August 30

Whirlwind packing day. When I just looked over my pictures from the day, I was like, the kids went to school today? Oh ya, it's Friday... Wow. The house it packed for the most part. Some clothes hanging in the closets and some breakables in the kitchen cabinets is all that's left. You know you're tired when you wake up exhausted! I'm running on buffalo chicken Mac & cheese, Papa John's pizza & adrenaline today, folks. 

I essentially packed up our entire house since Tuesday {nothing like waiting til the last minute} while my husband was working and juggling moving details and acquiring two sets of appliances {for us & our rental property} & cleaning the carpet & saving the world. We make a good team. It's truly amazing what you can accomplish when you push yourself! More on that later. Thanks to the grandparents for all your help this week!! :)

August 29

August 28

August 27

Poor little Ruby didn't have a better day today... I left her crying and had to pry her off my legs :( Her teacher called at lunchtime and said she was fine, so that was a relief! Today was Grandma Debbie day, so I had a little time to myself around the house. That's good, because we are moving this weekend! AHH!! Not at aaaaaalllllllll ready I don't feel like, but I'm sure it will all come together. We're just moving about 5 minutes down the road, so that helps, of course. Lots of packing to do this week... I have a feeling the sleep meter will be on low this week and the overwhelmed meter will be fairly high. I can sleep when I'm dead, right?

August 26

Busy day. Toby picked out this plane with his birthday money/gift receipts {Bama & Jones'--thanks!}. And Eva went for her 9 month checkup today and is SOOOO BIG at 19 lbs. 12 oz. She's lookin good! :) Sweet little Ruby had a tough time going back to school today and was a little homesick. Poor kiddo... I hope the week gets easier for her! Broke my heart to see her tell me about it this afternoon with teary eyes and a quivering lip... :(

August 25

August 24: Cloudy with a Chance of Pizza

This morning for breakfast, while watching Saturday morning cartoons, the kids had the option to choose between zucchini bread or cheerios. Clayton didn't want either, went into the kitchen, found the last piece of pizza from dinner last night and decided to eat that. There was only one piece and the others already had cereal, so I let him have it. Well, Ruby sees him with it and wants one, of course. I tell her that I'm sorry, but it was the last piece. We can get some more some other time. She proceeds to have a tantrum, whining, jumping up and down, screaming, and smacking her legs with her wildly flapping arms.

I have to admit, I'm somewhat baffled by the whining tactic. Clearly, the pizza is gone. No amount of whining in the world is going to make some magically fall from the sky. This isn't Cloudy with a Chance of Pizza, people. So I tell her this. I remind her that her options are cereal or zucchini bread, should she choose to partake in breakfast. Clayton pipes up and says, "or you can just keep hitting yourself."

Well, yes, I suppose there is that option. Nothing like a little comic relief to break up an otherwise frustrating moment. :)


PS, Did everyone else's kids lose their minds today, or was it just mine? I don't know if they're tired from their first week at school {probably}, had too much sugar {likely}, just woke up on the wrong side of the bed {potentially}, or all of the above, but MAN ALIVE, I was tapped by 10am. Is it time to go back to school yet???

August 23

It's Toby's 3rd birthday today & the kids had an awesome first week at school, so we celebrated with some Menchie's ice cream! And Eva learned how to do "so big!" today, too! Haha.

On Being a Stay-at-Home Mom

When you look at my photos, you will not see 

the Pyramids, the Great Wall or even Paris {Pair-ee}. 

Diamonds and bangles and stackable rings 

are not on my dresser or found in my things.

Our van is all rusty and lends me to doubt. 

All the crumbs on the floor might make you grossed out.

My clothes are dated and starting to fade. 

I'm lucky to leave the house with a shower & braid.

Having only one income, to live in our means 

requires lots of sacrifice and slow cooker beans. 

Our house is not huge and we could use more space, 

but closeness builds relationships that are filled with grace.

I may not travel the world or have the latest styles, 

the best house on the block or dollar bills stacked in piles.

But take one look at a day in the life of me, 

and the blessings make it all worth it, you'll see.

I choose time with family and memories made, 

over a life full of stuff that will rust, rot and fade.

August 22

Busy, busy fun day. It was my first attempt at packing a "real food" lunch in my spiffy new Ziploc containers: whole-wheat zucchini bread, banana with peanut butter for dipping, and vanilla chia pudding. Sadly, as I found out this afternoon when the lunch boxes came home, it didn't go over very well... They looked like little birds had pecked at it. Very little birds. Not very hungry ones, at that. Ah well. 

The zucchini bread turned out really good, though! It was a hit with all the kids and mama's at the mom's group this morning. I used my recipe for Best Ever Whole Wheat Banana Bread and just subbed zucchini for the banana, used 1/2 cup maple syrup {instead of 1/3 cup honey}, and added 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. I wanted to give the kids a good first impression of zucchini bread, and besides, when they asked what it was, I could say, "it's chocolate chip bread," and be completely truthful! Never you mind the green stuff in there. Your eyes are playing tricks on you. 

After our fun morning, it was time to get ready for Toby's birthday party with some of our family tonight {he turns 3 tomorrow!}. I made some homemade pasta sauce, baked a cake, made some frosting, and got everything else prepped for dinner. The cake turned out pretty good, but my recipe isn't perfected yet. When it is, I'll post it!! The boy is all about Batman these days.

The face of mischief. The kids found the figures for the top of the cake: they wanted Batman and the Penguin in jail.

He asked for a blue Batman umbrella. Very specific request, but the grandparents searched and found it!

Bat Toby

Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday to you!

August 21

Ruby stayed home today, as they had all the boy kindergarteners in class today. Tomorrow she goes back to school with her whole class. Went to Target {again} & got rid of a ton of paper recycling. This whole purging thing is a lot of work but kind of fun! I like the obvious, fairly immediate results, my favorite of which is releasing the stress that comes with clutter. Less clutter, less stress. Win win if you ask me. :)

August 20

The first day of school was a success for all!! They both went right into their classrooms without any hesitation or complaint, and I walked out feeling a little sad about that in a way... I wanted to linger at the door, especially Ruby's, to make sure she found her seat, that she looked okay, that she was smiling and enjoying herself... But I didn't. I kept walking. They both loved their teachers and went on and on about all the good things in their day. They saw each other at lunch and a couple other times, too. I think this will be a good year for them. One down, many more to go.

"Basta" Salad

Ever since my sister introduced me to "Basta" Salad, it's been one of my favorite dishes. The barley, a whole grain, replaces the refined pasta you would normally see in a pasta salad, thus coining the term "basta" salad. Loaded with vegetables & beans, it's a perfect complete meal in and of itself, but it also makes an excellent side dish.

Basta Salad

4 cups pearled barley, cooked according to package instructions

1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 of a red onion, diced 

1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped

1 English cucumber, quartered & chopped

1 can small black olives, drained

1 jar green olives, drained

2 cans beans, rinsed & drained

A few handfuls of baby carrots, chopped

Mild banana peppers to taste 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. I like to mix and match the beans. I've used kidney & great northern beans as well as black & garbanzo beans, & it always tastes great! Chef's secret: pour a little juice from the jar of banana peppers into the salad for extra flavor.

For the dressing:

1/4 cup EVOO

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tablespoon dried basil

Mix and pour on the salad, stirring to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate. This is very much a {Whatever} recipe and is completely adaptable to whatever you happen to have in your pantry or fridge. This recipe yeilds a lot, as my recipes normally do, which makes it a great dish to bring to a potluck or to keep in the fridge for easy lunches during the week. 

Enjoy!

August 19

'Twas the night before school, when all through the house, every creature was stirring, except for the mouse. The book bags were placed by the door with great care, in hopes that the morning would go smoothly if prepared.

The children were fighting and not going to bed, because anticipation and excitement filled their heads. And Daddy in his shorts and I in my shawl, had just finished banging our foreheads against the wall.

I think it's fair to say I'm ready. They can go back to school now. Ready to trade in the 8:30 wake up time for some sanity. Kthanksbye.

August 18

Church picnic & the end of a crazy busy weekend.

August 16

Garage sale, day 2. Less traffic today but we still made some $. I had a few lovely visitors, as well! And apparently, Starbucks does deliver via your sister. :)

PS, Although the kids were in the garage, they weren't for sale. Ask me again tomorrow, though, and I might change my mind. ;)

August 15: Garage Sale

Garage sales are always a ton of work, and in the beginning I think, why am I even bothering with this... But then, when your useless belongings are finally laid out in the driveway and the customers start rolling in with their wad of $1 bills, you sit down and begin to appreciate the process. And then I remember that I like earning a little money for stuff that's just taking up space, and I remember that the people that who go to garage sales are quite interesting, sometimes a little strange {and cheap!}, and more often than anything, extremely pleasant. I met so many wonderful people today. As they strolled down the driveway and perused through items that tell the story of our lives up to this point, I got to hear bits about theirs. We laughed together, talked about family and loved ones, where they live in the community and how much they enjoy it, and what they planned on doing with the items they bought. I could totally do this every weekend {did I just say that?}.

Seriously though, for what these people are paying to walk away with some of this stuff is ridiculous. Makes me wonder why I EVER shop at a store when you can score such killer deals at sales. I need to put yard saling on my list for next summer, STAT. And thrifting. And I need to work on my negotiating and pricing skills, too. It's never a good thing when you suggest a price to someone at your garage sale and they reply with a surprised, "really????" Ya, they would've paid way more than that, apparently... Live and learn I guess. But hey, either way, it's money I didn't have before.

As I was going through all of our "stuff" to prepare this sale--boxes and bags and bins and piles of stuff--I started feeling the weight of all of it, literally and figuratively. In one way, it was really fun and nostalgic to unpack boxes, some of which had not been touched since our last move two years ago, and reminisce about where we have been, how far we've come, and how much our kids have grown along the way. They don't fit in the tiny little newborn clothes anymore or want to push around walkers {well, most of them}. The cute picnic basket we got as a wedding gift, and loved, is no longer practical for packing food for a family of six. Boxes of school textbooks, journals, photos, and notes tell of times past and a different season in life.

On the other hand, however, I was burdened by the sheer amount of useless junk I had spent money on along the way. Lots of money. Money that I will only see a fraction of again if at all. And it's all stuff that I NEEDED and had to have at the time. This process has made me reevaluate what I really NEED, and it's a lot less. Our society tells us we need to live big--to make big money to buy big houses to fill them with lots of big expensive things in order to be big and important. And matter. But all that stuff is really heavy, and you can feel the weight in your soul. I don't want to be burdened down by my stuff. I want to be free to use the money that God gave us to help people, bless people, and create memories for my family and I. That's way better than stuff any day. It feels good to start getting rid of all the excess and I hope not to have so much in the future!!



P.S. I probably only have two CD's that aren't Veggie Tales or Kid's Praise or Silly Songs--like, adult CD's. Sugarland and a Glee album {don't judge}. But I gotta say, I love me some Jack Johnson. So for all you yard saling peeps out there, if you happen to see one of his CD's at a sale somewhere, pick it up for a buck for me and I'll pay you back. :) Thx.

August 14

Getting ready to do a garage sale tomorrow. Ugh. At least we will get rid of a lot of stuff!!

Parenting with God's Voice

Parenting is a tough job. Kids don't come with a manual, an instruction guide, or even a short list of bullet points. And if you have more than one, parenting each one of them is as different as they are. Finally you find something that works great for a few months, and then it doesn't. Your toddler has finally overcome the biting phase only to enter a new one with tantrums. You manage at last to nail down a routine for the summer and school is mere days away. There are many opportunities to fail, and succeed, daily as a parent.

I've seen this list {pictured above} floating around Facebook recently, and it's a very good reminder about which thoughts to pay attention to and which to disregard. It's so easy to get caught up in thought patterns that are negative and unproductive. What struck me about this list, however, wasn't that obvious message: I saw instead, with a heavy heart, how often I parent with Satan's voice. It comes out in my tone, in a poor choice of words, in nagging, in harping on them, and I even see it in how they speak to each other. How they respond to me. And they learn that from...ME.

God is our heavenly Father, and I've often wondered as I've read through the Bible what it would look like to parent like God. He has many characteristics that we should strive for as parents: abounding in love, slow to anger, gracious, compassionate, just, righteous, disciplines those He loves. I think the list describing God's Voice showcases those characteristics in how He chooses to communicate with us, and the same could be true of how we parent our children.  

Instead of rushing your children:

Come on! Hurry up! We're going to be late! Let's go! Get a move on! We've GOTTA GO!!! 

Still them

• Allow extra time to get out the door, especially when school starts in a couple weeks. I know, at least for us, that getting out the door to school is a hectic "rushed" time. And you know what, if you happen to be late, it's not the end of the world {I know some would disagree with that, though}. 
• Don't jam pack the schedule so full during the school year that you are literally running from one thing to the next, as if you have a part time job as a taxi driver. Let some extracurricular activities go, miss a practice, only allow one activity at a time, and {gasp} don't go to every single Wednesday night church event.
• Take a few minutes to read this article and make a point to eliminate the "hurry" in your life.

Instead of pushing your children:

You must get straight A's. You need to be more like ______. The crazy screaming parent at the game.

Lead them

• Pay attention and notice their areas of talent, interest, and strength. Encourage them in those areas and present them with appropriate opportunities for growth and fine-tuning of those abilities. 
• Help them persevere in an activity while keeping an open mind. They may need to finish the season, but they don't have to be committed to something for life. 
• Understand that not every child is good at school, music, sports, or art. That's ok. Let them be who God created them to be, not who you want them to be. 

Instead of frightening your children:

Yelling, screaming, and fighting in front of them. Condoning abuse. Allowing them to watch mature content on TV or play violent video games. Threatening them.

Reassure them

• With this one, it's not always the parent doing the frightening but allowing the child to be frightened. If there is a toxic situation in the home, however, such as domestic violence, abuse, or fighting, that is very frightening to a child and needs to be resolved immediately.
• Children thrive when they feel secure and loved. Set up healthy communication patterns and make sure they feel comfortable talking to you about the hard things. They need to know that you will always be on their side and that they can trust you.
• Put age-appropriate boundaries on what they see and hear, from the news, on TV, video games, or otherwise. They can't unhear or unsee things, so once the damage is done it's done. Kids are growing up so fast these days--don't hurry them into losing their innocence.

Instead of confusing your children:

Inconsistent consequences. Not keeping promises. Expecting them to do as you say but not as you do.

Enlighten them

• To enlighten is to give intellectual or spiritual light to, to instruct or impart knowledge to. 
• Teach them how to live. Most of what they learn from you will be imparted by watching how YOU live and doing the same, so be the person you want them to be.
• Decide what is important in life and make sure that is a priority in your schedule, both personally and as a family. 
• Be consistent with consequences, even when it's difficult.

Instead of discouraging your children:

Name calling. Hostile correction. Lecturing. Nagging. Belittling. Constantly pointing out weaknesses or failures.

Encourage them

• Praise them appropriately. Notice when they succeed or display praiseworthy characteristics, like kindness, empathy, service, compassion, or mercy. 
• Be creative with your encouragement: write notes, surprise them, reward good behavior. Make sure your encouraging words are more plentiful than correction. 
• Discourage name calling and negative talk by implementing a consequence across the board, like a "potty mouth" jar, where everyone needs to put in a quarter/offense.

Instead of worrying your children:

Privying them to information {financially or otherwise} beyond their scope as children. Not being there for them when they need you. Reacting and being unpredictable emotionally.

Comfort them

• Let kids be kids. Don't bring them in on your adult concerns until they are mature enough to handle the information.
• Model trust in The Lord and pray together as a family about their worries. Keep a journal to record when God's answers to their prayers. 
• Foster a loving environment of openness in the home & make sure they know that they can talk to you about anything. They need to know that you are always on their side, and whatever comes along in life you will face it together.
• Be on time to pick them up and show up for them when they need you. 

Instead of obsessing your children:

Putting too much pressure on them to succeed in a certain area. Making your love conditional. Modeling obsession. Idols.

Calm them

• Everything in moderation, including food, media, sports, and anything else. 
• Just as God loves us, make sure that they know that you love them just because they are your children. They don't have to be anything or do anything more to earn your love. 
• Sow a spirit of calmness in the home by responding instead of reacting, speaking gently, and calmly enforcing consequences.

Instead of condemning your children:

Heaping guilt on their habitual sin. Harsh correction. Scolding. Shaming. Making them feel like they can't do anything right.

Convict them

• Only The Lord can get ahold of their heart & convict them, but you can assist in that process by praying with them and encouraging them to ask for forgiveness. 
• Focus more on the heart issue behind the behavior than the behavior itself. There's a reason for every behavior: figure out what's in their heart. True heart change will produce a change in behavior.
• PRAY for your children daily. Ask God to help them become the person He's created them to be and to do what He's called them to do. 

Well, I don't know about you, but reading over this list is incredibly convicting for me... I would love to parent with God's voice, but I know I can't do it on my own. God loves all of us with an unconditional, sacrificial love, and out of overflow of His heart His mouth speaks. We need to ask God daily for the ability to see and love our children the way He does, and the more we allow God to change our hearts, the more we will be able to parent with His Voice.

Which ones do you struggle with most as a parent? For me, it's rushing & condemning.

What has helped you to parent with God's Voice?

August 13

August 12

Good day today. More pictures than fit in the collage. Eva's fever finally broke & her spirits seem to have lifted a little. I managed to capture the face that we've seen a lot these days as she's been whiny & in pain. She makes an O with her mouth & says "HOOOOOO!!" like a little owl. :) 

August 11

Little Eva is sick with a fever. :( Clayton had his baseball picnic this afternoon--his team was in first place! Go Cardinals & "team Roberts!"

August 10

August 9

August 8

August 7

When you have a creative mind and you don't have a raincoat, you improvise {see above picture of Clayton}. Lol. We were getting cooped up at home, so we went to play at Burger King in the middle of the thunderstorm. Eva finally cut a tooth on the top and she spent all afternoon grinding her teeth together. The kids wrapped up a present for daddy. Blueberry pancakes for dinner again--they are so good!!!

August 6: A Lesson in Grace

Ahh, Clayton... My oldest. He's only 6 but the poor kid looks at least 8, and he's always been treated as such. His sister was born when he was a wee age of 16 months, and I expected him to grow up quick. It wasn't a conscious expectation, just a necessity of survival as a mother of two babies. Even at 16 months though, he was doing things that some two year olds hadn't even considered: opening doors, pushing chairs up to the counter and slicing pears {with a steak knife}, and locating every last spray bottle in the house. And spraying all of them, of course.

He's always been incredibly curious and into everything, and consequently a challenge parenting-wise. How do you direct and train such a curious and innovative mind? He knows when he's disobeying, but he largely does things because he's curious or wants to create something new. He's Curious George, just in boy form. I can't tell you how many "recipes" I've dumped down the drain over the years after he's tried to "cook" something new for breakfast. He also has  trouble controlling his impulses and using his words, but what kid doesn't, really. 

Instead of using his words, though, he's been aggressive with his siblings this summer. I feel like every time I turn around I'm telling him to use his words and apologize. The repetitiveness I don't mind too much, but I do mind when injuries, welts, and bruises occur as a result of the aggression. Today was one of those days.

When several rounds of playing outside by himself, time-outs, and apologies hadn't changed any behaviors, I angrily sent him up to his room to clean. He had de-fluffed his Build-A-Bear all over his room, I kid you not, about 6 months ago, and there's still cotton all over the floor. It hasn't completely been cleaned up or vacuumed since then. It's a painful process to get him to clean his room, so apparently I avoid the whole ordeal. But he was doing it today. First, he pulled the mattresses off the beds and took them apart. Then there was playing instead of cleaning, whining about not wanting to clean, doing everything except cleaning, escaping out the front door and playing outside instead of cleaning, and more not cleaning.

After much too long, he had finally made some progress in the right direction. Most of the big things were picked up off the floor, and I went in with a broom and dustpan to help him finish up. The floor is carpeted, but I needed the broom and dustpan to sweep up the carpet of things-too-large-to-be-vacuumed-up first, before I vacuumed. Like I've mentioned before, I'm "mom of the year." I like to try to live up to the title. So, I'm hot and sweaty and angrily sweeping up cotton fluff, googly eyes, broken crayons, Lego pieces, and Lord knows what else. I vacuum, stare in amazement at a clean, spotless floor, and attempt to reassemble the beds.

Quickly frustrated by the fact that I can't get the parts to fit together correctly, I bark at him to "get in here" and help with the beds. Despite my angry tone, my 6 year old calmly tells me that if you angle the bottom this way, move it over a little now, and gently slide it back that it fits back together quite nicely. "Why don't you try this one, mom," he says in a kind, encouraging voice. I mess with second bed for a few minutes before I get it right, and as he helps me lower it down, he says, "there you go! Just like that. Good job, mom!" Then he proceeds to ascertain the easiest, best way to move the mattresses back on the frame, and "just like that," we are done.

It wasn't until later in the evening when I was at our church prayer meeting that I realized that my 6 year old son was more of an adult this afternoon than I was. Nothing like a good prayer meeting to get some conviction going. Instead of setting an example of calmness and respect, I was angry and snarky. Even in the face of that, he displayed such maturity and grace in return. Leave it to God to use the impulsive, aggressive 6 year old to teach me a lesson on being calm, graceful, and encouraging, huh? As I tucked him into bed this evening I praised him for how he handled that situation and how much I appreciated it, and him! I'm thankful that no matter how many times I fail daily as a mother, wife, friend, or daughter, that God always forgives and always gives me another chance. And I'm thankful for children who do the same.


A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  Proverbs 15:1-3

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.  James 1:18-20

Are You a Servant or a Martyr?

I can't believe that the summer is coming to a close in just a few short weeks already. Almost gone are the days of sleeping in until 8am, snuggling and lounging on the couch, late breakfasts, playing outside, swimming in the pool, watching movies, taking drives, walks, parks, picnics, lightning bugs... These leisurely things will soon be replaced by 6:30am wake-up calls, uniforms, hectic mornings, a too-quiet house, routines, errands, schedules, homework and bedtimes. It was a weird summer, vacillating between constant rain to extreme heat, and now it seems that fall has arrived early. While I'm loving this temperate weather these days, I feel a sense of regret that the summer seems to have faded so fast this year. I find myself only 2 weeks shy of the start of school with a summer bucket list that is much too long still to complete in the allotted time.

There's always a part of me that looks forward to the start of school, however, some years more than others. The predictability and routine of the school year adds a sense of peace and harmony to life that is absent during the summer, when all kids are on top of each other, constantly bickering, and bored. As much as I hate to admit it as a mom, there is a small part of me that dreads the summer, if I'm being totally honest. The fighting, the whining, the complaining, the boredom, the running, and the lack of space, time, or moments for me to just be by myself. And being the innately selfish person that I am, I have a tough time transitioning to a greater selflessness that is required by summertime. So yes, that part of me very much looks forward to the start of school so I can take a deep breath, go to the grocery store without an ornery, handsy parade, and pee by myself again {wait, I will still have two kids at home, so scratch that one}. 

Ben was out of town for a few days last week, leaving me by my lonesome with the kids. Normally, knowing he was going to be gone for three days, I would've called in reinforcements and had family scheduled to stop by during the evening hours in order to retain my sanity. But I didn't. I just decided that we would survive and proceeded with life. And things were fine. They were actually better than fine--we had a really good time together! That got me thinking, and I determined two things:

Either the kids were just really, really good for some reason {insert laughter here} or my attitude about the day makes a HUGE difference. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm banking on the later. Hmmm.

God used the above quote {by Jen Hatmaker from Out of the Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load} to begin convicting me about my heart attitude towards life, and specifically my children. Although I may not display it outwardly, oftentimes there is this underlying annoyance when they are home for the summer. They are wild and fighting with each other most of the time. I find it very difficult to complete routine tasks because they constantly need something from me. I dread going to the grocery store. If I do take a little time to do something I want to do, like write this article, for example {it's taken me about 4 days to get this far}, I pay a price. Ironically, as I typed that last sentence, the kids went from playing nicely to throwing, hurting, and crying. Clayton has been removed for a time out and Ruby has an ice pack on her forehead. Sidenote: I'm always trying to wrap a little ice pack in a washcloth to sooth welts, but I just stuck it in a clean kid sock from the mountain of laundry I haven't folded. It's a perfect fit, doesn't slip off constantly, and keeps the ice pack from getting too cold on her skin. Score!

Anyways, I noticed a theme: They fight and drive ME crazy. They interfere with MY getting things done at home. They make it difficult for ME at the grocery store. I sigh. I groan. I shake my head. I grit my teeth. I yell. I sound a lot more like a martyr than a servant. 

When I choose martyrdom, I sacrifice joy, I squelch love, and I fail to notice God. I miss out on all the little details that make the day wonderful, that make the children wonderful, because I'm so focused on my needs and expectations not being met the way I wanted. A martyr is focused on themselves.

"Serving with joy in the midst of messes and difficulty can only be done when we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we are joyful and see each minute with our children as an opportunity to worship God though our service of Him, our children sense our joy and feel secure and happy." 

~Sally Clarkson

A servant helps and aids others. A servant takes the time to assist, to notice, to pay attention. A servant notices how well the kids helped to clean up the toys today and that they are getting the hang of organizing. A servant looks at her daughter, who will start kindergarten in two weeks, and sees how tall and beautiful she is. She has a sharp mind, strong legs, and a sweet face. A servant tells her how proud she is to be her momma and how much she will miss her. A servant studies the chubby little feet on her baby and notices how well they step along the floor as she cruses the furniture. She will be walking soon. A servant makes time for the dishes and laundry, but not in spite of her children but rather to bless them. Clean dishes make cooking healthy meals a lot easier, as do regular trips to the grocery store. A servant cherishes the moments to help her children when they are young, knowing that all too soon they won't need her help with such things anymore. A servant has a attitude of gratefulness, patience, and love. A servant is focused on others. 

As the summer winds down, ask the Lord to help you choose servant today. There's joy, love, and the Lord to be found there.

What about you? Do you find yourself a servant or martyr most of the time?

August 5

The boys polished off a couple bananas for breakfast this morning, saying "ooh ooh aah aah!" while they ate them. :(|) They are little monkeys. Eva had some, too, or rather the highchair had some. She needed a bath. Moms for lunch, picked up some local goodies, coffee, crafting, then celebrating Poppa's birthday. Busy day!!

August 4

National Friendship Day. Ben spoke at church & had an excellent message about the freedom found in Christ. The kids came home from Nana & Popa's with a little furry friend, & Clayton got his first "real" haircut somewhere other than mom's barber shop. 

Homemade Italian Dressing

If you know me, you know that I'm a HUGE fan of salads, and I love them mostly for the yummy homemade salad dressing I can slather all over them. Basically, I'm a vinegar addict. I've been using this dressing maker for years {pictured below}, & I've just recently concocted the perfect mix of spices to replicate the dressing my mom made {and still does} for our salad growing up. It's pretty close, at least. If you're a fan of vinaigrette's or Italian dressing, I promise this is the best version you'll ever taste!! It's so good that I literally drink the extra dressing from the bottom of the bowl, which we always called the "juice" at my house. Now my daughter loves it, too, so I have some competition once the salad is gone. :)

If this is something you'll be making often, I'd recommend investing in a dressing maker, like this one from Pampered Chef. It's fairly inexpensive and holds up really well. A pint sized mason jar would work, as well, but it lacks the convenient pouring spout.

Homemade Italian Dressing 

{yields 12 oz.}

5 oz. apple cider vinegar

7 oz. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp black pepper

Pour liquids into the jar to the proper measurements. Add spices. Shake vigorously & serve. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

You're welcome. :)

August 2

Our yearly trip to the Medina County Fair with my mom, & auntie Jen this year! I look forward to fair fries all year, doused with vinegar and some salt of course, & I got a big bucket full. After I shared some with the kids I happily ate the rest. :) And being the "mom of the year" that I am, I forgot to pack lunch for the baby, so she ate some fries & pizza crust... The kids held the fluffy little bunnies, saw all the animals, & watched Crazy Parker jump off the dock. 

August 1: Judgement Day

My heart is heavy today as I ponder the sentencing and judgement of Ariel Castro and the atrocities he committed against those girls for over a decade. No earthly punishment could ever atone for the pain and suffering he has wrought on their lives. It's at times like this I'm so very thankful we have a Savior who wipes away our tears and who will one day restore all that was lost.

One has to wonder how a human being could do such a thing to another, and we are quick to call him a monster. I would venture to guess that if you walked up to any little boy or girl in the park where I'm

sitting and asked them what they wanted to be when they grow up, a combination of kidnapper/rapist/murderer wouldn't even remotely be on the list. People don't aspire to a career as a monster, and they don't get there overnight. It's a series of very small, and at first seemingly insignificant choices, many of which begin at a young age. 

Being exposed to pornography early in life can form a root in a boy's heart that can literally take him the rest of his life to eradicate completely and keep out of the soil of his soul. And even if it is erradicated, like any other addiction it still looms on the periphery, always waiting to move back in during times of weakness, loneliness, or stress. This is a most difficult journey for a Christian, let alone someone who has no relationship with The Lord. If this root is not ripped out, it will only take more and more to satisfy the insatiable desire it produces. Add to that a cocktail of childhood abuse, pain, neglect, & abandonment: enter the world of human trafficking. 

I'm in no way justifying this heinous business, merely shedding some light on the road to depravity. Even with that being said, however, I still don't understand how you really get there. To that place. The place where your selfishness and self-gratification become more important than a human life. Than 3 human lives. How human lives can become as objects or property. I can only think about this whole thing in small doses because it's sickening.

Human trafficking doesn't just exist in other countries, it's in your backyard and in mine. A story that got international coverage happened less than 10 minutes down the road from my house. My husband passes the street every day on his way to work. Every. Day. I'm glad that, if nothing else, this story has shed some light on the dark world of human trafficking and it's prevalence. It's going to take all of us working together to stop more innocent women and children from becoming victims. Call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1.888.373.7888 to report a tip, get information about trafficking resources in your area, or to connect with local trafficking services. Pick up your cell phone and add it to your contacts. One phone call can save someone from a life most of us shudder to even imagine. 

Think honorably, my friends, for your thoughts become your actions. 

Act lovingly, my friends, for your actions become your character.

Submit your character to The Lord, my friends, for it becomes your destiny.

Whatever is true, noble, excellent, right, lovely, honorable, pure, and praiseworthy, think on such things {Phil. 4:8}, for your thoughts will become your destiny. Choose carefully that on which you dwell.