When Life Doesn't Make Sense

Our home group has been studying the book of Genesis. We recently studied chapter 22, where Abraham is called by God to travel to Mt. Moriah to offer up his beloved son. Abraham had waited many many years for this promised child. Now God was asking him to do the unthinkable. I cannot imagine that Abraham didn't have some questions for God. Why God? Will You pull through if I obey? I am obeying in faith- but none of this really makes any sense! After all, Abraham was human. And unlike us, he didn't know the end of the story...

Our family is standing at a new crossroad as well. My husband (and the amazing father of our large brood) is being called to work away from home 28 days at a time. Like Abraham, I am full of questions. Why God? Will You pull through if we obey? We are stepping out in faith- but none of this makes any sense at all!  

Over the past few weeks the tears have fallen freely. My heart aches as I think of being separated from my best friend. I don't look forward to having to do life "alone." No-one can get our 2 year old to fall asleep as quickly as her daddy. No-one is as good at grilling burgers or unclogging toilets (which happens a lot with 8 girls in the house!). I feel sad at the missed times of worship together, as well as the missed anniversaries and birthdays that are sure to come. With another baby on the way, life can feel very overwhelming. As I spent many many hours reflecting on the why's of our life, the Lord flooded my heart with Scripture, quietly and gently reminding me of His promises. Promises I can cling to and believe, even when life doesn't make sense...


Isaiah 55: 8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

These verses remind me that God knows the big picture. Right now I can't see the forest through the trees, but I can rest assured that God is on His throne, and He knows full well what He is doing! This season in life could be a stepping stone to something much bigger. I can trust Him completely.

2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

No matter what lies ahead, God's grace is sufficient- it is enough. It's so easy for my frail, human mind to think that I know better. God promises to be strong when I am weak.

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

My strength will be renewed by waiting on the Lord- and this is to be a continual, habitual, daily occurrence. He will help me to continue on and keep me from weariness and fainting.

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

God wants me to remember that He is always with me- I have nothing to fear! He is my God and I am, along with each of my children and my husband, in the palm of His hand. He promises to hold us up. Isn't that amazing?

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God."

It's often hard to be still and wait for God's leading. God cannot lead if I am always hurried and rushing here and there, always responding to the pressures around me. He desires for me to be wanting Him, waiting for Him and willing and available for Him.

Psalm 31: 14 & 15 " But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, 'You are my God,' 
'My times are in Your hand...' "

I have to daily purpose in my heart to trust in My God- not in my feelings, circumstances or emotions which are always changing and often fickle. All of my life's why's and when's and where's are in God's hands- I will choose to trust in His goodness.

Psalm 9:2 "I will be glad and rejoice in You, I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."

I think this verse (and many other verses in God's Word) speak about my attitude, especially in setting the atmosphere of my home. I must choose to be joyful, to rejoice and sing God's praises. This trusting, joyful attitude is what my children need to see in my home. Here is where I often fail miserably- but with God's help, it is an area I desire to grow in. There is no room for self-pity!

I Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Anne Voskamp's book has taught so many of us to count God's blessings in our lives. It is so easy to look at all of the bad things in life which bring grumbling, complaining and discontentment. When we obey God's Word and begin to be truly thankful in everything, our whole perspective on life changes. I can grumble that my husband is always gone and that I have to do all of the work by myself- OR I can be thankful that I still have a husband, that he is willing to work hard to provide for us and that he will home for 2 weeks at the end of each rotation- and that's 20 weeks off every year! I am also thankful for modern technology that allows us to communicate rather quickly, even with so many miles between us.

Already my husband has made an impact with his co-workers. Before each meal, he takes off his hard hat, bows his head and thanks his Heavenly Father for his meal. He observed that he now sees at least half a dozen other men bowing their heads and praying as well before the meal. He is also known for always being positive, joyful and ready to work (even if it's doing something other than his job description). The other day a man came up to him and asked him what made him so happy all the time. He said "Whatever you are eating, drinking or smoking in your room- I want some of that!" My husband went on to explain that it is because he is a Christian and has Jesus living in his heart. He went on to give this man the gospel and invited him to also give his life to Jesus. This man, although intrigued, said he believed he was telling the truth, but wasn't sure he was ready for that kind of commitment. Maybe these are the very reasons my husband is working away- to be a witness of His Savior to those who maybe have never been confronted with the gospel or met a real Christian. I am so thankful that he is living out the Great Commission right where he is...

I don't know what tomorrow may bring. I also don't know what you may be facing right now. But it is likely that you also have a situation that may just not make any sense. It may be a wayward child that should know better, the loss of a parent or husband which happened rather suddenly. It may be an accident that left permanent damage or a recent prognosis from your doctor. It may be the pain of not having children. I know of several friends currently dealing with the sadness of a loved one taking their own life. Whatever your circumstance, you can trust God's promises! They are available for you to claim and cling to when life doesn't make any sense...

I have always loved Corrie ten Boom's poem "Life is but a Weaving..."

My life is but a weaving

Between my God and me.

I cannot choose the colors

He weaveth steadily.

Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;

And I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper

And I the underside.

Not ’til the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Will God unroll the canvas

And reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

In the weaver’s skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned

He knows, He loves, He cares;

Nothing this truth can dim.

He gives the very best to those

Who leave the choice to Him.

Celebrating Every Life

I can clearly recall the excitement that our first baby announcement brought 21 years ago. Everyone was thrilled beyond words. Why is it that baby number 1 is welcomed with so much fanfare? Maybe even baby number 2, especially if it’s the opposite gender of the first. A few people are comfortable with number 3, but that’s generally where it stops. How are subsequent babies any less the wonderful and amazing creations of the living God?

I speak from firsthand experience how devastating the remarks can be of other people, especially Christians, when announcing another pregnancy. Really, Christians of all people should be those that rejoice at the promise of new life, not scorn it like it is something to be ashamed of. After all, I am happily married and allowed to have children!  God is the one that has formed a life that can only come from Him. Anyone who knows the pain of miscarriage or the ache of barrenness will acknowledge that life is not something they can control. Why then should many children be viewed in a different light?

We live in a day when children are no longer viewed as a blessing, but a burden. Babies make you lose your figure, forego your free time, lose all of your savings, and maybe even your sanity! It just isn't responsible to keep having children. I know, I've heard all the arguments. Many of my children weren't “planned” by me. They may have come at an inconvenient time in my estimation. But do you think for one minute that God made a mistake? God never has to say, “Oops, I didn't mean to make that one.” Instead the Bible affirms that He thought of each one of our children before they were even formed in the womb (Psalm 139).

I have been tempted to hide my last few pregnancies with those outside my immediate family. Ironically, our children are always ecstatic at the news of another baby. So although each new little one doesn't receive much excitement from those outside of our home, each additional baby is more loved because there are so many open arms and hearts waiting to embrace them inside our home.

Mothers, we shouldn't fear what those around us say when we announce another pregnancy. It is a shame that others cannot share in our happy news. It seems much easier for them to feel sorry for us or make nasty remarks. I know, I have been at the receiving end many times. But as I grow older, I am learning to be bolder and to share how children are indeed a blessing, no matter what the circumstance you find yourself in! I’m also learning that you can never encourage another mother enough when she is pregnant. She needs to hear that she is beautiful, that the sickness is all worth it and that she is doing the most important job ever, even when it's often hard. The last thing she needs are rolling eyes or unheeded advice... 

I am so thankful that God has chosen to bless us with 10 beautiful children and the anticipation of another precious life on the way. Is it always easy? Definitely not. Are my pregnancies always painless and trouble free? Umm, hardly. Does it cost money? Yup. Is it a sacrifice? You bet. Would I do it all over again? Absolutely! Every life is worth celebrating. Baby number 4 or 5, 9 or 10, 13 or 14 shouldn't be any different than the first time we announced a new baby! It is time for us to value life for what it is- a beautiful gift from God.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward."

Psalm 127:3

Life Around Here

It’s been several years since I've managed to get a Christmas/New Year’s letter out. I thought I would post a little update here on how everyone is doing. So here is a summary of life around here...

Laina just turned 20 this week- the first to make it past the teenage years and onto the other side! She worked 2 jobs this past year saving up for school, often putting in over 60 hours per week. She was accepted into the Center for Massage and Natural Health in Asheville, where she will be starting in early March. She is looking forward to this new chapter in her life and we are excited for her to practice her new found skills on us! We still have a lot of details that need to work out over the next few weeks- most importantly securing a reliable vehicle and a place to live that won’t break the bank. What a comfort to know that God knows all the answers and we are excited to see what He has in store for her. Of course, our entire family will miss her- and maybe she will miss all of us just a little as well :)

Cort turned 18 last week. He is in his second year working as a full time mechanic for a large landscape company just down the street. He is finishing up his schooling and will be graduating in May. He works on the side fixing cars and welding, which is his number one love. He is planning to get his certifications as a welder and hopes to pursue a job in that field of work. He also bought a motorcycle this past year and loves to ride. We are especially grateful for all the work he does maintaining and fixing our vehicles!

Rylie is 14 and started high school this year. She loves photography and started a little business named Whimsical Photography this past year taking individual and family portraits. She hopes to branch out into fashion photography as well in the coming year. She also joined our local newspaper’s Teens & Twenties column as one of the photographers, and also occasionally writes for them. She enjoys reading, dance and decorating. She is also our number one babysitter as the older ones are usually at work. She really misses her bestie who moved out of the area this past year, but hopes to visit her in the coming year. She is eagerly anticipating taking driver’s ed this coming year- driver #3!

Elise recently turned 12. She is Addie’s second mommy and is a tremendous helper. She loves all things pertaining to animals and is excited to be riding horses again, although this time English! She persuaded us into getting a hamster, and although the little fur ball is super cute, she runs on her treadmill ALL NIGHT LONG! Elise enjoyed taking a fashion class this past fall at a local co-op and loves to draw clothing designs as well as nature pictures. She is our avid bird watcher and can often be found photographing birds up and down our lane.

Luke and Edmond turned 10 in November. I hate to lump them together, but they invariably do the same thing- so I’d end up repeating myself. They diligently take care of the animals- all of the chickens, the dogs and the cat. They enjoy wood-working, watching big brother fix things and spend hours and hours building with legos. They enjoy learning anything to do with science and are excited to take classes at our homeschool co-op where they are learning Brain Games and French.

Ashlyn is 7. As the oldest of our “little” girls, she is a big helper. She loves taking ballet. She also enjoys cooking and helping in the kitchen as well as doing crafty things. She is my errand companion and is always the first to volunteer to go with me.

Eva recently turned 6. She finished her Brain Balance therapy back in April and we are just thrilled with the “new” little girl that has emerged! She tested around age level in most areas, even testing at an 8 year old level in auditory processing. She continues to grow and mature, is halfway through her Kindergarten math and is well on her way to learning how to read. What an amazing difference to the little girl we had just a year ago! She is full of wit and is a lot of fun to be with. We are thankful for her willingness to help and her sensitive and caring spirit.

Haven is 4 and is also doing some school work with the big kids. She enjoys drawing and coloring and playing outside. She also loves animals and hopes to someday ride horses like her big sister Elise. Haven is our comedian and has a comical way about her that endears her to us. She loves story time and to snuggle with whoever is willing.

Addie remains our baby, although she is 2. She is extremely loquacious for her age and has no trouble keeping up with the gang. Although she loves to play with her siblings, she also plays tremendously well by herself. It took having 7 daughters to finally have one that loves to play with dolls. She keeps our family going with her sweet disposition and her adorableness.

My amazing other half continues to work hard to support our family. This provided its challenges this past year, but I so admire his tenacity and creativity to keep moving forward, despite all of the obstacles that seemed to constantly get in the way. He has had the opportunity to travel around the country, to Canada and to the Caribbean several times in 2014. He was asked to meet with key government people in the islands and even had a 2 hour meeting with the President of one of these islands to discuss economic growth and development.  Although we don’t know what will be the outcome of these meetings, we know that God has our future in His hands and we are His instruments if He chooses to use us in any way in the Caribbean.

And then there is me- I am so thankful to be a stay-at-home mom that gets to be involved in the lives of this crazy, big family. This is my 15^th year home schooling, and this is the first time we have joined home school co-ops. My kids are really enjoying their classes and I especially like the extra accountability it gives my older ones to stay on top of higher math and sciences.  I spend a lot of time driving kids places as well as a lot of time in the kitchen preparing everything from scratch. This year I have continued to learn how to make things grain free and I love trying out new recipes. I am also doing a home-study on essential oils and hope to pursue a certification in aromatherapy in the coming year, emphasizing oils used for pregnancy, labor and delivery, as well as newborns. 

We enjoyed a quick (and snow-filled) trip "home" to NJ with Thanksgiving. It was the first time most of my husband's family got to meet our 2 littlest girls, and we also got to meet a few cousins (nieces and nephews) that we had not yet met. Here are Opa & Oma with most of their grandchildren. They have 33 grandchildren and one great grandson (4 were not able to be there, 1 is in heaven, and 1 is overseas serving in the military)...

Eva & Opa became fast buddies!

The cousins enjoyed spending time together...

We have much to be thankful for this past year, including many of our friends, both new and old,who have prayed for us and supported us in so many ways. What a privilege to be part of the body of Christ and to see God's love in action! It is our prayer that all who are reading this will know God's amazing presence and provision in the year ahead. Happy 2015!

Boasting in the Names of God

by Elise, age 11

Over the years I have at various times studied the names of God. This has allowed me to understand God in a deeper way. I am currently studying the names of God again using Kay Arthur’s book entitled “Lord, I Want to Know You.” As I travel this road of motherhood with 10 children ranging in ages 1 all the way up to 19, the Lord continues to speak to my mother’s heart how I can claim His names even in this journey of motherhood filled with so many everyday challenges. I am also striving to teach my children these names, so they, too, can claim the power that is found in His name. The devil wants nothing more than to snatch these  truths away from us. The names of God bring life, hope and healing. They are names we can boast in with full confidence!

One of my favorite Bible verses is Proverbs 18:10 which states “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” We can turn to our Protector when all of our own energy is used up, when we are overcome by our many weaknesses and can no longer run in our own strength. That sounds like us as mothers many times, doesn't it? We can be tempted to turn to our friends, to engulf ourselves in social media or simply plop down on the sofa to watch another movie to get away from it all- when what we really need to do is run to God and fellowship with him in Bible reading and prayer. Many of us today really don’t know God.

Paul’s prayer in Philippians 3 is “that I may know Him.” In Jesus’ high priestly prayer He prays that we “may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” Our goal in life should be to know God! In Bible times a name represented a person’s character. Likewise, the names of God represent His character- who He is. By studying the names of God, we can learn to boast (trust, have confidence in) in the name of the Lord. (Psalm 20:7)

Spurgeon said, "The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings and the existence of the great God whom we call Father." We should desire to know our God! 

I hope to share in the following posts the different names of God and how boasting in His names can help us as we strive to be godly mothers to our children. I will also share a Bible verse for each name that I encourage you to write down on an index card and try to memorize, as I am trying to do (a weak area in my life is memorizing and I am really trying to work on this!).

Verse to memorize:

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10

IDEA for kids: have your children illustrate this verse and memorize it. An easy way to memorize is through song. The Harrow Family sings this song on their CD "The Heaven's Declare." (Available from Amazon).

by Luke, age 9

by Ashlyn, age 7

 by Edmond, age 9

by Eva, age 5 

Real Love

As wives and mothers, we have amazing opportunities to show agape love each and every day. This is the kind of love that gives without demanding or expecting anything in return. It sacrifices. It forgets about self. It is consumed with the well-being of others. It shows love by our actions. And it is often times hard. In studying the well-known chapter of love found in I Corinthians 13, I realized how short I often fall of God's perfect standard.

My prayer is that as women of God we would demonstrate real love more and more- that our families would see more of Christ in how we love.

Love suffers long when things spill, tissues go through the laundry, or the boys forget to feed the dog. It does not lose heart, blow up or become easily offended.

and is kind  it searches for little opportunities to do good, it kisses boo-boos, reads stories, makes a warm cup of coffee. Love is found in uplifting words for the "law of kindness is on her lips" (Proverbs 31: 26).

Love does not envy the mom who's 4 year old is reading chapter books or the woman with a bigger house or the friend with more or less children. It is content with my circumstances.

Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up in my own accomplishments or those of my children, because apart from Christ, I am nothing. Love esteems others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3).

Does not behave rudely  it doesn't hurt others with my words or actions. It looks my child in the eye and makes her feel important. It cherishes face-time over facebook time.

Does not seek its own it keeps on making meals, washing dishes, folding laundry, and making beds even with little gratitude in return. It delights more in spending time with my children than having "me" time.

Is not provoked when earthly possessions break, jackets get caught on wire fencing, or dirty socks end up under the couch. It strives to give a soft answer (Prov. 15:1) and desires to create a peaceful atmosphere.

Thinks no evil it doesn't recall past failures or rub in wrongs. It repays evil with good. Love doesn't dwell on the negatives.

Does not rejoice in iniquity instead it chooses to think on whatever things are good, pure, noble and of good report (Phillipians 4:8). 

But rejoices in the truth it chooses to believe God's truth, not the lies of the enemy who seeks to bring discouragement and doubt to my home. It gladly speaks of Him who is Truth with my children.

Love bears all things it covers a multitude of sin (I Peter 5:8). It doesn't divulge what shouldn't be said, it doesn't gossip or act like a busybody. It desires to forgive, over and over again.

Believes all things If God's Word says it, her heart believes it to be trustworthy despite what the world may be saying or doing. 

Hopes all things God is her confidence. She rejoices at the future (Prov. 31:25), she is optimistic, smiling and encouraging. "Happy is (s)he who has the God of Jacob for (her) help, whose hope is in the Lord (her) God." (Ps. 146: 5).

Endures all things despite fatigue, discouragement and hard days. Love presses on and moves forward because of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14).

Love never fails although hard to fathom, even a mother may forget her  nursing child (Isaiah 49:15), but God, who is perfect Love, has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. He always goes before me (Deut. 31:8). I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Phil. 4: 13).

Looking Forward: Doing Things That Outlive Us

"Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God." Genesis 21:33

There are a lot of verses in the Bible that we read and really give very little thought to. When I studied Ray Vander Laan's Faith Lessons "Walking With God in the Desert", I learned a lot about the trees found in the Bible which really made the Scriptures come alive for me. The verse above is one of them. Dr. Vander Laan (who also happened to be my Bible and Psychology teacher in highschool), gives some insight into this tree. The tamarisk tree demands human cultivation needing plenty of water and the animals (like camels and goats) to be kept away from it while it is growing. The tamarisk tree absorbs moisture from the air in its needles making it a valued shade tree. However, this tree is extremely slow growing. You don't plant a tamarisk tree for yourself, or for your children. But, if nurtured properly, your great grandkids will enjoy its shade. Therefore Abraham had the faith to believe that his simple act of planting a tamarisk tree in Beersheba would someday bless his offspring. Although this tree would never benefit Abraham, it would bring future generations the shade so necessary in that very hot, dry climate.

What lesson can we learn from this little verse? As we stand at the beginning of a brand new year, what am I doing that will bless generations to come? How much of my life is simply about me? Its so easy in our fast paced, self-absorbed society to think about my own needs and desires. The message we are bombarded with all around us is to take care of ourselves, to pamper ourselves- after all, we deserve it! In Isaiah 32 women are warned of the consequences of complacency and ease. It is easy to live for our own pleasure and enjoyment. We must be deliberate in our actions to bless generations to come. It may even require sacrifice on our part...

With God's help we can do things that will outlive us. What does this look like? For one, I think the most important thing we can do is to purpose to train the next generation to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength. According to Dueteronomy 6:5-7 we are to do this all the time- while we sit, while we walk, when we lie down and when we wake up. This means that we need to be intentional in sharing our faith with our children. We need to fill our cup daily with His Word, so that we can spill over what we have hidden in our hearts with our children.

I think another way we can bless future generations is to teach our children to do things well so that they will make an impact in the world. My husband is in construction and calls himself a generational builder. He says that everything he builds, whether a barn, a table, a porch or a house should last for hundreds of years. He believes that if he uses quality materials and does quality, careful work, there is no reason that his work shouldn't be enjoyed for many generations to come. That's how it used to be! We live in a day and age where we often see shoddy craftsmanship- work is done as cheaply and quickly as possible with little thought or care  for whether it will last or not. We need to go back to the work ethic of days gone by and teach our children to rise above the mediocrity that is so prevalent today.

Like Abraham we may choose to plant a tree in the year to come. Or we may cultivate a garden, write a book or compose a song. We may build a home, serve in a shelter or volunteer in a pregnancy center. We might go on a missions trip or bring a meal to a lonely friend. Or we may simply read God's Word to our little ones before they drift off to sleep each night. We can all strive to reach beyond ourselves and do things that may impact people for generations to come. Let's purpose to plant some tamarisk trees in the year ahead!

Looking Back: the Gifts of 2013

It's hard to believe another year has drawn to a close. It was a year full of many blessings, both great and small. Here are a few of the gifts that highlighted our year together...
The gift of finishing school-we graduated our first student from homeschool! I remember when I first started teaching at home, highschool graduation seemed so far away. Now looking back, the years went by oh so quickly. I used to stress out about scope and sequence and making sure they learned everything they needed to know. I have learned that our children will fill in those gaps- and usually pass us by in the process!

Laina worked for a while and stopped at the end of the summer to do some traveling. She especially enjoyed a trip back to Montana to visit friends and decided she still really likes it there. She continues to work on her writing, is a HUGE help at home, works at times with her dad in construction (hey, she'll be well-rounded!) and is seeking God's direction for her future.

The gift of marriage.This past year also marked our 20 year anniversary. Twenty years later, and I still love his rugged hands that work so tirelessly to provide for our family, the smell of wood shavings on his clothes, the comfort of his deep blue eyes, and how he wears his cowboy boots with everything. Twenty years of making 11 houses a home together, plus one on wheels for much longer than we thought we could ever endure. Twenty years together experiencing the excitement of 9 pregnancies, 10 births and learning this thing called parenting. Twenty years with times of prosperity as well as many days of wondering how we were going to pay the bills. Twenty years with times of indecision, heartache, broken relationships, long days, sleepless nights and tear-filled moments. But scattered throughout are the many blessings of encouragement, love, true friends and treasured memories that keep us going.Twenty years of growing in the Lord together and learning to stand on our convictions. Twenty years of praying for wisdom and striving to serve the Lord in our lives together, despite our many flaws and imperfections. After all of these years, there isn't any other person on earth I would rather be with!

The gift of children. I never would have thought 20 years ago that we would have a large family. In fact, I probably would have run the other way if someone had told me that I would have 10 children! God certainly has changed my heart and I continue to be amazed at these incredible children he has blessed us with- all so very different and unique. We love to watch them grow up into who God is calling them to be and to see their different talents emerging...What a privilege to be their parents!

The gift of growth. We love to see each of our children grow physically and spiritually. We are especially encouraged by the growth we have seen in our daughter, Eva. After attending Brain Balance for a few weeks and doing therapy with her at home for that same duration, we are seeing a lot of positive changes already. The most encouraging one is that she is finally praying on her own! We daily pray as a family around the room. With the little ones we have them repeat sentences until they can verbalize their own prayer. All of our children can pray on their own by age 3. Eva has wanted to pray but has been unable to verbalize her own prayers even though she recently turned 5. A few weeks ago she said she wanted to pray and to my utter amazement she quietly spoke a sincere prayer from the bottom of her heart. Her eyes sparkled with her accomplishment, and this mama's eyes were sparkling with tears! We are trusting the Lord has great things in store for this little girl so full of life (and mischief)!

The gift of grandparents. After many years of living away from family, our children LOVE spending time with their grandparents on a regular basis. During the school year my parents take turns having the grandchildren over one day a week. The girls enjoy arts & crafts, like knitting and card making, while the boys work on various projects as well. In the summer we enjoy their community pool with the cousins.

My mom has a room dedicated for card making and my girls love to make cards with her. Here are a few of the cards they made...

Haven LOVES to swim. Even now that it is winter time, she still asks to go to the pool!

Cort bought a Miata this past year, and here Opa and Oma are enjoying a drive around the block!

This month our boys also had the privilege to go to Florida with Opa (grandpa). My mom decided that she has done enough traveling for a while and encouraged my dad to take some of the grandkids instead. No having to coax any of them- they were ecstatic! They enjoyed Epcot, Cape Canaveral, Sea World, an amusement park, swimming and going out to eat everyday, which is a rare treat for them. Luke and Edmond decided they wouldn't mind moving to Orlando, but Cort was ready to come home and get back to work :)

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies

Psalm 103:2-4