An Injury, a Date, and a Surgery

Days in the Life...

Monday morning all the kids had dentist appointments. We literally were the only ones the office had on their schedule for that morning because we booked all their slots between the six of us. 

My list for the day was so long and by lunch time I knew it was not going to be completed (hence the reason I still belong in the UGS, pronounced "ughs," club, which stands for Unrealistic Goal Setters). 

As this is Texas, it has been in the 60's and even 70's much of the last several weeks, so outside activities have been lovely. Winter in Texas is better than Summer in Texas, most of the time. 

In the afternoon we did the fourth Cize routine and then I gave up on my to do list completely mostly and offered to play soccer with the littles. (People and memories are more important anyways!) 

I don't remember how the teams started, maybe me and Gabe against Mia and Ava(?), regardless, I scored a goal and then they decided the teams weren't fair. Mia quit and I got left on a team by myself while my teammate took my goal and joined the other team. I decided I would just have to beat Gabe and Ava on my own and let them have the goal anyways. (I was happy to give it to them. *wink*)

Gabe setting up the field.

Well, I did it. But it was hard. Long before I beat them, 3-2 (or really 4-1), I was ready to be done, but I was not in the mood to be beaten. An hour and a skinned knee later, we finished and I was satisfied. Ava and Gabe put up a good fight. I'm very impressed with their skills. 

It wasn't that bad, but since I've officially been injured while playing, 

I'm a real soccer player now.

By the time we went inside I barely had enough time to turn around and leave to babysit small group. (Another UGS move.) 

After being away from children for 5 days I was starved for cuddles from little ones. 

The others had a quiet evening at home and were all in their rooms when I got back. Mom and Dad were in the process of deciding to cancel our small group due to almost everyone being sick when Aron texted all three of us saying he needed "another human who enjoys worship and music and such" to go with him to a Bethel concert he'd just been given two tickets to for Tuesday night and would I like to go. We finished deciding to cancel group and then set new plans for me. 

Tuesday morning Mom and Dad left to go sign papers for the little house in Ponder they purchased, Grandfather took the littles to the park and to get donuts and hot chocolate, Chloe and Christian did school, and I ran to the bank, library, accountant's office, Staples, and a model home for Mom and Dad. (Obviously Kate did not come that day which was very sad.) 

Everyone returned home around 1:00 and I pulled lunch together before heading to shower and get ready for the evening as well as wrap up other things on my list. 

Aron came to get me at 4:00 and the kids all told him to take good care of me, or else. He promised to have me home "before dawn." 

The plan was to meet up with the friends who'd given him the tickets and ride together and then get dinner afterwards, but while we were driving to their house they texted us to let us know they'd already eaten and the tickets were stuck in their door so we could grab them and have a great evening. That's how it became "an accidental friend date."

We met up with them in line and got seats together in the top balcony of the Verizon Theater where the concert took place. It didn't start until 7:00 and although we were an hour early, we stayed in the main area talking too long, hence the reason we were up top. The view was great, though, there was no such thing as "bad seats." 

In line.

Our view. 

Bethel Live was amazing. 

I was blown away completely. When I was offered the extra ticket I was excited, but a little concerned. I've been in situations where the music was great and the idea was to worship, but it all just felt like a show, focused on the people "performing," rather than the God we serve. I didn't want that to be the case, but had prepared myself that it may be. 

It wasn't! Prayer and worship. Every moment, every word, pointed us to the Lord and we worshiped, fulfilling the purpose God created us for from the beginning. 

Aron went down to the floor near the stage for the first half and I stayed with our seats. In no time at all it was intermission. He raced back and asked if I wanted to join him on the ground level for the second half. We both had warmed up significantly and were glad we'd worn layers. I left my sweater and shoes at my seat when we went down. 

Three hours later, with no voice, and an aching, exhausted, trembling body, I didn't want it to end. I can not wait for the day when I will worship God in heaven forever and always, never growing hoarse or weary, and eternally finding joy in His overwhelming presence, greater there than we could ever experience here on earth. 

Afterwards Aron's friends met us in the main area with all our stuff and said goodbye. Aron and I stayed for awhile to talk and pray with some of the Bethel students who were there. 

Walking to the car Aron found out I'd never been to In n' Out Burger before and said that was going to have to be fixed. 

I'm pretty sure In n' Out was good. I was so worn out I couldn't hardly even process how to order with "all the choices." It was 11:45 at least by the time we were in the car heading home. 

While we were gone Mom and Dad had been cleaning out their closet so they were still up when we arrived. We told them all about our evening and shared our stories. I think it was 2:00 by the time I was in bed. 

Even though this was not a planned date, nor anything at all romantic when it became one, Aron set the standard high. Way high. Even as friends, he treated me with the greatest respect and care. I am so used to taking care of myself, opening my own doors, toughing it out when I'm cold, etc, or having someone else I'm responsible to watch over. Being on the receiving end, when I expected nothing at all, was special and now I know if a guy ever treats me with less care and respect than I received that night from a friend, something may not be right. 

So thank you, friend, for setting the bar high.

Wednesday morning was rough. I had slept badly (if I got 4 hours I would be surprised) and then needed to be leaving for work at 8:00. Thank you Lord for Your sustaining strength we can draw from and for caffeine! I only almost fell asleep driving once and barely missed just one turn.

The kids were excited to see me, though, which made it worth getting up. And there's no way that the concert was not worth the loss of a few hours of sleep. 

Calvin took a bottle and then feel asleep in my arms. (I did get him into his bed, though.) Then he slept for almost 3 hours! 

Meanwhile I had my Bible time and journaled and got back to a ton of people waiting to hear from me and completed other tasks that have escaped my memory because this was three weeks ago. 

Mom took Christian and Ava to the orthodontist that morning.

Calvin wanted to be held again when he woke up and fell back to sleep again an hour or so later.

I actually wasn't that tired once I was up and going in the morning, but by the time I was home from nannying I was dragging, so naturally Christian convinced me we should go play tennis at the school court. (I still probably won.)

Thursday morning Mom and Dad left the house about 8:00 to have Mom's gum surgery. 

I then needed to call in the reserves (aka Grandfather) to help me with a sick, weepy Ava. He sweet talked her into eating a little something so she could take some medicine and then took all three littles next door to watch "Nanny McPhee" while the rest of us did productive things with very loud music, possibly.

It was another gorgeous day so I offered to pack a lunch and take everyone but Ava to the Denton park for a bit. That was in hopes that Dad would be able to bring Mom home quietly and let her rest some. 

(Christian was still coming.)

Lunch was whatever I could find that needed to be eaten. 

We were supposed to go to Speech and Debate that night which meant we couldn't stay at the park long, but it was canceled so we ended up being there until 3:00. Our friends showed up too so we got to play "All It" and "Sharks and Minnows" and something else too, for a long time. 

Back home everyone cleaned up and headed to rest time. Mom was doing great, but still resting. 

Friday I treated more like a Saturday. 

Dad and I left late morning to go to Costco and restock after not buying any "unnecessary" food all month. 

The cart was full.

(And yes, we were both wearing flip flops in January.)

I'm doing all the menu planning, grocery shopping, and cooking for February. 

As UGSers Dad and I were gone much longer than we'd planned on and I ended up only having 30 minutes at home before turning around and leaving again to babysit that sweet house full of boys from church. 

When I arrived they wanted to do school! 

Saturday morning Chloe, Christian, and I went to the Gerlach's (a family from church that also comes to our small group and are the ones who threw the Jane Austen birthday party) house for a girl's Bible study I'm facilitating. (Christian just went so he could hang out with his friend.)

They fed us breakfast, then we began our study, then they fed us lunch, then we danced.

It was a week of UGS now that I review it again. We didn't get home until 3:00 in the afternoon and then it was time to get ready and turn around to leave for church. Mom obviously stayed home. 

I was the greeter that night and had the sweetest helper. 

After not being at church for 3 weeks I was so glad to be there. Mom was sad to miss and was well asked after. 

Grandpa met us there for the service. Afterwards we all stayed to eat the snack provided and visit before going to Aldi for more groceries. 

Sunday we did our relaxed brunch. Mom was feeling up to sitting in the living room to be around us for a while. 

In the afternoon we enjoyed the banana pudding and brownies that made it home with us from people at church. 

Christian and I left around 3:00 to go get a few more groceries and buy a basketball. 

I've Been Pondering...

• As of the other day (when it was 63 degrees in January) I became a real soccer player. I forgot how much skinned knees hurt, not when they happen, but for a long time afterwards. 

  
  Sometimes life is like that, painful, not in the moment of hurt, but later on, whether it's days, or years. We stuff emotions and lies and hurts down and away thinking we have gotten rid of them and they will not bother us. 

  
  But they do.
  
  Just like kneeling down or pulling clothes on rubs against the tender places where healing is still in process after a scrape, life has a way of rubbing against the past and causing the stored away memories to resurface, dragging with it the pain you'd not realized existed before. 

  
  It's in those moments that you have a choice, either to push the problems away again, knowing they will rise a second and third and fourth time, or work through the issue, seek resolution, peace, forgiveness, truth, healing, and stop the cycle, move forward in newness. 

  
  Ultimately God is the only one who mends our cuts and scrapes, both literally and figuratively, so turn to Him for the healing.

That Moment When...

You realize you were so tired the day before that you took off your sweatshirt that is covered in baby food, tears, drool, etc and hung it back up in your closet. 

The Herd: Quoted

"You okay?" -Mom
"Yeah, I just have so much to do today and this week, and I'd rather just go play outside." -Me 

"And then you bit a lego and it came out." -Ava finishing a story for Mia regarding how she lost a tooth.  

"How many people know how babies are made, raise your hand." -Gabe at the dinner table.  

"I will read that blog post tomorrow." -Mom

"I will write that blog post tomorrow." -Me (obviously I did not.) 

"Did he just say you are beautiful?" -Christian referring to the young repair guy working on our refrigerator.  

"No! He said the music I played on the piano was beautiful." -Me 

Rest assured, I still blog

*Flips through journal and planner and looks back at the last blog post* Great! I'm actually not quite as behind as I thought. Only 2 and a half weeks... *Ducks head* But think about it, I have been blogging consistently since last May and this is the first time I have fallen "majorly behind" since I began. It was bound to happen sometime... However, I'd rather not repeat the experience...

Okay, we did not have a sudden stomach bug relapse and all die because of it. Obviously. Let your mind now be at ease and sit back to enjoy hearing what in the world has been going on with us the past almost three weeks. Sorry it's been so long...


Days in the Life... 

Monday morning, long long ago, I left the house early to go have coffee at Starbucks with a friend. Before she arrived I had my Bible time. Then the dreaded text came through, Chloe and Dad had now caught the stomach bug. The quarantine was going to have to go back into effect. (It had just ended on Sunday.)

So I contacted the mothers of all the children I was scheduled to nanny that week and let them know that I was not sick, but almost my entire family had been or was. Most decided they would rather I not keep their kids that week. (Completely understandable.) So within a few minutes my jammed week emptied out. (At least the first half of it anyways...)

I still got to visit with and encourage my friend before going home around noon.

As far as I can remember Dad cancelled his meetings for the day, but still pushed through with design work. The littles played together, Christian worked on school, and Chloe stayed in her room completely miserable. She had the worst case of any of us.

Dad actually felt much better by that evening.


Tuesday Kate did not come and I almost cried. (I'm pretty sure Gabe did.)

We, those of us who felt up to it, did the third Cize workout for the first time. I think it was easier than the second, but they both make the first one seem like marching in place.

In the afternoon I took Ava and Mia to our tiny town library (it was a loose quarantine...) and then dropped them off at home so that I could go meet a friend at Walmart. I wanted help getting pictures printed sometime and she offered that up as on option, spur of the moment, right after lunch, so I made it work. It helped me stop missing Kate so much.

That adventure took me much longer than I had anticipated, but it ended up being a good thing I'd gone.

Ava was making muffins by herself when I got home! She is becoming very self-sufficient in the kitchen, it's really fun to watch.


Wednesday, since I never got the stomach bug and the others were better, I was able to start another nanny job. The family whose two and three year old I cared for all last summer also have an almost one year old baby boy, Calvin. I will be watching him most Wednesdays!

That job began at their house at 8:30 so I was up and out of the house early.

On the way I needed to stop for gas. It's a good thing I planned an extra 15 minutes something I pretty much never think to do. In case you weren't aware, hitting the wrong gas grade button does not work very well. At all. I did realize my mistake before I started actually pumping diesel into my car, but when I cancelled the transaction it messed up my debit card. I ended up going inside to pay with cash and made it to work just barely on time. We aren't going to go back and count how many times I've had "fun" adventures while trying to get gas. We just aren't. And I still haven't figured out the clicker thing that supposedly holds the handle down for you while you pump. I just haven't.

Calvin is like Kate in that he wants to be held all the time. But he is a boy, so that means he does not stay still. He prefers active snuggling, so it's a little harder to get things done while holding him. Plus he is just a lot heavier than Kate.

Teething is always fun (and what I really mean is it's not), but it meant that he was happy to let me feed him and then hold him until he fell asleep. Melt my heart.

I got home before 3:00 and we all did Cize together. Chloe, the last one to get sick, was finally better!


Thursday morning we all decided our third time to do a new Cize routine is our favorite, by then we are feeling much more like we are dancing and much less like we would rather be "hiding in our basement because we look so uncoordinated."

I needed to shower and get packed to be gone for the weekend when we finished. Aunt Lauren had been asked to speak at a ladies retreat and invited me to go with her.

Before I left around 2:00 in the afternoon, the littles wanted me to dance the Virginia Reel with them. They love that dance so much! (We need to teach them a new one...)

Even though it was raining, I drove myself to Dallas for the first time, almost no problem! There was a split second where I almost got hit by an 18-wheeler who was not paying attention, but he saw me before I got run off the road. I guess I should probably learn how to use my horn...

Aunt Lauren and I made hot chocolate and spent a couple of hours catching up until Uncle Phil got home. Then I visited with him and watched while he made dinner.

We watched "A Walk to Remember" and I cried. It was a really sweet story.


Friday Aunt Lauren and I drove to the lake house where the retreat was to take place. The drive lasted about 4 hours, but we stopped in Waco to go to the new store "Magnolia" and eat lunch at Jason's Deli. Uncle Phil had snuck chocolate peppermint cookies into the car for us. We were so excited when we found them!

We arrived mid afternoon and were shown to our rooms and got to meet the ladies and younger teen girls who were already present.

The lake house was gorgeous! I could not get over the view.

The rest of the ladies arrived before dinner and the evening was spent getting to know everyone in addition to a time of worship. 

The report from home was that "Babe's is still good." I guess they finally used that gift card and went to dinner. 

Saturday morning I woke up having gotten plenty of sleep. 

Aunt Lauren began speaking at 9:00 after some singing. Following each session there was time for reflection. 

After lunch I took a walk down to the lake with some of the others. It was windy but not unpleasant. 

This is a disc golf goal(?). 

It has something to do with disc golf. 

After the last session in the afternoon I went outside for my reflection time. I love being outside. I didn't used to. I think the more I learn about God, though, the more I enjoy being in His creation and enjoying the beauty He placed here for us to see and praise Him for. This is only earth. What will Heaven be like? 

That evening after dinner we had a spa night with foot soaks and massages and facials. It was beautiful to serve each other in that way. 

The first night we went to bed at 11:00, the second night we stayed up a little longer... But both times everyone got plenty of sleep, though. 

Sunday morning we sang and shared things that had been special to us about the weekend, what we'd learned about prayer (that was the topic), and how we'd seen God working. 

Aunt Lauren and I left about noon and got lunch on the road. It was special to get to review the weekend together and have more time to share. My prayer going into the weekend was that I would be blessed, but also be a blessing. God was so faithful to answer those prayers in such beautiful ways, ways that I would have never, ever expected.  

We got back to their apartment close to 4:00 and then I drove home. 

The others had had a very laid back weekend and were as excited to have me back as I was to be back. (That equals a lot.) 

I was able to unpack and catch up with everyone as well as on things that'd I'd gotten behind on, like emails and texts for example. I realized when I arrived at the lake house that the wifi and cell reception was really bad, so I just turned my phone off. It was one of the best things I could have done, I think, to allow myself to fully engage with the people there, even though I'd never met them before, and really pour into the conversations and relationships. 

Grandfather and a friend of his joined us for dinner that night. 

That Moment When...

Another older gentleman tells you you have pretty hair. In Walmart.

The tv turns on randomly by itself.

Mom buys 60 avocados.

The Herd: Quoted 

"Now, if you want you can take these dishes over to the sink and have fun with the bubbles while you wash them! Sound fun?" -Ava

"Nice try, Ava, nice try." -Me  

"Nope, not doing it." -Gabe

"Great, I split my pants." -Christian 

"I had it for a whole split second!" -Christian 

"If you want longer hair, Gabe, eat more carrots!" -Mia 

"Or you can just put carrot in your hair like I did just now." -Me  

"Why did you do that?" -Gabe (probably, I actually don't remember exactly who said that...)  

"It was an accident and I already had chocolate in it from earlier!" -Me

Some People Will Do Anything for a Chick-fil-a Sandwich

Days in the Life...

Thursday morning Mom, Ava, Christian, Chloe, and I left for Tyler, Texas around 8:39 ish for our second (and possibly last) Speech and Debate Tournament. We took our big family truck, which resulted in plenty of space to spread out. Chloe was happy to take the absolute back since that meant she'd have three seats all to herself. Never mind the fact that there is no leg room.

Mom's stomach was a little upset when we started out, but she hoped it was nothing. The further we got, though, the more fatigued she became. Several times we pulled over so she could walk around a little. Finally she had me take over driving as she wasn't just tired, she felt drugged. We were a little over halfway there at that point. 

The nice thing about a road trip with older kids is that the car is completely quiet. Everyone was totally content to do their own thing, whether that be reading, looking out the window, listening to music, or sleeping. 

We arrived in Tyler close to noon. It took us longer because I had to pull over several times for Mom to walk around. Her nausea kept getting worse. She was pretty sure she must have eaten something that didn't agree with her. 

None of us were scheduled to compete until late in the afternoon, but we had lunch meal tickets we wanted to use. I lead us into the church to check in and get the tickets. 

We ate our Chick-fil-a sandwiches and chips and fruit, while Mom rested in the bathroom. 

Dad called me to try to get a plan. Mom was in no shape to judge the competition and we didn't know if, because of that, we would even be allowed to compete. I explain the situation to "someone who looked like a pretty in-charge person" and since I am 18, they said I could be responsible for my siblings and Mom could stay at the hotel, no judging responsibilities required. 

Our check-in for the hotel was not supposed to be until later, but Mom needed to rest, she felt awful. I called our hotel and they said we could come early. Thankfully it was right down the road. 

Mom was able to get us checked in and pretty much right after we dropped all of our bags in the room, she escaped to the restroom to empty her stomach. After that she felt some better. 

She and Ava stayed in the room and I took the others back to the tournament. 

Christian delivered his speech late in the afternoon after I finished communicating with Dad about what the plan for the weekend should be (this was a three-day tournament). During that time, Mia threw up at home. 

We left the church around 5:30 and went to a very busy Subway to pick up dinner to take back to the hotel room. 

Then we had the hardest time in the world finding an open Walmart (the one we thought we could go to apparently was still being built) to buy food for the next couple of days that we could take with us to the tournament. 

Chloe and Christian joked about their new theme song needing to be "I will survive" since I was driving our truck all over an unfamiliar town, in the dark, without another adult. I was actually feeling a little bit proud of myself for being able to step up and be in charge of this road trip. Pretty quick, though, I realized that I would never have been able to do all that I did that day on my own. God was hands down the one sustaining me and giving me the confidence and wisdom and grace to walk through the events that transpired so differently from anything that I had planned or expected. *Insert the moment that Good Good Father comes on in Starbucks as I write and I have to choke back tears because that's currently my favorite song* 

We got back to the hotel close to 7:30. Mom and Ava were watching "Flip or Flop" and trying to figure out what to do. 

We ended up deciding that we should go ahead and drive home that night. Mom didn't want to risk anyone else (namely the drivers) getting sick and us then being stuck there. Others at home were getting sick and we knew all of us had been exposed. 

So we let "in-charge" people know our plans and I drove us out of Tyler at 8:30. The others all put on their pajamas and settled down for the three hour trip. Again. 

Christian especially was discouraged about leaving and not getting to compete (He had worked pretty hard preparing), but he came down with a fever in the car so we knew we'd made the right decision. 

I got us to Dallas before my shoulders, neck, and back completely gave out. Our truck requires strength to control, especially on highways, so I was tense for the whole drive. There was no way to relax. It was a little discouraging to know all of the work of getting rid of that stress tension the past two months was virtually reversed, but I know that God has a plan and a purpose, even in that, and I'm so grateful that I was not sick and had the ability to drive us all home. 

Mom drove us through Dallas, feeling well enough and awake enough after her rest to do that safely. Then Chloe took us through the home stretch. We got in a little before midnight. 

Dad, Gabe, and Mia were all set up in the living room watching HGTV when we arrived. Everyone was grateful to be in their own beds after such a long, eventful day with the unexpected. 

And so the quarantine went into effect. Mom "does blood," Dad "does throw-up." Dad was on duty. 

Friday morning everyone slept in a lot and then most made their way to the living room to watch HGTV for a good part of the day. The rest of the time they slept, read, sipped ginger ale, etc. 

I stayed in my room resting, having my Bible time, working, reading, etc. 

I honestly couldn't tell if I was hungry because I'd not eaten in 18 hours, 

or starting to get sick, or just afraid to eat. 

Mom, Christian, and Mia were feeling better by the end of the day and no one else had come down with it. 

We all watched Mall Cop and cautiously ate. 

Saturday morning was also slow, but everyone felt fine. 

In the afternoon the little girls decided they wanted to rearrange their room for fun. They had drawn out a floor plan depicting what they wanted to change and had already measured to be sure things would fit. Mom told them the could earn the privilege of rearranging their room by first making it clean and tidy. 

Before

Before

After

After

That consumed a majority of their afternoon. And Mom's.

The boys did things together (most likely "things" that involved sports cards and games of poker), Dad worked, and Chloe and I both (yes, me too, but only after I worked some) read. 

That night we all ate dinner and then the others watched "Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back," while Mom and I watched "Old Fashioned." 

Sunday everyone was back to normal! We made our brunch meal and enjoyed eating with no thoughts of "what it might look like if it came back up." 

I was so excited to drink a cup of coffee.

We had another restful afternoon and then all watched a Louie Giglio sermon. 

After dinner and ice cream and some apple thing Chloe saw online and decided to try, the others watched "Star Wars, Return of the Jedi" and Mom and I watched "Alone, Yet Not Alone," which is a very serious movie, but we were laughing a lot because of a humorous group text strand that transpired during that time. 

I've Been Pondering...

I love how every sunset is so different and yet always so beautiful. We never get to see one that is quite the same as the last, but each time I am amazed by the splendor of it. God designed each one to point us to Him for His glory.

Just. Like. Us.

We are created so differently, and yet each one of us is uniquely special. There is not a one of us that God did not create with love and for the purpose of glorifying Him, simply by being who He created us to be.


That Moment When...

Mom wears her plaid, pajama pants and her black, dress boots to drive home.


The Herd: Quoted 

"Thinking about sleeping on the couch tonight, I really don't feel like making my bed." -Chloe 

"You can have your own bed tonight!" -Me to Mom after she threw up in the hotel bathroom.

"What? No one wants to share with me?" -Mom  

"Well you're lucky, I only get half the floor!" -Christian telling his friend where he'd be sleeping in the hotel room. 

"Your turn isn't at this light, so keep going, but the light is red, so stop." -Chloe

"Does that look like an open Walmart to you?" -Me driving by one.

"Yes." -Chloe

"No." -Christian joking at the same time. 

"Wait, there's a Walmart? Is it open?" -Me apparently coming up on another one.

"Yes, it's open." -Chloe

"Oh no! It's closed!" -Christian as I pulled in. 

"I thought this day was going to be so boring. Nope!" -Me

"He was so hitting on you!" -Chloe, as we leave Subway.

"No, just because somebody gives me free food, doesn't mean he's hitting on me." -Me

"Oh! And lock the car." -Me 

"It's just so lame! So, so lame! They are just father and son! Lame!" -Mia after watching "The Empire Strikes Back." 

Peas and Strawberries, Green Smoothies and Brownies

Days in the Life...

Monday can be called a normal start to the week. 

Slowly but surely we are all getting back into our school and work schedules, getting up at reasonable times in the morning, eating regular meals, going to bed mostly on time, etc. I love that we have added working out together in the mornings to our routine. 

A general overview of what a "typical" school day usually (aka the goal) looks like for the littles- 

-Everyone up by 7:30 

-Down for breakfast by 8:00

-Family prayer time at the table

-Everyone starts school by 9:00

-Cize at 10:00 

-Showers and chores 

-More school

-Lunch somewhere around noon or 12:30

-Finish school

-Quiet rest time at 2:00 until 3:30

-Play time

-Dinner at 6:00 

-Reading aloud, games, tv, general hanging out 

-To bed at 8:30

Chloe and Christian are pretty consistent with this schedule, but obviously might get up earlier in the morning and go to bed later. They also have more school and so don't really have rest time, and they balance their own work schedules. 

My day is in alignment with the things we do as a family like meals, exercise, and evening things, but other than that, I'm all over the place with my work schedule and other things. Y'all already had that figured out from reading previous posts, though. 

I like to keep my snacks balanced-

green smoothie and brownie.

Monday night I took myself to babysit for small group, as Nana and Grandfather are in DC with Aunt Amy, Uncle JC, and Rowan. 

Tuesday Kate joined our family. If we could, we would adopt her. Mia tries to get her dad to leave her with us every week. So far, her attempts have failed. 

Remember that tip from last week about mixing the foods your baby likes with the ones they don't like to get them to eat it? Well, Kate doesn't like peas. She really wanted to eat her strawberries instead. Even I was doubting the idea, but I went ahead and mixed the peas and strawberries together. She ate all the peas. 

The littles love the Virginia Reel now. Kate thought it was hilarious when I danced it with Ava while holding her. 

Aunt Amy had her baby!!!!!! He is so so so beautiful! We all wish we could meet him sooner, but are so glad we get to see pictures. 

Introducing Eli Chandler Derrick!!

Tuesday night we finally had small group again. We are actually going to begin calling our gathering "Engagement Group" since the purpose of it is to live life engaged with one another, supporting each other, etc. 

This time during our sharing, those who wanted to, communicated the word or phrase they felt like the Lord has placed upon their hearts for 2016. Many also shared what the theme of 2015 seemed to be for them, ways they grew through different challenges and circumstances, and how the Lord was faithful. 

That in and of itself was so encouraging, because we were reminded of what the Lord has done for us and in us. It's often so easy to forget those things and lose sight of His faithfulness to us because we don't go back and review. 

Praises were abounding as we looked at the requests from our last gathering and recognized how God had answered them, some in alignment with what we expected, but many in ways that were different. Better. 

More prayer needs were shared and we took the time to encourage each other and pray right then. 

You'd really have to work to leave that time NOT blessed by it. 

Wednesday was the last day to prepare for our Tyler tournament. Thankfully we didn't have too much going on and so had plenty of time to get things together. 

Chloe took her driving test early afternoon. And passed!! She got home and promptly left to take Ava to the library all by herself. 

We all did Cize late in the afternoon. The second dance video was confusing the first time, but the more we've done it, the easier it has become. 

That moment when...

You try to adjust your rearview mirror while driving 60 mph and the whole thing comes off the windshield. 

Ava reads 7 chapter books in 7 days. 

The Herd: Quoted 

"Can I make peanut butter balls?" -Ava to Mom

"Sure!" -Mom

"I already checked to be sure we had all the ingredients before I came to ask you if it was okay." -Ava

"I have fear of success. What if I do this and everyone loves it and it takes over my life?" -Mom dreaming about business ventures. 

"And I'm the complete opposite, I wonder why in the world anyone would appreciate my abilities." -Me

"I'm starting to freak out. I don't want to freak out." -Chloe thinking about the tournament. 

"The cool down is the hardest." -Mia talking about Cize