target practice

I hate guns.  Nerf guns and water guns are fine.  Pretend play guns, not at all.  Hate them.  They make me nervous.  They terrify me.  Everyone in my husband's family thinks they are awesome and amazing.  Which is fine.  I'm not against other people liking them I just don't want one near me, like ever.  I've been told I would change my mind if I tried.  I don't want to try.  

That said I put my somewhat rational and somewhat irrational fears aside and watched my boys shoot their Uncle Andrew's new airsoft gun.  They of course thought it was amazing and immediately asked for one.  

Sigh.  

phone pic friday

and now a random collection of pictures...

I moved the antique piano I have yet to finish refinishing into the house so that Micah wouldn't have to practice in a below freezing garage.  It's much warmer but much louder during practice time.

Zach and I decided to be real grownups this winter and buy a load of firewood instead of buying individual bags at the grocery store whenever we went.  Yay for our first fire!

This is just downright miraculous!

 Micah worked really hard on a science project this week.  They have been studying the solar system.  I'll share more details soon because he was just so darn cute getting it together.

One of my awesome friends from church had a friend who sent her three license plates for me!!  Woo hoo!!  Almost half way there!

I changed the artwork on my chalkboard (copied straight off pinterest) and added a definition at the bottom.  I'm planning to slowly go through all the fruit of the spirit with the boys.  The goal is to memorize the verse, learn what they each mean individually and ways to show them to others.

Micah is super into comics right now so Other Zach surprised him with the best ever, Calving and Hobbes!

I finally hung something in our kitchen!  This is an awesome calendar Zach bought me for Christmas.  Each month has a different hymn on it and January is my fave!  Honestly though they all are amazing and warm my heart because they bring me back to RUF and the great memories there.

Connor making it rain at bball practice.

Logan and I made an impulse decision after Crossfit this week to go to Hobby Lobby and buy him a treasure chest.  Or treasha chest as he says.  He painted it all by himself and has been toting it around everywhere!

Yesterday morning I woke up at 4 am feeling like crap.  I stayed in bed almost all day while Zach took the boys to school and took care of Logan.  I used the time as a mini little spiritual retreat and caught up on some writing, studying and reading.  This book was suggested to our entire congregation from our session.  We are having a discussion on in this Sunday night.  I can not say enough about this book.  I have LOVED it.  When you open my copy you will see massive amounts of underlining and margin notes and I know when I re read more will pop out. 

Today we had our first sunshine and blue skies in over a week.  It was glorious!

Zach and I won a food battle against one of our boys tonight.  The culprit was this ridiculously small amount of broccoli which just so happens to be this child's favorite vegetable.  Oh the drama.

Zach chose one of his childhood favorites for movie night tonight.  The Pistol.  It's all about basketball legend Pistol Pete and his first year playing in middle school. 

moving onward into goals

Of all the things that were on my goal list for 2014 there were many that didn't get completed or even started but of everything, the things I am most happy about are how much reading I was able to do (25 books in one year and I loved 90% of them) and how much my relationships changed and grew.  My relationship with the Lord, with my husband, my children and my friends (and some new friends) have grown tremendously and that far outweighs any and every unaccomplished goal.

As for this year, I pray to be honest with myself about what is unnecessary and build margin into my life.  Resting, waiting and being able to say no instead of always doing and saying yes out of guilt or expectation.  Pressing onward and making steps to our desired future and the future God has ready for us.

Spiritual

           *  continued daily prayer time and journaling.

                * Focus on stopping throughout the day to pray and praying with Zach at night.

            * devotion time with the boys

            *  make goals for Children’s Church and accomplish them

               *  at least one day of fasting

               *  set aside time for a spiritual retreat

               *  attend a women's conference of some kind

               *  1,000 gifts list

               *  continue with women’s group and sharing transparently

               *  invest in younger girls’ lives and find an older woman to invest in mine

Physical

            *  earlier bedtime

            *  eat healthier (more water, less Dr. P , sugar and carbs)

            *  Crossfit 3 days a week

               *  Try running 1 day a week

            *  be diligent with taking vitamins

           *  engage in more physical activity with the boys

               * 1 race/challenge or more

Financial

            *  reevaluate family budget and stick to it

            *  patient with spending $$ on wants

            *  pay off  student loans

            *  organize paper work with a filing system

               *  keep emergency cash in the house

               * set up allowance system for Micah and Connor

Professional/Home life

               * sell or continue renting little house

               * find a home to purchase and be patient in the remodeling/redecorating

            * reevaluate then keep up cleaning schedule and weekly goals list

               * work on scrapbooks

               * organize videos and pictures on computer

* begin making yearly photobooks

            * refurbish list

            *  try 3 new recipes per month

            *  read independently and discuss at least one book with Micah

            *  Reading and writing practice with Connor

               *  begin letters and numbers with Logan and start preschool

            *  limit time on facebook and other social media a.k.a PUT PHONE DOWN

         

Relational/Friends and Family

            *  one special date with Zach a month

               *  Sunday night at home dates

               *  one outing or date a month with M and C

               *  prayer about foster to adopt and go through training process

            *  at least monthly hangout with friends out or at home

            *  be in tune enough to reach out to the needs of others small or large

            *  being open in my requests for prayer and in my asking of friends and family for their prayer needs    

                   as well

           *   plan a fun weekend getaway with 1) a group of girl friends 2)mother and sisters on each side

sunday song

Because one name can do all things...

How Sweet the Name of Jesus

John Newton

1779

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer’s ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

’Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,

My Shield and Hiding Place,

My never failing treasury, filled

With boundless stores of grace!

By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,

Although with sin defiled;

Satan accuses me in vain,

And I am owned a child.

Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

O Prophet, Priest and King,

My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,

Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as Thou art,

I’ll praise Thee as I ought.

Till then I would Thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath,

And may the music of Thy Name

Refresh my soul in death!

shooting hoops

Micah and Connor had the first official basketball games this weekend.  Here are a few lessons I learned during my first Saturday as a basketball mama.

1)  UPward is pretty awesome

2) My boys look cute in any uniform

3)  The buzzer is LOUD.  Like obnoxiously loud.  I must have blocked this out from all my childhood mornings watching my brothers at the Y.

4)  It's cold outside during basketball season.

5)  Because of said cold you either let your child's legs freeze on the trip from the car to the gym or you figure out how to maneuver pants over shoes because untying, taking off and retying is for the birds.

6)  Logan can only sit through two games in a row if you buy him popcorn.

7)  Their concession stand rocks and had fresh made biscuits for the early morning games.  MMMMM!

may family christmas

Last Saturday we finally got to do our Christmas with Zach's family.  There were 14 adults and 9 kids piled into Andrew and Krista's house with yucky rainy weather outside.  It was crowded, crazy and chaotic but honestly there's not really another option when we're all together!  It was a fun day of giving gifts, chatting, eating, playing with kids and having push up competitions.  

word of the year

A new year always brings on new goals and new focuses.  I think this is my fifth year picking a specific word to let lead my focus in making those goals for all aspects of my life from my spiritual walk to how I decorate our house and all roles in between.  It's a great exercise for me and not just because I like thematic things all wrapped up in a package.  It's great because it requires thought and planning, quiet introspection, and something to build upon so that you aren't floundering in the midst of desires, needs and ideas with nothing to connect it all together.  

Zach and I were chatting in the car on the way back from my parents house when I shared with him my new word.  This year's word was easy to choose.  Almost as easy as last years which still remains my favorite that God has ever led me to!  I shared yesterday about my desire to take all the new wisdom and character that God guided, pushed and sometimes dragged me to throughout the year and have a do-over for 2014.  Do over the hard stuff with new thoughts and do over the great stuff with new appreciation and joy.  However at the end...

"A do-over is not possible, we don't get to go back and change what we screwed up and we only get to relive the past in our memories, but we can take all of the lessons, heartache and joys with us into the future which is where I'm taking mine and Lord willing there will be plenty more to add this time next year."

2014 was a rebuilding year of sorts.  A continuous path to get back to level ground and God was so faithful in that journey.  However in all aspects of my life I am ready to rise above that plane.  That is why my word this year is onward.  

on·ward

  adverb

1.                                                       in a continuing forward direction; ahead.

     
2.                    
3.                                                                          adjective

1. 
   
2.                                 going further rather than coming to an end or halt; moving forward.
3. 
   
4.    

I love the definition.  I love the thought of a continuous forward motion, of going further rather than coming to a halt.  So many word pictures immediately enter my mind from books, movies and personal experiences.  Onward doesn't mean quickly.  It doesn't mean crossing the finish line first or even finding the finish line anytime soon.  It means not quitting and not giving up, whether sprinting or struggling for every step, there is no halt there is only moving forward.

When making my goals for this year in the categories of spiritual, relational, professional, financial, and physical I am praying that God will open my eyes to ways my family needs to start striving toward in the future, not so much to get them completed this year but to start the process of onward focus in those areas to set up habits that will be a part of our lives and actions forever.  Things that will guide us in rising above our current level and stretching toward the life God continuously leads us to.

I'm very excited and somewhat nervous about what will come about, but I pray to continue to rest in that Hope of knowing that His promises are true, now and forever.  

Zach informed me not ten minutes ago that a very popular blogger chose a very similar word to mine for almost identical reasons.  Instead of feeling frustrated I am choosing to feel encouraged that so many people are needing and feeling the same thing.  But I promise these specific thoughts are all mine.