The post with lots and lots of pictures

Merry Christmas! 

Late you say? 

Where have you been you say? 

We've been here, like everyone else, trying to stay warm and healthy. 

Christmas was wonderful! The kids loved opening presents. In fact, Grey still asks for presents often. I tried explaining that we won't have Christmas again until next year. So he looked at me and asked me to get the Christmas tree out again. Smart kid.

 All of Emma's gifts had a central theme: "My Little Pony". She is crazy about them. And I have to say that I also have learned most all of the ponies names. 

 Jarrah was a fan of her Christmas treat too. She was ready to eat the bag in order to get to it!

 We were thrilled that Great Grandmother Vore came in from California again this year. She is 96 and still travels alone twice a year to see all of her kids this side of the country. We love seeing her. 

I only got one short visit a few days before Christmas because I missed Jon's side of the family's Christmas. Santa brought me pink eye, bronchitis and pneumonia for Christmas. Boo-hiss as I say. My mom came over and helped me with the kids for 3 or 4 days because I was too under the weather to keep up with them. Jon was very helpful and took good care of me too. The best blessing in all of that was the Lord kept everyone else from getting anything! No one else got sick. The kids stayed healthy and I thanked the Lord for it daily.

 The kids enjoyed playing with the Christmas lights. So I enjoyed capturing those moments. 

 The kids and I enjoyed making a snowman and playing in the snow. 

 We were proud of our little snowman. When it finally melted G kept saying "Papaw fix it!". He was certain Papaw could make the snow come back and rebuild the snowman.

 I hadn't had this much fun in the snow since the old days when I lived with my mom and dad. We had a huge sledding hill and had sled riding parties every snow day. Good memories! I made more wonderful memories with the kids this day. We even had hot chocolate when we came back inside.

 Like everyone else trying to find ways to stay entertained inside this frigid winter, we are pulling out all the stops. This is the indoor sandbox. It's actually beans but it works about the same. 

 One VERY big event was Emma's first loose tooth. She was playing one morning and realized it was gone! We suspect she swallowed it but it might be hiding in a nook or cranny somewhere in the house. Regardless, the Tooth Fairy read the note Emma left and still gave her money. 

 This is one of the few Sundays we have all been able to get to church this winter. I thought Grey looked so big in this outfit. 

 Emma has been finding lots of ways to entertain herself while stuck inside too. She pulled out this costume and loves wearing it. It reminds Jon and I of the costume she had when she was two. She wore it all. the. time. She wore it in the summer, winter, it didn't matter the weather. I'm glad with all the growing up she's doing that she's still my little ladybug.

 Jon and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. He surprised me with a spa day at Charles Penzone salon at Polaris. When I got home he took me out to dinner. What a guy! I'm so blessed. Our marriage has grown so much in the last 12 years. We've been through our tough places and also our easy spots. I am thankful that now is a phase of joy and peace. I'm blessed to have him by my side everyday. 

So, you see, we have been missing from the blogger scene but not from life. We are plugging away and thankful for all our blessings. 

Oh, and REALLY looking forward to spring!!!

It feels like July

June has passed us by already! We had a good month filled with birthdays and family time. Jon took me to a wonderful new restaurant on my birthday. It's called "Crave" and we loved it so much we are trying to find a sitter to go back again this weekend!

 Emma turned 5!!!!!!!

I can hardly believe she is five years old. Her smile and sweetness greet me everyday. She is fun loving and oh so tender-hearted. She wanted Minnie Mouse decorations for her birthday party but we couldn't find it anywhere so she happily settled for My Little Pony. I have learned more pony names in the last month than I ever thought possible. She even lets her little brother play with them. I am thankful to be her mommy.

We had a nice 4th of July. The kids loved their patriotic outfits and Greyson even gave me a goofy grin in this picture!

I decided to make some homemade jelly this month. I hope it turns out like my mom's. She makes the best jelly. My neighbor gave me a couple different types of berries so we will see how it goes!

I love love love the hot weather! We have been spending time at a friend's pool and the kids are getting used to swimming. Emma had a deep rooted fear when we started working with her last year but has made so much progress. She swims with floaties all by herself now. Greyson doesn't really have fear of the water. The first time we got in the pool this summer he looked at the diving board and said "jump!" and then toddled over to the diving board and jumped to me! I had to even pull him out of the pool once when he jumped in without his life jacket on.

We have enjoyed time at the spray park as well as the regular park. We are sad for less time with our sweet friend Hannah this summer, but we are joyful for her as she and her mommy, Missy, get more time together since her mommy changed jobs. They moved a couple hours away but landed with the best person possible, my best friend, Hannah's "Tia" and Missy's sister, Jen. Before they moved we enjoyed some fun days with Hannah and even took the kids and Emma's cousins to Chuck E. Cheese. All the kids seemed to have a good time and we anxiously look forward to visits back and forth with Hannah.

God has been so faithful to encourage me in seeking to know Him better. A wonderful woman from my bible study agreed to mentor me this summer and she is so helpful and knowledgeable. I am gaining ground spiritually and God has been obvious to me in how He is showing Himself. I still have so many questions and unfortunately fear as well. However, God isn't giving up on me. I have another freedom to be thankful for this month: Freedom in Christ.

I am free to seek God and free to ask questions and free to separate lies from truth. I feel I have a long way to go to be where I hope to be in my relationship with God, but I am taking the steps toward Him and feel Him nudging me along the way.

When I really need a smile

Life lately has felt...heavy. It's several little things for me that feel piled up but also that I feel for my friends who are going through heavy things right now. It's hard to watch your loved ones struggle, especially when you feel helpless to help. I know our presence is often what is the most comforting but it's still hard to know they are hurting and you can't do much.

I also feel like it's time to address some spiritual issues that are holding me back in major ways. I think it's been time for a long time but now is when I've decided to push hard enough to change.

Really, how do I trust a God that is so powerful He's scary? How do I trust a God who is so unpredictable? How do I pray to a God who does what He wants at the end of the day? How do I feel cared for by Him who doesn't take away or prevent pain?

 

I started this blog to be real. So that's what you get folks.

I am struggling with basic spiritual questions. I do believe and know without a doubt that God is real.

Jesus is His Son.

Jesus died and rose from the dead.

He died for me.

 

I'm thankful that I can hang my heart on these basic truths. Because of these things I am not lost. I feel a bit lonely as I traverse through these questions, but everytime I pray about these questions I feel God there, caring and patient.

 

That's a relief.

He's not mad that I am asking these things.

 

I have asked lots of people these very questions -everyone from my bible study leaders to pastors, to lay people and godly friends and family and no one could give me answers that gave my soul rest. No one could tell me what I need to know. I think that's because I know the answers in my head, but my heart isn't buying it. Not yet. A friend pointed out to me that I have some "issues" with God that I haven't talked to God about yet.

 

Somewhere along the way I have gotten the picture of God and Jesus as "good cop, bad cop". God is the wrathful and harsh commander who stamps requests as "approved" or "denied" while Jesus is the kind compassionate Savior who died for me and gently shepherds me. I know They are both One, however They are very different in my heart. I have put God in that role in my mind and haven't given Him a chance to teach me more about His character that will most likely bring my blurried vision into focus.

So the answers from others weren't ever going to be enough. I have to choose to faithfully be honest with God and allow Him to teach me, to show me who He really is. And then allow Him to help me accept Him as who He is, not who I've decided He is.

 

For me that feels scary, but I've decided it's worth it. I forget that a lot of this struggle is with the enemy. My friend also reminded me that Satan feeds me lies about God. Lies about who God is and lies that I should be afraid of God. Of course I want to revere God and respect Him, but be afraid of Him like I am, not so much. She shared that the lies I am believing are not any of God's characteristics according to scripture. It was interesting to hear her speak them out loud to me. Hearing them listed out helped me see that they aren't true. Satan really does disguise himself as an angel of light.

Stupid satan.

So, to that end, I move forward. I have been honestly praying honest prayers this week and honestly feel, well, my head feels full. But I know I am a step closer to Truth and God doesn't walk away. He doesn't give up on me. So as long as I want to know Him more and know Him more "real", He will abide so I can gain more wisdom. He is standing by while I put my childish ways (my childish opinions and presuppositions) behind me and walk closer and closer to the glass through which we see darkly. I know that God will help me.

One way I know this is that He has given me so many good things. He has allowed me to get daily doses of smiles and light-heartedness from my kids.

They make me laugh and smile and feel closer to God.

Thank you God for every way and every person you use in my life.

Thank you for not giving up on me.

 

Here are some reasons I am smiling

 I'd love to see any comments people have on these questions and thoughts.

Spring is here!

 Jon and I went on a date for his birthday. I know, right, a date, apparently that's where you go out without the kids and get to finish the conversation you started in December. Anyway, we went to some antique/used furniture stores in Wooster and found this great armoire! We love the reddish inside and since this picture Jon has stained the shelves dark like the outside of the cabinet. So you see less red now. Also, we have more baskets to fill it with so you don't see as much as you can in this picture. But we were thrilled with it. We even fit it in the SUV! We had to take out both car seats, fold the back seats flat and lay the car seats on top of the cabinet but we over 1/2 inch to spare we were on our way home.

 Emma asked me to take pictures of us outside. I didn't know she was making this adorable face until I saw the pictures later. She was cracking me up that entire day.

 This is the closest thing I got to an Easter picture of the kids. They were sick on Easter so the next Sunday I dressed them up and still, only Emma and Jon went to church but I got this picture in the nanosecond that Grey held still.

 Here's some more fun outside pictures. If you see my son outside at all this summer, you will see him attached to this large bubble tube. From the instant he wakes up he starts asking to go "ball" which means outside because he has a large kickball out there. Then he says "bubble, bubble bubble, bubble...". You get the picture. He won't stop saying it until he knows when we go outside so he can play with the bubbles.

 

And as of today, I didn't think to take a picture while it was still light outside, Jon bought and set up a large trampoline in our backyard. Grey isn't sure of it yet. He will sit on it if he is on your lap. Emma is gaining confidence as long as daddy isn't jumping too. Apparently he makes it "too bouncy". Is there such a thing when describing a trampoline?

I'm done with tax season and am helping out a few extra hours these next couple weeks to get through payroll taxes. I might get called in here and there over the next 8 months before next tax season.

Jon is plugging away at work. He's been so helpful and cheerful taking care of the kids and working during tax season. He's a sweetie!

So that's the story at our house. We are thankful that spring aways comes- No matter how hard the winter

Eleven

So it's a month after our anniversary but I didn't want to miss posting about it.

Eleven years!

My mom asked me if it felt like it had been that long and I said all the years have been worth it, but we earned some of them. Most people know that marriage takes work. I feel like it's too often thrown out or given up on because it's hard, or people feel like they aren't getting what they need. A friend told me that she read a book that suggested that God gives marriage not to make us happier but to make us holier.

No matter what the reason, I'm thankful God gave me Jon.

He makes me laugh.
He balances me.
He has my back.
He gave me kids.
He thinks my quirks are "cute".
He knows the ugliest part of my heart, and still loves me.
He forgives me.
He hugs me when I don't know that I need a hug.
He's patient.
He changes the songs on his ipod to ones that I like when I have to drive his car.
He loves Jesus even when it's hard.

I am blessed and thankful!

The post where I start to catch up

Ok. So I'm a little behind on blogging. I had been thinking about giving it up all together but changed my mind. I still enjoy it and some friends have shared that they enjoy the pictures and posts. So here I am. Only about 3 months behind!

We had a wonderful Christmas. We all managed to stay healthy and happy and fairly well rested.

Jon didn't get to go to church with us on Christmas Sunday but he at least got some pictures of the kids and I before we left.

 The kids enjoyed Christmas and opening presents. We loved doing all the traditional things. Making cookies, drinking hot chocolate, enjoying the tree and the lights... It's a blessing to be in a country and in a place personally where we can pay attention to the little things.

 We had some fun with fake mustaches with my family Christmas. Emma looks like she is scheming something in this picture.

All in all, Thanksgiving and Christmas were pleasant and joyful. We again feel thankful for Jesus and His ever-present-ness with us.

Some fall fun

What we've been up to

Here is Emma on her very first day of preschool. She loves her teacher and going to school two times per week. She has already gained confidence and has learned so many new things. She sings songs about the days of the week, the months of the year and the seasons.

 Greyson is doing well. He has been hard at work on getting more teeth. As you can see. He's a happy boy! He is so close to walking. I am weaning him to soy milk which he drinks right up! However, he still wants to get up once per night for me to feed him. Here's to better luck getting him to sleep all night.

 Here he is in his Sunday "little man" outfit. We went to my neice - Cecilia's baby dedication today. Greyson didn't make it through the service so he and I hung out in the car for awhile. We turned the back seat into a play area and he and I had fun although you can see his eyes getting very heavy.

Jon and I are doing well too. I have been working a couple days per week the last couple weeks. We enjoy going to garage sales every weekend. We are done with our big house projects but we did find the perfect mirror for our bathroom at a garage sale for five dollars! All I need to do is... you guessed it... spray paint it. I'll post a picture when it's all done.
We are still so thankful for this house and are looking forward to watch the leaves on the two big Maple trees change color. And maybe even jumping in some piles of leaves.

How fun, Grey turned one!

Greyson was very happy on his birthday... Until I tried to put the birthday hat on him. He immediately started crying. Fortunately, as soon as I took the picture and took the hat off, daddy held him and he was happy again.

 Here's the cake- and the birthday theme. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".

 He hadn't had cake before but it seems he likes it.

Right after this picture he got a birthday bath.

 He enjoyed opening his presents and like all babies thought that the wrapping paper and tissue paper were more fun than the actual gifts.

We are so thankful and blessed to have the joy of raising our little boy. We daily pray for wisdom as parents and that he has a heart for Jesus all of his life.

Happy birthday Greyson Joshua!