5th blogaversary

That's right, today is my five year blog anniversary!

Wow!  Five years of memories recorded, that's so awesome.

I'm so happy I started a blog.

So, do you know what happened five years ago that made me want to start a blog? 

 I started my blog right after I became a full time stay at home mom.  Up until then I had been working part time at the hospital.  Here's my first post.

 I've always wanted to blog about how becoming a full time stay at home mom came about, but I never did get around to it.  So, this week I'm going to.  And the real reason I want to blog about it is because now when I look back at that time in my life I see how it was God who orchestrated it all.  Not me or J, but Him.  And I am so thankful that He did.  It took a few nudges, or better yet, hits over the head but we finally figured it out. God wanted me home with my girls.

Thank you Lord for making me uncomfortable.

Thank you Lord for the struggles, for bringing me to the end of myself.

Thank you Lord for closing doors.

Thank you Lord for asking me to rely on you and you alone.

Thank you Lord for wanting what is best for our family.

And thank you Lord for this time at home I've had with my girls, raising them, guiding them and loving them everyday.

Tomorrow I'll share more details and tell you why it was such a struggle for me to pick home over work.  Of course as I write it out now I think why was it even a question, but it was.

I knew I wanted to celebrate this anniversary with a giveaway but was unsure of what to giveaway.  Then this weekend I saw this pinned and it all came together.  I am so grateful for all the Lord has done and continues to do and maybe you too would like to record on your own super cute paper things that you are grateful for.

Okay, just leave me a comment and tell me something you're grateful for and you'll be entered into the giveaway.  I'll take comments on this post through Friday and on Saturday I will randomly pick one comment to win.

See you tomorrow.

sizzlin weekend

  oh the weather was so nice this weekend.

i loved every hot minute of it.

saturday was the first time i wore shorts this year! and it was a cute colored pair too.

we sat in the warm sun and watched abigail's soccer game, it's funny to think that just last weekend I packed gloves and blankets to her game.

she had team pictures before the game. 

 the only picture i got was of her sitting under a tree, hiding from the sun after an hour of running around in it.

 the girls and i ran around shopping with annie and sissy

lunchables were dinner

sunday was church and over to mom's for lunch

then i took the girls to get new swimsuits

 we came home and played in the water.  the girls ended up making a 'pool'.  they took the hose over to the sidewalk and let the water somewhat pool up around them as they lay their heads on their noodles. 

after dinner we took jake to swim in the ditch

and then played at the school with the boys.

just because

 

A Hopping Easter Weekend

Saturday

 It started off with pancakes drizzled in coconut syrup.  Jason has talked to the girls and I about coconut syrup on pancakes for like forever.  We've looked for it here locally but could never find it.  While his mom was in Hawaii she picked some up for him, isn't that sweet.  And Jason was right, it was delicious!

Then we moved right into coloring Easter eggs,

next we we hit the Kuna Easter Egg Hunt,

 and then headed over to Abigail's soccer game.

This was all before 11am.

Sunday

We went to church and celebrated our risen Savior,

and over to my mom's for lunch with my grandparents and sister.

We had another Easter egg hunt, and

a badminton competition - Clay put us all on the bracket, I ended up playing my dad in the final game and guess who won?

And then it was time to celebrate our birthday girl!

I'm so glad Beverly came and was here to celebrate Easter and Abigail's birthday with us, it made it extra special this year.

Beautiful Birthday Girl

Happy 9th Birthday 

We love you!

Happy Easter

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

John 11:25

Everything Friday

Instagram finally came to the android market!  Hooray!  

I love watching  Abigail play soccer and Ash play in the dirt.

I've started reading Kisses from Katie. 

 I felt the call to missions, when I was in high school I wanted to become a nurse and then work on the Mercy Ships. Now I see my calling to be here at home, in my church but maybe one day somewhere else.

My conversation with Abigail over breakfast

Abigail: Mom, I can't decide, should I teach at a regular school or at a christian school?

Me: Yeah you could do either.  A christian school would be great but at a regular school you could be the light of Jesus to some kid that has never seen it before.

Abigail:  You're right mom, I'll teach at a regular school.

Ash: I want to live in the jungle, can I mom?  Yes Ash, you can be whatever you want.

Me:  Abigail I see you teaching children in Africa about the love of Jesus, Ash living in the jungle near by studying monkeys, and me coming to visit and never leaving.

Jason's mom is coming for a visit, we are all so excited.  She'll be here to celebrate Easter with us and Abigail's 9th! birthday.  It's going to be a full weekend.  I'm looking forward to it!

I'm about to be the mother of a 9 year old.  How did that happen so fast?  

Just look at her.  My sweet{heart}.

 My tulips are blooming, actually everything is, I'm so happy spring is here.

My new favorite show is Duck Dynasty.  I laugh out loud every Wednesday night!

I finally (seriously I've been talking and thinking about pillows for a long time, it was such a hard decision) decided on which pillows I wanted to buy for the back living room couch.  I'm so happy with the ones I ordered!  I love the colors, the floral, the green stripe, and they're pink!  I got them off Esty, from the shop Pick Fair. 

Oh and I almost forgot to mention all that's going with Ash.  She is on her 3rd round of antibiotics for strep.  And now Abigail has strep too.  The doctors think Ash is a strep carrier.  If this round doesn't clear up the strep we'll talk about having her tonsils removed.

So, tonight we're probably going to order pizza.  Dye some Easter eggs with Grandmama and enjoy the start of Jason's 9 day vacation.  What are your Friday night plans?

photo a day {March}

 1. it snowed but the trees are green 2. Cinderella play 3. rosettes 4. my sister

5. filtered water 6. i've been reading Ephesians 7. new laptop! 8. girls cuddled on couch

 9. the only thing Irish around the house 10. cousins 11. loads of laundry 12. ash's clover with monkeys drawn on it

13. abigail's new magazine from Grandma featured March Madness 14. soccer started 15. me 16. ash's leprechaun doing a jig

17. i pointed to a picture of a shelf and asked J if he could build me one, his answer was yes... i'm definitely one LUCKY girl 18. jake Dog 19. blogging or snorting either one 20. carrot bread

21.my pillow order, i love the floral pattern 22. ash's night light 23. fetch 24. abigail's paperback

25. there were only a few accidents caused by this 26. old time gadget the girls called it an ink writer 27. good ol car

28. kit kat 29. blue eyed and brown eyed 30. ash's painted cross 31. this is the day that the Lord has made, we shall rejoice and be glad in it

on to April