In the Garden....

I visited the most amazing place yesterday!

I know to most people, it won't seem like a very interesting place,
just flowers and green stuff, but to me
the garden is where God meets me.

 

 This week has been a long one.  

Sickies, short nights, long fussy days, 

drained, and completely spent.

 You really have to strain to see
past the jagged edges of nerves
to see the beauty that is right in front of you.

 

 The mind seems to play tricks on you

and focusing on any one thing seems impossible.

 Instead of being able to get something accomplished, 
the feeling of being in many different pieces
and going in all directions is most often the case.

 So yesterday, I was tired and my brain was less than crisp.  
We took a long trip (more later) and we stopped by this park
to let the kids burn some energy.  
When I saw the gardens, I asked Keith if I could go.  

He played with the kids on the playground - right beside the gardens
and I spent the next 30 min soaking HIM in.

This is what He showed me!

When I am all bent out of shape
and can't see which way is up,

 He is right there waiting
to shower me with His love and peace.

When I am feeling uncertain, 
He is there to be my rock that cannot be shaken.

 When my spirit is drained, 
He is there to refreshen.

 When I am feeling overwhelmed, 
He is there to see through the ordinary, 
down into the heart where His beauty shines.

 When I feel like  I'm standing alone,

 He is waiting to surround me with his presence.

 He is the giver of Life,

 always reaching out to me,

 to make my ordinary days brighter,

 my fuzzy brain clearer.

 

 He's there when the times are good and calm, 

 and when I want to run and hide.

 He wants to make my path straight.

 

I am unique!

 Because of HIM, there is beauty!

 I am Blessed!

 I am most CERTAINLY Blessed!!

 

And that THIS life that He gave me is a miracle!

 That is what He spoke to me in the garden!

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses.
And the melody that He gave to me
With in my heart is ringing.


And he walks with me
And he talks with me
And he tells me I am HIS own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.

~
I know I'm not usually this "transparent" on here, but I hope some of you Momma's out there can relate and find some encouragement through this. :)

Self-Control

The other day, I came in to Kristyn wailing at the top of her lungs, holding her head, tears flowing like a river.


"What happened?"

*long drawn out gasp*
"Me and Owen bumped heeaaaaaaadds."
*another river gushes out*


Owen standing calmly beside her.


"If it was so bad, why isn't Owen crying?"

*sniff*

"Um, I don't know"


Owen proudly states, 
"Probably because I have more self-control!"


Indeed!!!!

:D

Proud To Be An American

Today has been a very special day!

 We had a special service at church for all the Fire Fighters, EMT's,  Police and Sheriff Officers.

 

 Our parking lot was beautiful!!

 

 Boy Scouts carried in the flags and led the pledges.

 We had a beautiful service filled with God's spirit.

 A special prayer of blessing on the Fire Fighters

 Retired Air Force Chief Master Sargent - "Beetle"  We love this man!

 The church bell was rung ten times for the ten years.

 Folding of the flag.

 Kids ( big kids, too)  have lots of questions.

 This afternoon we went to the courthouse to participate in "Cry out America".

 So today, especially, we are feeling very blessed to be citizens of the beautiful

United States of America!!!

Meet Charolette....

A couple of years ago we got George.  He was a nice little caterpillar that turned into a beautiful butterfly!

So this year we got Charolette! :)  Thankfully, we didn't have to look very long for her.  She was sitting nicely on a Milkweed plant waiting for us.

 We only had to feed her a very few days (thankfully) and she decided it was time to spin her chrysalis.

First she hung upside down for about 24 hours.....

 then she spun her chrysalis.  This is so amazing - they change from a caterpillar into a bright green chrysalis in less than 60 seconds.  When I read that, I thought "surely not" but, yes, it's true!!!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of her in that beautiful state, but you can see what George looked like and she looked pretty much the same. :)

She stayed green in her chrysalis for two weeks and then Sunday morning we woke up and Charolette had turned to THIS:

The green had turned clear and we could see her wings. We knew it was almost time.

 We came home from church and found her drying her wings - so beautiful!

 After a few hours, she started walking around and the kids had a grand time letting her walk on their fingers.

 Megan's so proud of herself.

 Pretty soon it was time to let her go.....

As soon as we opened the lid of the jar, she was off - not like George who stayed around for a while!  What a great little experiment we had.

(Notice Megan's dress and the one Kristyn was wearing when George flew away - :(  They grow so fast!)

Mud and Books and Fun.....

The kids have had so much fun in this little mole run/dirt pile this summer.  They have spent hours out there in the heat and never complained once.   Why is it when you ask them to clean up, "But Mom, it's SOOOO hot!"  Hmmmmm......

 They like to add water to the dirt.....

 which results in MUD!!!!!

 Thankfully, Ashlyn's perch is high enough to stay out of all that mud and fun.

 Kristyn LOVES to read.  That is an understatement.  She lives to read. (like her Aunt Misty)  So she made a little perch in her favorite tree.  (Don't mind the skirt. That is her absolute favorite dress-up skirt and would wear it 24/7 if I would let her - shudder)

 She enjoys her baby sister, too. :)

 Miss Ashlyn is crawling all over the place and standing up.  She has two teeth and likes to say, "Mama and Dada"  I'm not quite convinced she knows what she's saying, but I still like to hear her say it. :D

 Squeaky clean and ready for bed....except for the leftovers from bed time snack on those cheeks. :)