Icing on the Cake

It seems just like yesterday we took # 6 to the zoo we called home.  Hannah and  

Leah were just taking their first steps; Kyle, Adam and Kayla were in every activity there was to be in at school, and we knew we had an adventure on our hands.  I couldn't have asked for a better baby.  I think Rachel knew I needed her to be sweet.  She was so sweet.  Still is.  

The icing on the cake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHIE !!!!!!

You are precious to me.

Multitudes on Mondays

While loading up photos from family reunion, I filled up a couple of pages of gratefulness.  Thanking Him for . . .

# 161 . . . brother love.

#  162  . . . uncle love.

# 163  . . . fried potato love.  Nanny to granddaughter - to great grandson.  Eli peeling potatoes with his little tummy sticking out.

# 164  . . . finding grandbabies in random places.

# 165  . . . Monty and Cathy with their kids and their extra kids.

# 166 . . . our new personal family chef.

# 167  . . . Christy and Cary, mom and daughter close.

# 168 . . . smiles for mommies playing games.

# 169 . . . short legs hanging with long legs.

# 170 . . . KP fellowship.

# 171  . . . KP fellowship with Jade and Lynn.  I love them.

#172 . . . KP fellowship from Eli who wanted his name on the list every meal.  Precious to me.

# 173 . . . gravy in iron skillet

# 174 . . . bacon dipped in gravy

#175 . . . gravy all over baby face

# 176 . . . games under lights

# 177 . . . lights over games

# 178 . . . water reflecting moonlight

#179 . . . life verse given at a young age to a boy who would rest in it often, even in to manhood.

# 180 . . . the boys men in my life

Looking back at the laughter with happy tears.

OVERWHELMED WITH A THANKFUL HEART.

Writing Down Grateful

Sometimes I get frustrated when I have so much to do and feel like all the players on this team are busy. So that means I'm frustrated often.

I'm working on that.

Last Thursday we actually had a day where we all braved the chiggers and went outside and worked.

It was so fun. Although, the other players might beg to differ.

The girls worked on putting together a bench someone had given us. Even had power tools out.

I came around the corner and saw them all testing out their labor.

Chook. Chook. Chook.

When they were little, Michael and then everyone else started calling them chooks, which is the same as chicks, someone told him long ago.

Seeing their heads made me remember. I stood there and watched them and remembered.

Remembered how I prayed to have them. Of course, at the time I was just praying for one.

Remembered how truly grateful I was that God gave us three, one for each of the big kids to hold.

Remembered why it is important to keep working on the frustration issue.

Grateful.

Remembering

A Mom Blessed

I’ve started this several times, wanting to write about Mother’s Day, but I ended up beating myself up each time with so many regrets that it was flat depressing. So I deleted.

Yesterday morning I was going to work some on my porch, but went to pick up 200+ roses to give to mommies today at church, then went home to cook for supper with Michael’s family. As I was doing my running around, I started thanking God for different things that remind me of the greatest job in the world – being a mom.

Thought I’d share.

I’m thankful for . . .

. . . stretch marks that remind me that I carried 4 children until they were fully done.

. . . a scar down the middle of my tummy that now resembles a loaf of Split Top Mrs. Baird’s bread because the twins couldn’t stay until they were completely done, and needed help getting here. Sorry for the visual.

. . . sleepless nights when the older three were little, then more sleepless nights ten years later when the younger three were little, because it reminds me that I had babies to hold.

. . . sleepless nights when all of them are now much older, because it reminds me that I’m supposed to be praying for them as they walk through situations that happen because we live in a fallen world.

. . . laugh lines because it reminds me that there was lots of laughter. So much laughter that Leah would sometimes throw up at the dinner table because she was laughing so hard.

. . . a white plastic bag tucked away in my drawer with 9 little wrenches in it because it reminds me that the kids think it is funny that I can’t find at least one of their stocking gifts. Every year.

. . . reading glasses that slide down a ways on my nose because they remind me that I am now called Lollie as well as Momma. I look like a grandma.

. . . the words “coke” and “hot sauce” instead of “pop” and “salsa” because it reminds me they love tradition. They want to do it like we’ve always done it and never change, no matter that the whole state may say it different.

I won’t continue this out loud to spare you a long boring story, but I’m not going to stop thanking God for the every day reminders of why I am so blessed to be momma.

So very blessed.

Time Spent

One of the greatest treats for me as a Momma is to see my kids ministering to other people. When Kayla talks about the Bible study she has in her home with several of the girls who were part of our Bible study in Stillwater, I usually cry. It makes my heart happy. Jade is loving on other mommy's babies and Amber has prayed over the radio with one who was waiting for help to come. Kevin spends valuable time with a young man going to school in Tulsa. Both Kyle and Adam have talked to people about the Lord, sometimes while their audience is captive. :)

When I talk with Keith and Sherri about the university ministry at Lubbock, I am overwhelmed with how God is using them. When I was at their house last Thursday night we stayed up until well after one just talking God talk. So sweet.

Marla shares some of when she and Justin lead worship and, the greatest of all - when she loves on her babies.

There is nothing I want more than for my kids to be in the center of God's will. Watching them work for the Lord, hearing how they love on students/young ladies/babies just makes me feel like I'm going to explode.

This past weekend in Ruidoso I was so blessed to spend time with Sherri, Marla, Tara and Cynthia as we loved on those girls. There is nothing sweeter than working alongside girls you've been blessed to spend time with earlier in life. Knowing that time put into their lives is now bearing fruit.

Love every minute now.

Worth every minute then.

Sherri, Cynthia and Tara

Sweet Girls

Twins - not really

Baby Anna

Four Sisters Close

At any given time there can be two to six razors on the side of our bath tub. Last week there were four all piled up on each other. Kayla was on my mind because she was going to come stay the weekend with us and every time I looked at those razors I thought of the four girls. Four sisters so very close.

Kayla was ten when we brought the first two home. She was almost eleven when we brought the last one home. From the very beginning she became second mom. She wiped bottoms and noses (not necessarily in that order) and kissed skinned knees. At times there was frustration because nothing was her very own it sometimes seemed, because there were six little grubby hands all over her stuff.

She seldom complained.

Now days when these girls are struggling with stuff, they often call her. She is always ready to be ears to hear and words to comfort.

God has also blessed us with two more who are ready to listen if needed. Jade and Amber are always ready with God answers to hear and God arms to hug.

Hannah, Leah, and Rachel. You are blessed. Blessed not only with your second momma, but now with a third and fourth who love you dearly and want to help guard your heart.

I'm blessed as well.

And oh, so thankful for the reminder on the side of my tub.