Summer's almost over...

WARNING--I am writing this while feeling very emotional and a bit nostalgic.  I'm a little sad today about Hannah going to preschool.  I know it's silly-- it's only two mornings a week!  She is so excited to go and make new friends.  I'm happy to finally get some alone time with Harris.  All in all it's a good thing...but it still makes me sad.  Pre-school signifies an era to me, that she is about to begin.  All of these fears begin to creep into my mind.  Will this be a positive experience for her, one that will draw her heart closer to the Lord and not away?  Will my opinion still be the most important one?  Will she still love me the same when her world widens?  Ahhh!  So many questions whose answers only the Lord knows.  Ken and I have been spending a lot of time in Proverbs together, hashing out our parenting as we go along.  Some of my favorite verses (that I keep praying for my children) are in the first few chapters:  "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head, and ornaments about your neck...For length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you.  Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man." (1:8-9, 3:2-3).  I can't go to school with her.  I can't hold her when people aren't nice to her.  I can't smooth out the way before her.  But I know Someone who can.  I know that He has promised never to leave her, never to forsake her.  I know that He loves her and that the only pain that He will allow into her life will be the same pain that He will later use to make her more like Him.  I also know that He will give Ken and me wisdom in raising her to be a godly ambassador for our King.  So, I will cry the first day that I drop her off (and probably the next one too).  Then I will take my little man out to his favorite breakfast place and watch him gorge himself on bacon and eggs. I will remember that I have not left Hannah alone.  Her best Friend and constant Companion will be there with her as she colors and plays and makes new friends.  He will remind her of His and our teachings.  Over the years He will grow her into a godly young woman with a shining necklace of grace and truth and a crown of beauty.  I am thankful that He has given me the opportunity to assist Him in this task.  He is my constant Companion too, telling me to trust Him in everything--even pre-school. :)  

Mimi and Pop Camp

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the kids' visit with Ken's parents (affectionately known as Mimi and Pop at our house) in July.  They love Mimi and Pop and really enjoyed spending a fun-filled week with them.  Harris still talks about going to the golf course with Pop!  Hannah often reminds me that she has ridden a horse and is now, apparently the expert on all things horses.  They had a wonderful time and can't wait to go back for a visit.

Zoo trips, ice cream and God's grace

My kids had a horrible week last week.  They were cranky, mean, and very disrespectful.  They had melt-downs galore and pitched major tantrums.  By Friday I had had my fill of badly behaved children.  So on Saturday, Ken and I decided it was time to teach them a serious lesson.  We were going to make them suffer the consequences of their sinful actions...we took them to the zoo and later went out for ice cream!  Just in case you are starting to judge my parenting, this is not our normal reaction to misbehavior.  But, something made me feel differently this time.  All week long, I had felt irritated with them.  Why couldn't they just listen?  Why were they choosing to disobey me?  Why were they being so mean-spirited to me and to each other?  Then I realized something about myself as I watched my children.  I am very much like a child in my relationship with my Heavenly Father.  I have His Word and His Spirit to help me understand it and apply its truth to my life.  But do I always listen?  I know when I am choosing to sin, but does that always stop me?  I cause a lot of the discord in my relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  My sin often distances my heart from the One who has loved me so perfectly.  Does God get irritated with me?  Does He feel disappointed in me?  I realized as I looked at my life, that the times that I most need a spanking, I often get zoo trips and ice cream.  This is what we call grace.  Not only do we not get the punishment we deserve from our Heavenly Father (Jesus bore that for us on the cross), but we get gracious and abundant gifts from Him instead.  It is God's KINDNESS that draws us to repentance--that changes our hearts to love Him and WANT to obey Him.  So, this past weekend I actually enjoyed my children at the zoo and ice cream store.  I didn't enjoy them because they were well-behaved or perfect.  I enjoyed them because they are mine.  They are my delight, no matter how they are behaving at the present moment.  They are precious to me simply because they are my children.  Look at those little faces, dripping with ice cream, and remember that you are precious to God because you belong to Him.  Now, if I can just remember this lesson I've learned the next time they act a fool in public and embarrass me...  :)

Touch a Truck

We had a fun event in our town called "Touch a Truck".  Basically, they lined up a bunch of different service trucks and let the kids climb around in them.  Harris was fascinated and wanted to honk all of the horns to see what different sounds they made.  That got a little old after we had been there for and hour. Hannah's favorite was the school bus.  She went on and on about how she would ride it one day when she went to school.  I didn't have the heart to tell her that the bus won't come to our house, since we only live 1 block from where she will attend K-5!  They had a great time with JJ (Harry's best friend and almost twin).  We look forward to going back next year!  By the way, I have no idea who that kid is in the last picture.  I kept telling my kids to smile (and only Hannah did, of course), but this little guy kept smiling and wouldn't get out of the picture!  Oh well, at least two of the 4 people in the pic are actually looking at the camera.  

Encouraging words from a long time ago

At church on Sunday we read a question from the Heidelberg catechism.  It is so interesting to me that words written by men 100s of years ago could still ring so true to me, a little housewife, today in 2008.  I guess there really is nothing new under the sun!  I hope that this reminds you, as it did me, of our Father's love for us and the security we have in this life, and the next, in Him.  The last line was especially convicting to me--this security should spur me on to live my life for Him in every moment!

"What is your only comfort in life and in death?  That I am not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.  Christ has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil.  He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.  Because I belong to Him, Christ, by His Holy Spirit assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him."

Summer family pics

It was so fun spending time with my two younger brothers, Nathan and Aaron.  Since we live 15 hours away from each other, we don't get to see each other much.  They are wonderful uncles to Hannah and Harris!  Nathan just graduated from Ole Miss and is living and working in Charlotte.  Aaron will be a senior at Ole Miss this year and has begun his job search!  Besides being great uncles, they have turned into fine young men as well.  Who knew?!  :)

Summer 2008

We've had a whirlwind summer!  We've been on vacation with my family to Boone, NC, where we played in waterfalls, visited Tweetsie Railroad (a western-themed park), shopped in quaint little towns, and had all kinds of fun.  We really enjoyed the opportunity to get all 11 of us together, which is rare these days!  

The kids went on from there to visit Ken's parents where they played in streams, rode horses, cooked with Mimi, and played golf with Pop.  Ken and I enjoyed a "kid-free" week as we celebrated our 5 year anniversary!  Thanks, Mimi and Pop!

In July the kids and I headed to Charlotte to see my parents and my grandmother.  We had a wonderful time with them as we celebrated Hannah's 4th birthday.  She is so grown up!

We've had a crazy June and July and are looking forward to a slower August.  Hope everyone's summer has been full of fun!  More pictures to come...