weight of cares

Someone shared this with me the other day.

The weight of the cares that are laid on us is meticulously measured by the one who "knows our frame" and "knows full well that we are dust." (Ps 103:14) Not a hair's weight more than we can sustain will be added to the load, but a load there must be for each of us, for we are in training. -Elisabeth Elliot

I admit, it often feels that God's forgotten we are like dust. The load feels too big or over-whelming.  Grateful that even though I often fail to trust God's promises, He never fails to hear my prayers. His promises are always true. 

"that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of our hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might..." Eph 1:17-19

"Fear lies at the unexamined core of who we are. Faith grows from the surpassing of fear in spite of its presence. It is not a denial of fear, but rather itself, acknowledges the fear and in fact uses it to engulf the fear itself, transforming it into th emost powerful, rather than debilitating force there is: love." -Surprised by Oxford

six years

Today is our 6th anniversary.  It's been a hard week.  Harder than I thought it would be.  Zack was gone a whole month last summer, but this has been harder.  I think I was prepared mentally and emotionally for that trip, but all this happened so quickly and caught me off guard.  One week we  were in Austin, trying to sort things out, the next week we were gone and Zack was on his way to Nashville.  It was a blur.  I still haven't quite wrapped my brain around the fact that I'm not going back.  I feel a little bit lost.

Someone reminded me yesterday to try to enjoy this time and not to miss what God has for me here.  Not to miss the cute things my kids do or say.  Not to miss the blessings.  LORD, help me not to miss the blessings.

There was a huge stack of old newspapers waiting for the compost pile.  Conner was obsessed with them and passing things out for people to read.  "Here mom, read this. Read this because you like to read.  You like to read the news.  This is for you to read Mom.  You can read it in your head.  I'll read mine in my head, too"  etc  He handed me a paper dated back the end of June. It was the obituaries.  I saw the young face of a soldier, just twenty-eight years old.  He had a wife, probably my age and a baby.  Thank you, God that even though I'm not with my husband today, I can still text him every 10 minutes, if I want to.  I am so blessed.  I know that young soldier's wife would change places with me in a heartbeat.

"The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance...You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16: 6, 11

sweet

"Mommy, take a picture of me and Julia."

date time!

Took the boys on a date to the jump zone this morning.  It's the first time I've been able to do something with just them since Julia arrived.  I was going to take them each individually on a special date, but they both wanted their brother to come.  Awww....they really do like each other!  

When Conner realized Julia was not going to come he said, "Are you going to join us in the bounce houses?!"  Well, yes, of course!  

We fought bad guys with Batman.

Shep was a little freaked out that I was jumping and climbing with them.  Guess I've gotten boring the past couple years.  I was climbing after him, pretending to chase him and he said, "Just be Mommy, ok?"  Then later I was talking in a silly voice and he said, "Use your own voice, Mommy."  Can't a mommy have some fun?

Climbed volcanoes.

And braved the stormy seas.

Go Shep!!

Glad for some time with my big boys.  I've missed that.

As we walked out the door Conner said, "It's time to go.  I'm burning hungry!!"

up, up and away

Sister and I went on a little adventure a couple weeks ago.  My grandma just turned 80 and my family was heading up there for a little visit.  Thanks to my sweet brother and grandpa, Julia and I got to fly up to Iowa and surprise everyone!  She was a traveling champ.  We were even stuck on the plane in a thunderstorm for almost 2 hrs in Chicago and didn't arrive at my grandparent's house until 1 am! 

Julia with my grandma.

My family having dinner by the Mississippi.

It was such a fun time to relax and spend time with my grandma.  I miss her so much!  We spent one afternoon making bows.  My grandma is a seamstress and has a cabinet full of old material scraps.  It was fun to pick out pieces of material left over from outfits she made me when I was little.

new toy

Well, just look at who's getting all big on me!  Miss Julia is almost 14 weeks old.  She weighs around 14 lbs and wears size 6 month clothes.  She smiles, talks and laughs and loves to explore.  

Her hands are her favorite discovery and I think she just might be working on a tooth or two.

Despite our crazy life, she's beginning to settle into a routine.

She looks so small playing in this big toy!

This is so fun, Mommy!!

Still looking a lot like older brother Conner, but we can see some Shep in there, too:)

I LOVE 3-4 month olds.  It's such a happy age.  They are so engaging, but not yet destroying your house.  As Conner says, "Julia is turning into a delightful girl".  Just a month ago, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the fussy little thing.  Conner is right.  She is becoming quite delightful!