Falling into Changes

It's just about Fall and the weather is perfect. Although it has rained more than normal, I have enjoyed it. So with fall coming means schedules change and things get really busy again. Which I have come to like. When things are slow it throws me off and I get lazy.

So we have football for Marcus. So far they have played and won 1 game. Last nights game got canceled due to weather. He is loving it! Has friends from school on his team. Things this year are going well for him.

Natalie is enjoying cheer. I am just glad she is having fun b/c the parents and coach have had some issues, but at last Sat. game we were able to talk to the director (which just happens to be our coach's sister) about LOTS of our concerns and they are working on making some changes. We have our fingers crossed that we will see some real cheering, actually get our uniforms in before the season is over and not have a grouchy/look at me coach. It's not about her it's about our girls!

Miss Bella is loving all the going. She likes to be on the go. If she even sees us getting clothes on or shoes on she says "what's going on mom? What are we doing? or Let's go mom, I want to go bye-bye! She even cheers with Natalie sometimes at practice. She gets to play at the park at both Marcus' and Natalie's practices and at the field where they play/cheer. She has been a happy girl. She also is becoming very artistic. She has recently colored on 2 more walls in our house. I think her daddy is about to loose it. :) She loves to write, color, paint, any kind of artistic activities she is in!

Mr. Aden is getting too big too fast. He is just this week getting 2 more teeth on the top. He seems to always get 2 at a time. He is in the "my parents or brothers and sisters can't be out of my site" stage. He will go and start playing, but if he seems one of us he gets upset. Hopefully it won't last long. He pulls up on everything. From about a week of trying it he was all bruised up b/c he always wants to stand. He is crawling everywhere. He will even get on his hands and toes and stand up on his own, he wants to walk so bad. His birthday is next month and I am betting he will be walking by then. If his big brother and sister will stop picking him up. :) We just started giving him milk and he is doing fine with it, we are also using more cup and not so much bottle. That he doesn't mind unless he is tired, then he wants the bottle.

Frank is working hard, as always. He is also doing the P90X which he is really pumped about. He is really loosing weight though and gaining muscle. It's right up his alley so he is happy. That's pretty much all I hear about. :)

I have been feeling well this week. My Dr. apt. got canceled last week. I was bummed but we all had stomach flu so I really couldn't make it. I am looking forward to going though. I actually want to find out what's going on and get it fixed. As I have said before I am tired of being sick and tired. Laundry is still kickin my booty. Have a pile sitting right here staring at me. Guess I better go get busy with the day!

The gift of Kindness is a Blessing itself.

Have you ever heard it's better to give than receive?

Our church did a series on servolution a while back, and man we gave and gave and are still giving. You know at some point the thought of ok, what will my blessing be? (don't act like I just said something wrong you know it always happens). Well let me tell you that my blessing in return is the wonderful feeling I get just knowing that I am serving others for my God. I am working for him. That amazing breath of fresh air is all I need.

I am not a wealthy girl by any means. Lately getting to go to the grocery store every 2 weeks is all the shopping I get to do. Barely paying bills is hard. But we do it, we always make it through. One way or another it happens. We figure up our bills and it seems we don't have enough or will just barely have enough. BUT it always is.

God is so amazing. I love learning and growing through him.

So through the servolution we made sure our kiddo's were getting this message to. They helped pass out food at the ER, they helped pass out snacks and water to people in the hot weather, they helped give things (of their own) to the Children's Shelter and they helped pack the stuff up we received so we could take it. It felt good. They were proud that they were able to help. They even talked about helping at the shelter if they could. That made us proud. It's so good to see at times that your children have God in their hearts. That is another blessing in itself. I get so afraid sometimes with them having to be "in this world."

I haven't got to get out much lately with having no money and being sick. So yesterday was my first day with everyone well. I was thinking man I have SO much to do. Laundry, more cleaning, paying bills, just trying to catch up. So first thing in the morning I sat down and started reading in Mark. That alone gave me peace. I haven't been able to sit down and read in over a week. I just get to read as I walk past my Bible sitting open on the counter. I felt so peaceful. I just said that you God for helping me right now, I love you too! Throughout the day I just felt so at peace with everything I did. The laundry got started, the kids played/sang/read/fed, Marcus and Natalie came home with loads of homework from being sick so we worked on that and the day was peaceful. In the afternoon is when it normally gets more hectic. The kids come home, homework to be done, getting ready for their practices, dinner, clean up, showers and all that comes with it. Yesterday I had to go get groceries (we had nothing), Natalie had a PTC and practice and it was getting late fast. It seems as though things just always happen and I forget to breathe. Just go with the wind that blowing. I often have to find myself in it all. God giving me peace really helps. :)

So yesterday afternoon when I am trying to get everything done of course little things just keep poppin up, out of gas, lost my ATM card, have to drive clear across town to get Franks......ya things just happened. So I am starting to panic (my anxiety) thinking I am not going to make it to Aldi's and Sam's in time. They are going to be closed. And then God gave me peace, I just said Thank you Lord I hear you. I just told myself I am going to get in the van, drive to where I need to go and get the things I need to get. That's it.

I get to Aldi's with plenty of time to spare. While I'm there I see God's love and kindness happening through others, even if they don't realize it. There were 2 older ladies 2 carts in front of me, it was a mother and daughter and they were older. The daughter seemed a little stressed at the older mom. While they were putting their groceries on the belt some of their items fell off and went under their buggy. There was a Hispanic gentleman and a pregnant girl with 3 kids in between us. Well the man gets all the ladies items that fell and places them back on the belt. The older lady thanked him, with a surprised look on her face. You could tell she didn't expect it. I was proud at that moment, a simple act of kindness. The man then took his 3 kids to the car and left the pregnant girl to get the groceries. When she was up to the conveyor the older lady in front of her came back and helped her unload her groceries. A simple act of kindness. As the older ladies were packing their groceries into their bags one asked the worker where a certain product was b/c they couldn't find it. I was still standing in line and when I looked up I saw what she was asking for, so with a simple act of kindness I went over got the product for the lady and got it for them. I was so proud of those little things that God had done right there. I felt so blessed to see and be a part of it. I know others in the line behind us saw it too!

I also paid for a meal for someone, and that's when the little person sitting on my shoulder said, ok so what's my blessing going to be? And with that I took a deep breath in and said this wonderful day, this wonderful feeling of peace and love that God has given me is more than enough.

A simple act of kindness is all it takes to show God's love!

Living the Dream

For Sure!

Work, 4 kids, home, school and everything that goes along with it.

My #1 Dream is to see God!

I often in the past had to make myself slow down to fit God in. With my growth, strength and patience I have notice in time that I don't have to fit him in.

For 1 he is always there and 2 I listen always.

I am so thankful for growth and his guidance. Through him I grow daily, I learn daily and I live daily! He is always on my mind in everything I do. From feeling guilty about my road rage to yelling at the kids to singing praise while doing laundry.

I love that I am free to live it! Thank you Lord!

Woo What a Weekend.....Tuesday Oops!

So Monday was Labor Day and we were out having fun, so it's Tuesday and here's a review of our long weekend.

Friday we were off to Mena for a few short days. Hung out with all the grandma's and aunts and uncles. Had lots of fun!

Saturday was jam packed! First off to see mamaw and nana, then back to grandma's to go to the fair. The kids rode rides and saw all the farm animals. I stayed at nana's and me and Hannah got all the good ready for Jamie's baby shower.
The shower was fun and my One and Only hubby won the baby changing contest. All clothes and diaper on the right way in 57 seconds. And no he wasn't even rough with the baby.
Then the family went down to grandpa's grave and put the headstone down. We sand the Lords Prayer and talked about ways we remember our Po.

Then Sunday was a run, run, run day. Got up, started packing, went and loaded the new furniture we got from Nana, then back to grandma's to finish packing and head to papaw Jim's for a cookout. The cookout was fun. Marcus caught 4 fish in the pond, Natalie and Bella played with all their cousins and Aden was passed from person to person so he wouldn't knock anything down at papaws and break it.

Then by 3 we were headed home! It was a long trip. I never like the trips when we all aren't together in the same vehicle. Although Natalie was good company when she was awake. :)

Home to unpack and go grocery shopping! FINALLY!

Momma loves the Lovin!

I always wondered what do those parents do to those kids who are so lovey? Their kids want their parents to hold them and give hugs and give kisses. My oldest 4 just weren't fans. They would give hugs or give kisses, but man they wanted to be put down so they could run. No cuddling, unless they were already asleep.

My little Aden is the love bug. He loves his mommy! I am SO enjoying him loving on me and wanting me to hold him and when he just lays his little head on my chest, or opens that slobbery mouth to give kisses it just melts my heart!

Maybe he just knew that he is the baby and the last baby, so give mom some love!

Here we go Again......

So I have been trying to decide weather or not to talk about all this sickness CRAP or not. I feel it is a part of my life right now, it's a huge struggle, but something I need support and prayer about, so here it all is.

Iam actually a little frightened this go round. I know whatever is to happen will happen. I am in God's hands always.

Now all my life I have had a sensitive stomach so I called it. A little over 2 years ago I started having have big problems with my stomach. Had all kinds of wonderful expensive tests ran, and when I say lots I mean lots by 2 different specialist. In the end it came down to I have Gilbert’s disease, which makes me turn jaundice, and ended up taking Nexium for 3 months when the symptoms finally eased. They also decided that my stomach doesn't digest food quiet as fast as it should so therefore I have to watch what I eat and can't take ANY pill form of vitamin. My stomach gets irritated VERY easily b/c the food or what ever sits there too long.

So it's been a little over 2 years and a few weeks ago I thought I had the same stomach flu that everyone else in NWA had. But then it didn't go away and so after a week of it and dizziness so bad I couldn't walk I finally went to the Dr. They thought I had a bacterial infection in my stomach. After coming home and talking to Frank about everything we realized it was the same thing hitting me again, after 2 years.

This time there are more symptoms and they are a lot more severe than they were before. I have since been to the Dr. 3 times in 2 weeks, had blood tests 3 times, among some other not so fun tests, x-rays, and an ultrasound. All for a huge amoung of $, just so they could tell me they don't know it's something beyond what they can do. So I have to go back to the specialist and have some of the same test done all over again.

I am a little frustrated this go round if you couldn't tell. Throughout my life I have been sick a lot. The only times I was actually really healthy is when I am pregnant. Since I had my last baby I told Frank I don't want to get sick any more, I want to get healthy. Exercise and eat right.
This sickness comes and goes as it pleases. Some days I feel fine like nothing is wrong, other days I can't get off the floor b/c I am so lathargic. I HATE it. I don't have the time, patience, money or stomach for it. <-- Ha Ha stomach for it.

Anyways, that's my rant about it. There isn't very good outcomes for what all this leads too, so I am very frustrated with my body. I know God is in control, he is my healer and I give it to him daily. Just today and many days I need to rant.