. Isn't that sad? She said yes that is really sad. Made me glad that she got it and yet sad that we even had to have that talk. And so happy that she loves her daddy SO MUCH she can't imagine not seeing him every day.

Christmas Baking

I was just thinking this morning as I looked around my kitchen. Why do we do all this Christmas baking. In my house I usually do sugar cookies and some gingerbread and chocolate covered pretzels. But each year I try something new. (tried some candy cane cookies, taste good don't look good) But as I looked at it all I wondered why? I don't enjoy eating it, except the pretzels, and no one else in my family does after the first day. So it ends up going to Jim's office or my neighbors. Which if they enjoy getting it then I am glad. I think I am going to slow down on the baking. I just isn't needed and I want less dishes to wash.

I know

Once again it has been to long since I posted. I don't know why I don't post more. I mean yes we are busy but so are all the rest of you. And I read a lot of your blogs at night. So no excuse.
We are happily preparing for Christmas. This year it is coming faster than I thought it would. However, we will be heading to Canada this year so I think that is why. I know Christmas can be so stressful for so many but for me it isn't. I really try to keep life low key. So when I say I am busy that means I cleaned one house that day (not my own), ran kids to and from school, maybe did some work for my husband at his office and then came home and played with the kids and tidied up our home. Okay so seeing it on there does seem like a lot. But most evenings are home and that is where I feel my days feel busy. Is if I do that all day and then have to go out at night.
Life is good. Christmas is coming. This is the first year in a long time my husband hasn't been stressed financially at this time of year. He usually is stressed with Christmas and finances and making it all work. This year God just keeps blessing us with work. Either cleaning jobs for me or more houses closing for Jim.
This year as a collective family we drew names. There are 8 of us adults. So that makes it nice. I only have to buy for one person. So much less stress. Jim will handle his man gift just fine to. So on the gift level we are just about done. So we are enjoying baking, listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies. Just such a great time of year. Hope you are all having a wonderful season.
Now just bring on the snow. But in all reality since we are traveling I would like it to wait until January. But I love the snow!!

Marriage

I again am going to go on a rant. But first I have to just throw some thing out there. I guess I am going to embrace this by typing it on here. I can't cook. I can bake and I enjoy it. But I can't cook. I again tried it last night. I thought fried chicken with mashed potatoes sounded good for supper. Yep, it didn't turn out. So I again am at least blessed with a family who is so gracious to me and they don't care and at least try everything I make.

On another note our chickens have started laying eggs. We have one that is ancona. We have named her Ramona. All the anconas we have had are super friendly and LOVE Brayden. That is why they are named Ramona. Because Ramona always chased Davie around the play ground trying to kiss him. Anyway Ramona is laying eggs now. How do we know they are hers? Well they are a light green. So for 13 days we have gotten light green eggs. So Riley has been saving them for something special. So we are going to make a cake. It will be fun. Again, I can bake. Just not cook. So the cake will be fine.

Now on to marriage. I may have ranted about this before but I just am so sad about it and how this has so affected society. Why as women do we not lift our husbands up. I have a t-shirt that says "My husband Rocks" I completely believe that my husband is awesome and he works so hard for our family. He plays with us and loves the Lord and is awesome. Now, I know not everyone has a great awesome husband. But, I believe that men tend to live up to what is given them. What I mean is if you are nagging them, down on every flaw they have, getting together with your friends and talking about all their problems and yours. You are for sure going to not see the amazing man for what he is. So, yes my husband isn't perfect. But I could focus on the negative or I could encourage and build him up. Which makes such a difference.

So my challenge to you is text your husband today. A fun text about how you think he is a Sexy stud, or he is your hunk a hunk of burning love. Or how much you Respect him and how hard he works to take care of your family. You will for sure see a difference.