It's Friday!!

Being back on our school schedule this week makes FRIDAY much sweeter!!  Hope your weekend is full of laughter, fun, and pauses to enjoy God's sweet blessings!

Hello 2014

2013, Where did the calendar pages go?
Two of things I know for sure about this year, it did fly by and it was not dull!
Throughout this year we have had some amazing trips. 

(I know you can't really see us, but that's us right beside Mickey!!)

Our first family trip to Disney was beyond what any of us had dreamed.  We had planned, studied the plan, planned some more, then the time came to execute the big plan.  The first day we were at the park, early as planned,  we were asked to "help open the park!"  We were so excited (one of us may have shed a tear  or two of excitement) as we crossed the train with Mickey Mouse and the gang to welcome the thousands of folks waiting to enter the park.  Unbelievable!!

Perhaps as amazing, probably more amazing (minus the fact that our girls weren't with us) was the complete opposite kind of trip,
Mark and I took the adventure of our first mission trip together.  It has been Mark's desire for years for me to join him on a mission trip.  They have become an annual part of  his life.  This past March it happened!  We headed out with E3 Partners to Cali, Colombia. We had an amazing trip and I am telling you I experienced God in ways I have never imagined.  God just kept showing Himself in ways that made goosebumps on top of goosebumps.  That He would allow me to be part of such a beautiful thing as to share the truth of His love poured out for us while we were still sinners.  I can't wait to go again!!

Then summer came and squeezed between all the girls camps and trips to Grandma and Poppy's, and Gran and Meeps' we headed out to a quiet cabin in Bryson City, NC.  It was absolutely beautiful!  We did everything from pottery to tubing.  It too was another fabulous trip full of fun and memories.

 

Our travels kept up hopping but we had such great times that we will never forget!!

Sophie is finding her way in this time of middle school, pre-teen age.  She is loving ARTIOS, which is the fine arts co-op she attends.  Her excitement level could not be higher as they look forward to The Little Mermaid Jr. they will preform this coming spring.  Sophie spends hours practicing her violin and is progressing nicely. 

Haleigh is still as energetic as ever.  She loves to climb, run, and play hard.  A highlight of her week is our weekly piano lesson.  It is a joy to watch Haleigh's passion grow and she is close to completing her first level Suzuki book.  Haleigh is in her forth year of Classical Conversation Co-op and she's hoping to test for Memory Master this year!!
Mixed in with the fun Haleigh has struggled a bit with her health but it is amazing to see God's hand each step of the way.  We have needed to further limit the foods she can eat.  This has stretched us all as we learn how to balance the needs of one kiddo in the mix of a family of five.  We eat differently than most families but we have discovered we can do this thing with cooperation from everyone and buckets of grace and compassion.  It is not always easy or fun but Haleigh is showing GREAT improvements and that makes it all worth it!  I am so thankful to those God has placed in our path to care for her (and us.)

Mackenzie is still amazing us all as she has completely left behind the struggles of her first few years.  She is in her second year of Classical Conversations Co-op and full out homeschooling.  She loves to read and math seems fun to her. Mackenzie also loves playing the piano and keeps her teacher and I laughing through most lessons. 

As I look back over the past year there have been so many blessings I continue to be overwhelmed with gratefulness.  Yes, there were tough days and we did have to say our final goodbye, this side of heaven, to Grandma but through it all God has been ever faithful, our anchor.   We look forward to 2014 and what God has already prepared for us to walk in and draw closer to Him through. 
So here we go... goodbye 2013!  I've got one more game of Mario Cart to get whipped in, then watch the ball drop and then...

hello 2014!!

May you have a blessed 2014 and see Him more clearly and love Him more deeply! 

Merry Christmas

Wishing you the sweetest Christmas!!

There Is Something About Six

 "How old are they?" 

As we are out and about doing our Christmas hustle and bustle that question is asked often.  Now I have to pause to think because we have some new numbers that have moved in on the roll call.

  The most recent to get her new number is this beauty.  

She is now six, oh six, there is something about six.  It seems to take a slight step away from little girl.  But I'll hang on tight as long as possible. 

 Mackenzie asked if we could "move" her birthday to Saturday before her actual birthday because she wanted to spend her whole special day with Daddy.

Well of course!

 

Lunch at Saffrons was followed by a great time of climbing, laughing, bowling and riding at Frankie's Fun Park.

Then home for an ice cream cake, presents, and smashing of a pinata!

Ah, six is going to be great!!

Haleigh's 9th

 I don't know why, but my girls love pinatas.  So in gathering Haleigh's chosen party themed supplies I grabbed a pinata.  Then I hit a wall.  What do you put in the pinata if candy is out? That's when Sophie piped in with a fantastic idea... "Legos, fill it with Legos!" 

So Thursday night Sophie and I sat up dividing a huge Lego set (Haleigh's actual gift) into small baggies and stuffing them into the little minion pinata.

Next on my party planning sidekick's list was to ready the birthday streamers for her early rising sister's big day.

 

 And what a big day it was!  As is our birthday tradition, we took the day off of school and played hard all day.  Gravitopia, a new trampoline park just around the corner, was the perfect way to spend our morning. 

 

The afternoon found us recovering watching Free Birds with Daddy, who was able to slip out of work early and join us for the afternoon portion of party day. 

 

 After dinner the party was on!  (We broke the sugarless streak so Haleigh could feel the celebrations was "normal" with cake.  Although she only had about one bite and a few licks of icing.)

 

At first Haleigh's reaction to the pinata was, "Ahhh, he is just too cute to hit..."

 That didn't last long!  She had a blast smacking that minion and watching Legos, balls, and trinkets fly.

 "Happy 9th Beautiful!! You amaze me with your sweet heart, joy in serving, and ability to praise Him in the midst of storm.  You are such a trooper as we travel these paths.  The number of smiles you bring to peoples' faces we come in contact with are countless.  It is a blessing to be your mamma!!"

When We Pushed the Pause Button

 This post is mostly a photo drop of some of my favorite pics from our beach trip with Grandma.

 On Halloween we decided to dress up for putt putt in the middle of the day.  It was great!  (There was no candy being offered or given, which is a HUGE thing when you are 8 and needing to take time off of all sugars.) Although Haleigh itched her way out of her costume before we actually left the hotel it was enough for everyone to feel they dressed up for Halloween.

It was a sweet time for sure!  Just looking back at the pics makes me breathe a little slower!

Renewed on Both Sides of the Equator

I can't believe it has come and gone again, already! Mark's annual trip to Barinquilla, Columbia has already been marked off the calendar squares.
During a prayer time, about two weeks prior to his takeoff, we were asked to describe our thoughts on the upcoming trip in two to three words.  My gut reaction was, "routine."  As soon as it was out of my mouth I realized how empty that sounded, although very true to how I felt.  Life has been especially fast paced the last month or so.  The stress level, due to increasing demands of time, energy, and emotion seemed to continue to stretch us more towards getting through each day rather than really living in each day.  From the time that one shallow word left my mouth I began to pray that God would make this trip anything but routine to Mark.  He needed to see God move in mighty ways as he has seen Him on each previous trip...

Prayer at the airport before takeoff.

A few months ago, as the planning of this trip was taking place, Mark asked me if I wanted to go with him this round to Barinquilla.  My answer to that question was also perhaps too quick.  At the time my Grandma was in what seemed to have to be her last few weeks and I knew I needed to be here, where my mom would perhaps need a bit of refreshment of her own.  The past six years my mom has sacrificed a lot to take care of my Grandma (and oh did she take care of her well!)  She missed opportunities to see plays, recitals, ballgames... not that she missed them all, but there were several she wished she had seen.  In the past years when she has come down south while Mark traveled further south she has had a weight of back home accompany her.  When my Grandma did pass away I asked Mark if Mom and I could just take the girls and play at the beach.  He followed suit and answered pretty quickly by making the reservations...
Little did we know at that time God was not just working on refreshing Mark in Barinquilla, and my mom at the beach, but He was refreshing me and my view of Him.  He was giving me a chance to be fun mom that pushes the pause button on school, that rides the water slides that make me scream even when I try hard not to, that buries the girls in the sand even though it makes my skin crawl.  He knew months ago when the question of going with Mark came up that the Holy Spirit would whisper, "No, not this trip." I was going to need this break too. 

And, as the new week starts God has yet again been faithful!  Half way through last week I got an email from Mark, "This has been a great trip.  I am excited again!"  Words alone did not confirm this renewed energy and relationship with God, but somehow through the choppy FaceTime greetings he looked different, rested, recharged...

Several times as Mom and I sat on the beach watching the girls play, splash, and giggle Mom would just say, "It doesn't get any better than this!"

Our last morning at the beach, God woke me in time for the sunrise.  I slipped out onto the balcony and watched a slow sunrise being painted across the sky.  A streak of vibrant pink, followed by another slow explosion of deeper pink, it just kept going at this slow pace.  I couldn't stop watching.  This slow, constant changing sky kept getting more vibrant by the minute and the Holy Spirit nudged me.  I think that's what He is doing with my girl who is struggling, with this mamma who struggles by her side and gets hung up in doubt and questions, with my guy who juggles new and different responsibilities that seem so heavy, with this marriage of ours that is so different now than I had ever expected it could be 14 years ago... This slow, constant changing of each of us on the canvas of His vibrant story,.. its not easy, or always fun in the moment, but it is an adventure with Him and I wouldn't want it any other way.