Tuesday, August 31, 2010

10 Reese's Pieces


My current top ten things that I LOVE about this little gem!
1. I LOVE these pig tails... and
2. This bright, contagious smile!


3. I LOVE her bear impression!

4. I love that you can often catch her walking around with her hands in her pocket.

5. I love this pouty face.

6. I LOVE that when I change her diaper she puts her hands behind her head and just kind chills out while I do all the "dirty" work. :)


7. I LOVE that most of the time you can find Reesie sporting two totally different shoes... usually her sister's shoes.

8. I LOVE that she likes to hide from Siah in our food cabinet and wear Halee's skirt over her dress.

9. I LOVE when she randomly says, "Love youuu!" and gives me a little kiss on my check.

10. I LOVE that she tilts her head from side to side when she talks to you.

And a few "bonus" things that I love about my Reesie are that she describes most foods as "spicy.."I love the way she says the word "spicy". I also love the way that she says the word "scary".
This girl is one AMAZING treasure! Love love love her!!!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Motherhood:Anything But Mundane

I'm a mother. Right? I wash dishes, I change diapers, I clean the kitchen table,what feels like every twenty minutes. I try to train up, teach, guide, and model to my children life lessons with a cheerful heart. I have countless conversations about things that I never really thought that I would be talking about several times a day. Most days it seems like I eat, sleep and breath the issues and tasks that surround life with small children. And I'm tempted to let my mind convince me that my life is mundane, and maybe even impossibly extraordinary.

You see, I'm the type of mother that sometimes get so caught up in the things that I have convinced myself are important. All the laundry should be done and put away neatly in drawers... there should never be piles of laundry all over my house. There should never be dirty dishes piled up in my sink. The floors should be stain free and continuously vacuumed. Only kind words should escape from my mouth. I should brush my teeth at the very least, once a day...

Is this really what defines me? Is the location of the dishes what causes my children to see how much their Savior loves them? Is whether or not Siah can write the letter "A" perfectly on the first day of his second week of kindergarten gonna determine the way that he grows up and sees God's glory specifically played out in his life? Do the imperfections in my home make me less likely to be accepted by my Jesus?

It's like my mouth believes one thing, my actions show another thing, and my heart seeks yet even another thing. There's nothing mundane about being a mother. I might be doing several of the same petty tasks a zillion times throughout my days in our little home in Kansas-land, but in the midst of those petty tasks, I CONSTANTLY am being passionately pursued by my Savior. And He has given me these four little jars of clay, that He has enabled me to be a part of their molding process each and everyday. And as I attempt to be a part of molding them, I can physically feel Him molding me. Shaping my heart to be more like His. Some days all I can do is beg Him to show me how to grant the same grace that He gives me, to my children. Other days, all I can think to do is praise Him for the intricate, cute little details that He has created in each one of my treasures. And still other days, it's a sob-fest when it's Him and I, and I'm hashing out the the things that I don't understand about this world, about my life, or about my treasures.

Everyday of Motherhood has been a push into His arms. Sometimes it's been forced, and sometimes I go willingly.
Today I come willingly.
God I want nothing more than for my children to be satisfied in their relationship with you. I want to live a life of joy so that they know that their is nothing else on this earth that is more satisfying than being in an intimate love relationship with you. If my dishes have to hang out in my sink for a few extra hours during my day so that I can slow down enough to exemplify love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control with my children, then so be it! Help my controlling self to get my priorities straight. And remind me Lord, that with you in control of my soul, my life as a mother, is anything but mundane!


Friday, August 27, 2010

Seriously In Love


Ten years ago I married this boy that I am seriously in love with.

I don't love him because of the things he does for me.
I don't love him because of the things he buys for me.
The reason that I love this man is because of who he is towards me.

He's the man that smiles at me in my worst moments.
He's the man who holds me tight in my saddest moments.
He's the man who walks right by my side in my most fearful moments.
He's the man who makes me laugh in my grouchy moments.
He's the man that I can be 100% me around.
I can say in brutal honesty what's on my mind and he still chooses to love me.
And not just love me on the surface, but love me deeply!

The reason I love this man is because his love for me makes me want to be a better woman.
The reason I love this man is because he never gives up, he never quits, he never loses heart.
The reason I love this man is because he daily showers me with grace.
The reason I love this man is because he lives out Christ's love towards me with his actions and not just his words.
The reason I love this man is because he knows what I'm capable of and he doesn't let me settle for being anything less.

Ten years ago today this man and I committed to a life long love affair with one another. These past ten years have been the absolute best years of my life.
Truly, Sincerely, Genuinely, they have.

We've been through a lot of ups and downs. But the ride has been beyond anything that I could have dreamed of, more exhilarating than I ever could have imagined!

My Joey, I am SERIOUSLY in love with you!
Happy 10th anniversary!
We spent our anniversary soaking up our four amazing kids.
We went to The Mona Lisa in Manitou Springs and had the most amazing dinner while soaking up time with each other.
And our friends, The Peeks got us the most amazing gift ever... They bought us a farm! Well, I guess, technically, we bought it together. :) We found out today, on our tenth wedding anniversary, that the bank accepted our offer. In a few short months we will be moving onto our 10 acre farm with a house for them, a house for us, a giant barn, a few chicken coops, and one creepy looking stable (that I hope to tear down asap!). :)
Who ever would have thought, two kids from a tiny beach town in southern California, would find themselves buying a giant farm with their really great friends just outside the mile-high city in the middle of the country?
I am truly excited... and completely and utterly overwhelmed at the thought...
But more on that later!
For today, I'm celebrating my marriage to the man that I am STILL and ALWAYS WILL BE seriously in love with!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Goodbye, Hello

Goodbye rest,
Goodbye routine,
Goodbye sense of control...

Hello awareness that I am weak,
Hello complete dependence on God's strength,
Hello choosing to roll with the punches!

Goodbye zillions of toys,
Goodbye perfectly chosen outfits,
Goodbye clean faces & clean house,

Hello simplicity,
Hello basics,
Hello grace!

I'm not sure how one little 8lb baby can bring such change into our little lives... But the past five weeks I've become a completely different person. Things that have seemed like the norm all this time have felt chaotic. My sense of control in and over my life has gone out the door. Routine is currently taking a break in our home. I know we will find him again in the near future... but not today.

So we've made some recent changes. I realize that they might seem extreme to some, but sometimes I guess you've gotta do what you've gotta do for the sanity of your own family.

Somehow, in the past five years toys have somehow taken over our house. By the end of the day our house looks like a tornado hit it. It not only overwhelms me, but it overwhelms the kids. When I tell them it's time to clean up, there is almost always someone in tears because the extent of the mess is so extreme that none of us even know where to start. SO... we did something about it... and even though it has only been a few days with our new plan in order, it has made all the difference in the world.
What did we do???
We packed up 3/4ths of the toys in the playroom and put them in boxes in the garage. I had the kids do it with me. I had them pick their most favorite things. Then we got a few bins from Walmart so that everything in the toy room now has it's own spot. We labeled EVERYTHING so that the kids know where everything goes. Then finally, we made a new rule... when you are done playing with one thing, you must put that thing away before you take out another thing. Like I said, it has only been two days and the new rule is not anywhere near perfection, but we have just been gently reminding the kids a few times each hour with a few questions,
"Are you playing with this anymore?
Ok then, what do we do if we are not playing with something anymore?"
It has been so nice for them to only have a few things to put away at clean-up time. More than once they have answered me with the biggest smile on their face when I've asked them to put stuff away,
"Ok Mommy, I'll clean up the playroom quickly and joyfully! There isn't that much to pick up!!"
I know that less stuff has made me feel like a better mom, less stressed, better organized, more kind with my words.

I also went through all their clothes. I kept out a few bottoms, a few tops, a jacket and a pair of pajamas for each of the older kids, (I left out a bit more for Jed because, he spits up a bit and has major blow-outs often). Then I put the things that don't fit any longer in bins in the garage.

As we were making these changes this week I just became so aware of how much we live in excess. I became aware of how much society has influenced me to believe and to live with so much more than I need. And the excess for me , has caused chaos, not happiness or contentment.

So
Goodbye chaos...
Hello simplicity,
Hello joy,
Hello glimpse of peace in our home!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

First Day of Kindergarten

Papa and I woke up early this morning with Siah. Today is his first day of Kindergarten. He has to be there at 7:45 and it's a half hour away from our home. At breakfast Siah was filled with questions...
"Do I go to school everyday?
Is it Fall? Cuz I am supposed to go to school in the Fall?
If it is still summer, how can I go to school?
Papa, are you going to walk me in?
Mama, when are you going to pick me up?
How will you find me?
Am I gonna sit in the front of my class?"

We finished up breakfast. Got dressed. Brushed hair and teeth.
And took a few first-day-of-school pictures...
Siah has to wear a uniform to school...

We gave hugs and some encouraging words, then I said goodbye (sob, sob. :) Papa and Siah are now off to school! :) Thank the good Lord above for amazing Papa's who love to help out with the many small children around here! :)
HAPPY VERY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL LITTLE MAN!!!! SURE DO LOVE YA!!!

Monday, August 23, 2010

With HIS Help, You Can Do This



This post just might be a mishmash of all that my mind can pull together these days...

We had a really wonderful weekend.
My sister in law Kristin came to town. We spent countless hours around the house, drinking Trader Joes, Chai Tea Latte, and chatting about life and it's many ups and downs. We visited a friend that we've known since childhood who lives a few hours north of our humble home in "Kanas-land." We ended our Saturday worshiping together at Alethia, where our family does church.


Sunday was Papa's 32nd birthday. In the morning we took Aunt Kristin to The Farm (which, by the way we should be hearing within the next two weeks whether or not they accepted our offer.) Aunt Kristin treated us to Cici's pizza for lunch. And then she spent the entire evening with all four of our treasures so that Joey and I could go out. It was soooooo nice to be alone with Joey. We chatted through a leisurely dinner and ate the most delicious food. We talked about the things we loved about each one of our kiddos, about the trials and treasures that have come into our lives since we've moved out here. We recalled the details of how the Lord has provided in the most unsuspecting and miraculous ways. We laughed, I cried, (a happy cry, I think... maybe I'm still a bit hormonal? :) We held hands in the car and listened to some good-old country music. Then we saw a (terrible) movie at the dollar theater. The best part about the movie was sitting next to the man I love for two whole hours without a handful of small voices constantly competing for my attention... and of course, eating my fair-share of Hot Tomales.
It was a total treat! Thanks Aunt Kristin!!!


*****

This morning we had to take Kris back to the airport. It was hard and sad, but we're planning on coming to CA the first week of October so that made the goodbyes a bit easier.

On my way home from the airport I stopped by Costco with all our kiddos in tow, to pick up some formula for baby Jed (compliments of Grandma Judy and Grandpa Jim, THANK YOU!!!). And I must say that it was milestone for me in my new life as a mother of four.

The truth is that this has been a major transition for me. In some ways the transition has been easier than with our first three babies. I am genuinely able to soak up moments with Jed that I was never able to enjoy with the first two. Knowing that phases pass quickly, I don't find myself overwhelmed with things like, waking up at night for feedings, or making it through a fussy baby day. I know in my heart of hearts that "this too shall pass."

But on the flip side, I have been struggling in so many other areas. I have no idea how to run four different schedules everyday. Who's shcedule is most important? Is it more important that Reesie gets a nap or that I drag all four to Target to get Siah's school supplies? Groceries verses fun with friends? House cleaning or a nap for my tired self?

My Siah LOVES details. He wakes up each morning longing for a detailed synopsis of what the days events are going to be. And if those events change last minute he struggles to hold back the tears from the reality that his world is no longer in order. But the reality of our home right now is that things change. They change CONSTANTLY. My favorite phrase right now is, "I don't know."
What are we having for dinner?... I don't know.
How many stores are we going to? ... I don't know.
Are you tired mom? ... I don't know... I think so... all I know is that I am having trouble thinking straight.

Anyways, back to our trip to Costco today... like I said, it was a milestone for me. When we were done with our shopping I got hotdogs and pizza for the kids and salad for myself and we sat at the picnic tables and had lunch. And all the kids were AWESOME! We made it through an ENTIRE meal without crying, fighting, fits, spills, or drama. And as we were getting up to leave, this kind, old woman said, "you have such well behaved children... cherish them." To which I replied, "It's all because of Jesus.... and, I do... cherish them!" She smiled and rested her hand on mine and spoke softly, "With HIS help, you can do this."

God used the lady at Costco today. For that hour while we ate lunch, I felt my heart lifted up and a sense of encouragement came over me as a mother of four, for one of the first times in the past four weeks since little Jed arrived. It was a word of encouragement that was much needed...

For when I got home the chaos returned... Siah and Hal argued most of the afternoon... Reesie got into the markers in her room and colored on some things that we DON'T color on, AND she pulled out most of Halee's clothes from their closet and had a nice little fashion show by herself in her room... Jed screamed the entire time that I was peeling the potatoes for dinner...
chaos I tell ya...

But for that one hour today at Costco... I felt a bit of encouragement.



Friday, August 20, 2010

Why Homeschool?

I have been asking myself the past few weeks, "Why am I bothering to homeschool this year?" I have a house FULL of kiddos, including a newborn. There are plenty of really great public schools around here, that would provide my kids with a fine academic education. I myself went to a public school most of my growing-up years. My kids could be a light for Christ in the public school.

But in my heart and in my mind these early years in my kids lives feel like the formative years... the years when my children are exceedingly moldable... the years when my children have this subconscious passion for knowledge in all areas of their little lives.

But the main reason that I have any desire what-so-ever to homeschool this year is that...

"I am persuaded that I am most happy when I recognize and savor the magnificence of God in every sphere of life, and I mean EVERY sphere of life; and when I am finding my happiness in God, then I am glorifying Him. This is why I breathe -- and this is why I have chosen to teach my children in the way that I do. If my children grow up to know the glory and wisdom of God, but take no delight in Him, then I will have failed in my mission, for if they have not learned to glorify Him; they have not learned the meaning of their existence.

This is why NATURE STUDY is so important to us. My children learn to enjoy His handiwork and say with joyful hearts, " God, you do all things well!" We do not spend much time analyzing it until we have first learned to enjoy his glory in creation.


This is why we study great works of ART and listen to glorious MUSIC. In our observation and in our dancing and in our creating, we can say, "Lord, Maker of color and music, you are so beautiful!"

This is why we read LITERATURE filled with tales of the heroic. Those men and women who are shadows of Christ, in small ways mirror the greatest Hero of all time. They inspire us to be like Him, the One who embodies all skill, talent, brilliance and goodness!

This is why we focus on HISTORY. We reject the modern day myth that the old is inferior for we know that truth is timeless and we choose to learn from the wisdom of the ages.

This is why we read and write POETRY. Truth and imagination wedded together stirs the soul to greatness, and to praise the Creator. So, we think hard and we frame it with rhyme and metaphor.

This is why we WRITE only what is worthy. We find pleasure in pointing out the supremacy of God. We hope that our words awaken others to the joys to be had by reveling in His glory in every sphere of life."
(http://higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com ... side note: I love this woman's blog and I am quickly falling in love with Charlotte Mason's philosophy on children and on education. :)

My Siah starts kindergarden next Tuesday. This year, along with homeschool, we have found an amazing Charter School that he will be attending two half days a week. The school has a similar philosophy to what we will be fostering at home and I am so grateful that Siah will be able to learn and grow with the other students in his class. We met his teacher last night. Not only is she a sweet, tender, soft-spoken woman, but she LOVES the Lord. She has a passion for her students hearts as much as she does their minds. The Lord has gone over the top in His gift to me in working with Mrs. Kozyra this year.

My one and only goal for this year is to give my kiddos an opportunity to fall more and more in love with their Savior in every avenue of their lives. I hope that they discover His glory through all the things we read, through all the things we discover as we explore His world, and through the way that we learn to bless and encourage and love on each other in our home.

I can't wait to post a picture of Siah on his first day of school!!! :)

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

A Little Piece Of Home

This past weekend was a real treat! Our dear friends Jason and Mindy flew out with their little treasure Laylie and blessed us with a little piece of home! (Home being San Diego of course!) I am starting to realize that it just might take years for Colorado to become "home" for me. The first few months here I think I was running off the adrenaline of experiencing something new and exciting. And now the reality has hit me that we are not moving back to San Diego anytime soon and the truth is that there have been moments in the past weeks that I have felt almost devastated at such a thought. Not that there haven't been equally as many moments that I I have felt super blessed out here. And even when I am feeling painfully homesick, I know that GOd has something for us here, even though I feel blinded to what that might be right now.

All this to say, this past weekend was a like God gave me a gift from His heart to mine. Mindy and I have been friends for only six years but it feels like we have been friends forever. She has the most precious heart. She lives a life that exemplifies Christ on a daily basis. She constantly thinks about others above herself.


This past weekend, she took care of my Jed while I napped, she cleaned my entire house, she bought me lunch. We had the best conversations about God and life and motherhood and being a wife. She showered me with her incredible friendship.

Jason came too. And he showered my kids with FUN! Just what they love! He chased them everywhere, let them ride on his back , read them books and tickled them until they couldn't laugh any more! They haven't stopped talking about Uncle Jason since he left!






It was such a treat, an answer to prayer, and extra special gift, to have our friends here for a few days. When they left I cried for a couple hours... I'm doing much better now... finding my joy again. But it was so so so so sad to see them go.











Thanks for an amazing weekend friends!!! We sure do love ya!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Baby Book


I started a blog for Jed that I hope to turn into his Baby book.
You can check it out anytime @

jedediahcyrus.blogspot.com

God Cares About The Little Things

I have been so blessed!!!!
A sweet friend, Natalie took some amazing pictures of my treasures!!
If you know me very well you know that some of my most favorite things in life are photos of my kiddos.
In the past, each time we've had a new baby my friend Lauren has taken amazing newborn pictures for me. In all honesty I was feeling super bummed that we had moved to Colorado where I don't know that many people and I definitely don't know anyone that takes such beautiful pictures as Lauren. And then Natalie came to town to visit, and she, having no idea how much my heart was wanting newborn photos of my Jed, out of the blue offered to take some photos for me. And she took some amazing photos!
God never ceases to amaze me.
He cares about the little things.
Thank you, thank you, thank you my sweet friend! I LOVE these photos!

















She even took some pictures of all four of my treasures...









Sure do love these kiddos... And am so grateful that the God cares about the little things in my heart... and in my life. :)