OK God, Now what?

So, Matt and I found out Friday, that he might loose his job, um...this Friday. That's the reason for my last sort of "melodramatic" post. I, of course did freak out a bit, but I am so glad to have all of the ups and downs of the past several years...reminding me of God's faithfulness to us. I tend to get fatalistic, depressed and distracted from my responsibilities etc...etc...so if you read this you could pray that God gives me extra supernatural "SuperMommy" Strength. Ha!

In order to remind myself I think I'll just list some things I am thankful, grateful, and are praiseworthy:

1. My children are healthy.
2. My husband is healthy.
3. I am healthy.
4. I have amazing friends who love and care about me and my kids.
5. I have a roof over my (family's) head.
6. I have food to feed my family.
7. I am grateful for my husband who:

• loves me
• keeps me "grounded"
• gives me space when I need it
• gives me a hug when I need it (even if I don't think I do)
• works hard to provide for our family & does the absolute best he can do.
• Loves the Lord.
• Is an amazing daddy
• plays with our kids.
• makes dinner and bathes the kids on nights that I have to work at Curves and on nights when he knows I've "had enough"--especially since we home school now.
• tells me not to second guess myself.
• gets me cookies and ice cream in bed even if he's already in bed too.

8. I am thankful for the opportunity to be a mom.

9. I am Thankful that my girls know Jesus and really have a heart to want to do the right thing (most of the time)

10. I am thankful for my daughter Quinn and her creative ideas and her dramatic spirit. The way she expresses herself verbally is so amazing to me. The twinkle in her eye when she is excited about something. Her confidence astounds me, and her gratefulness for things that she has and gets. Her thoughtful prayers have really surprised me lately. I am grateful for the challenge to give her wings and also protect her. I love that she wants to please the Lord...and is sensitive to His spirit.

11. I am thankful for Ella and how cute she is, and her profound thoughts on God and her always making up songs about Him... She once asked me "Mommy, do the cars tickle God's hands?" (You know the song, He's got the whole world in His hands?)--I think I may have heard God chuckle at that one.

12. I am grateful for my little guy Miles and how he lights up a room, sometimes for the wrong reasons but, nonetheless. He really knows how to melt Mommy's heart, his latest is when he gets in trouble, or isn't getting what he wants he says, "Mommy, but I love you." (with his bottom lip pouting, his curly red mop, and those big brown puppy dog eyes looking up at me...) Stay consistent, Autumn, Stay consistent.

13. Grateful for so, so, so many things.

OK God....Now What...

(reluctantly) Grateful for new opportunities to serve You . Grateful to see what new and exciting paths and people lay in front of us. Grateful for yet another opportunity for You to do a miracle in my life, Grateful for you to be my strength, my provider, my friend, my redeemer, my Father, my peace, my Life.

What... ever is OK God.

The Mountain Pass

Okay, so this blogging thing is new to me...and as I am reading through my Farm...post yesterday, I'm thinking, oh boy...no wonder my kids whine so much....maybe I need to stop whining too...what do ya think? Plus I've gotten a few emails from you all, and I thought...wow, did it really sound that bad? Can I get some cheese?

Actually, I had a pretty good day yesterday. Isn't it funny how we allow a couple of moments in our day...put a shadow on the hours and minutes of fun and happiness and blessing that we experience every day? I realized from that blog yesterday, that I am allowing myself to look at life through clouded vision. And isn't it easy for all of us to do? Some call it pessimism, some call it looking at the glass "half empty". Of course we are going to have "bad hair" days etc...but we cheat ourselves when we sweat the small stuff...and let all that little stuff become a mountain that overshadows and squashes all the joy out of our day.

There's this theme that keeps coming up in my life, finding joy in hardship, peace in chaos, and being content, wherever the Lord puts me. When a new issue seems to crop up, I need to start asking the Lord to help me find the joy in that trial. Ask myself, What will I learn? How will I grow? How can I, with His help face this new challenge? Instead of "OH GOD, Why this? Why now? Why me? Boo!Hoo! BOO! HOO!



After some thought I realize that I need to be looking at these rough patches in life or my day, less like a"Valley" and more like a mountain pass. It reminds me of a time when Matt and I went to North Carolina, we take this sort of "back road" it's a two lane road through small towns, and the county...it's a beautiful drive, but this was in the winter, and it was cold, but an easy drive, and we drove up this "mountain pass" and it was great..., we got to the top of the mountain and were turning around a "blind" bend to go down, and we hit a sheet of ice and it was quite dangerous, and scary, and there were some moments of absolute panic, because we couldn't control the truck. Little by little we made it through, and once we got through that patch of "ice", we turned another corner and found the most amazing sight...I'll never forget it. As we gained our composure, we took in the the most amazing sight. All the trees looked as if they had been dipped in liquid crystal and the road & forest floor had been sprinkled in powdered sugar. It was breathtaking.




So it might take a little struggle to get up the mountain and around the bend, but you never know what might await you on the other side....the most amazing things....and I know I am always amazed...and astounded....where God brings us from and where he leads us to....

Phone Calls

This morning I was snuggled warmly in my cozy bed with at least one of my kiddos laying next to me, patiently (did I say that) waiting for me to wake up. I finally awoke to Quinn bringing me the phone....

This was definately one of those calls that threatens to defeat you before you even begin to raise a hand to fight. I panicked...and proceeded to start my day by calling a few friends for advice. 5 hours later I've calmed down...and remind myself...I know the ONE who KNOWs and I know HE's in control.

I don't know if anyone else has a friend like this...but, I have a friend, where it seems like we take turns going through various crisises. God knows just when we need to be strong for one another. A friend who will say...let's pray, and remember that time when you thought everything would fall apart....remember when God did "XYZ?" Everyone should have at least one friend like that.

I thank God for His promises. I thank God for blessing us and our children. I know he continues to take care of us. I thank God for my friend who reminds me and brings me back down to earth to remember HIS faithfulness to me.

Farm, Friends, & Frantic Shoe Searching

Lately I have tried to take the kids up to the Farm my Mom works/lives at about once a week. The love being outside, getting dirty...spending time with Grandma, chasing chickens etc...The girls like to ride horses....and Grandma gives them a lesson, if we have time & the weather is good. The are progressing nicely. Both girls are learning to guide the horse around the pasture, Halt, and and generally keep them going in the right direction. Quinny is much taller and able to follow direction a little better. Ella had a little fall the other day, but got right back up, and can't wait to ride again....she was fine. Anyway, we went to the farm today, it's been raining a lot the past few days and it was too wet to ride, but the kids had a great time anyway, they groomed "Sammy"our miniature horse friend...they absolutely adore him...and he loves them too! The girls are learning so much about responsibility...it's really great.

The biggest issue is (of course) leaving...nobody ever wants to leave, so it's a bit annoying when I have to be "Mom" and be responsible, and try to get home before rush hour, and still get some school work in before Soccer practice. No day is perfect and this was not the exception...I was exhausted when we got home...and set the kids up so I could take a few minutes to gather my thoughts...or loose them, whatever the case may be. Almost as soon as we get home, I hear that "Knock, knock, knock" The neighbor kids across the street, want to play...which is great and they are really sweet...but I swear...I just want a couple of minutes to myself, ya know....say yes or spend the next 25 minutes listening to my kids whine and complain b/c they can't spend 25 more minutes outside playing. By the way, we've been outside pretty much the whole day....enough fresh air already! Ha! Anyway, by the the time I made up my mind, we headed outside to play, only to see the neighbors going inside, so I think I got the 25minutes of whining and complaining anyway...figures.

Does anyone else have a problem with kids and their shoes...I don't know how many pairs of shoes the kids have, but we can never find the ones we need...when we need them. It is a major frustration of mine. My kids take their shoes off almost 100% of the time in the car on the way to or from just about anywhere....and never fail to bring them back in the house and put them where they belong....Well, that's where I was at at about 5:15pm today, looking for soccer cleats and shin guards yet again...BTW husband is due any minute to get Quinn to a 5:30pm practice. I absolutely pull my hair out with this stuff...it's so frustrating! AHHH! I'd be open to suggestions on a "system" 0r something to help in that regard. Well, my day's not over, I need to think about dinner & the like....maybe we'll talk later?

First Post

I have interesting days every day...usually it starts with repetition...make your bed, brush your teeth, eat your breakfast....take your gummies (JP that is)....in one order or another...Miles, stop, don't do that....I think I did this for about two hours this morning, before finally getting my 1st grader to the table to do her school work. I did accomplish picking up Miles's room...including potato chip crumbs all over the floor. He accomplished filling the sink in the bathroom with toys, paper, soap...and I think it's clogged, but his room is Clean! Yeah! The girls did accomplish the teeth brushing, breakfast, gummies and of course getting dressed and no sooner had they made their beds did they decide it might be great to make a fort under the top bunk....what are ya gonna do? Ha! So far school is 80% complete today...Hopefully that will get accomplished today.

Yesterday, I bought yet another "organizing book" probably should have just saved the money...I've been "planning" all morning and nothing has gotten done! Ha! Maybe someday! I swear I have big plans.....oh and can we say distraction? I went to check my email, and ended up starting this Blog....go figure! This seems fun...and maybe it will help me keep in touch with friends and get my thoughts out on "e-Paper". I journal anyway, so this might be just the thing I need to put things in perspective. until then