A Blog Post of Thanks.

The latest trend on Facebook is to list things you are thankful for during the month of November leading up to Thanksgiving. I love this idea! There is not enough space on a Facebook status to list all I am thankful for. It needed it's own blog post!

First and foremost, I am beyond thankful to my Father God for His unending mercy, love, power, and forgiveness. I am thankful that He catches me before I fall, that He sees my future far before I do and prepares me for it, that He opens doors that need opening, closes doors that need to be closed, and that He has given me the opportunity to participate in worship each Sunday and Wednesday at my church.

I am thankful for music. Singing has been a part of my days for as long as I can remember. Music always filled our home and it fills my home now. I took for granted that God blessed me with the ability to sing. It wasn't until around 10 months ago that I realized how God has protected and preserved that gift for His use.

I am thankful for Dr. Thomas. Dr. Thomas was the surgeon that removed half of my thyroid glad 10 months ago. In January of 2009, I was diagnosed with a tumor or nodule on the right side of my thyroid. Surgery was scheduled for May. One week before my surgery date, I found out I was expecting my sweet Liam. Brad and I were beyond thrilled for this blessing, as we had gone through losing a pregnancy just a few months before. Liam was God's gift to us. He was tangible proof of His unending love for Brad and I. He was conceived at Easter--the time of year where we thank Jesus for His power, might, and that He is alive!!! He was born on December 29th,--Christmas time! The time of year where we reflect on God's love for us. He sent His own son because He loved us! He blessed Brad and I with our second son because He loved us. He was watching over me, protecting my body, and preserving Liam. The nodule was still there and growing, but my baby was healthy and well.

I am thankful for Ian Michael. Ian means God's gracious gift. That is exactly what that sweet baby is to me. A gift! My cup runneth over whenever I see that chubby little man. Ian Michael is our surprise baby. I found out I was expecting him when Liam was just 6 months old. I was in shock. How could I manage this? Three kids under the age of 4? I started to melt down. But over and over, the Lord used people in my life to share with me that His grace was enough! I had the grace to be a mother of 2 and I would have His grace to be a mother of 3 when the time came. My pregnancy and birth were both amazing. The hand of God was there the entire time.

The tumor was still in my thyroid, still growing, but God covered my babies in my womb, just like His word says in Psalms. He protected me as well! That nodule had gotten so large, that it was completely compressing my trachea. It was beginning to wrap itself around my voice box and attach. When Dr. Thomas went in to remove it (9 months after Ian was born), he could not believe that I wasn't having trouble swallowing or breathing. I had been leading worship just weeks before the surgery! That is just the hand of God. I was back singing worship just 2 short weeks after surgery. Dr. Thomas didn't believe me when I told him at my post op appointment! I had no damage to my vocal chords or voice, in spite of the fact that the enemy was trying to steal that gift from me. I will never take my voice for granted again.

I am thankful for Aidan. My first born, the boy who made me mom. He is such a light, a leader, my helper, a silly boy, creative, compassionate, passionate, complex but simple, my boy! During all of the struggles with my thyroid, Aidan would put his little hands on my neck daily and say, "Jesus, heal mommy, make that thyroid to GO in Jesus' Name!" I know Jesus heard the prayers of my sweet boy. And He answered them!

I am thankful for Brad. Brad is a walking example of what the Bible says love is in 1 Corinthians 13. He is always patient and kind with me, he has never kept a record of wrong ( I wish I could say the same!), he stood beside me through days that were hard, he upholds me when I feel like I cannot stand on my own. God brought him in to my life at a time when I needed him most. He has continued to bless me and our home daily with his attitude about life! Brad is a provider. He works very hard so that I am able to be at home with our boys. He supports me in that. He supports me educating Aidan at home. Those 2 things alone are worth their weight in gold. He has always said I am beautiful, even when I haven't felt that way. Having back to back pregnancies was hard emotionally and physically. I was left with 2 beautiful babies and more extra weight than I had ever carried in my life. He never put pressure on me to "get back to my old self". He just continued to look at me just as he always had, with love. I cannot thank him enough for that.

I am thankful for Lysa TerKeurst. Lysa is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. She wrote a book that has changed my life called Made to Crave. I decided to read Made to Crave right around the same time I had thyroid surgery. I had some extra time to read while I was resting and recovering. I knew the subject matter of the book--getting healthy, redirecting our cravings, growing closer to Jesus. Those things were my goals for the year too! I had never involved God in my weight loss efforts before. And every time before, it was a struggle. One plan after the other. Those plans may have worked, but it was a constant struggle! This time was different. Involving God in that area of my life was exactly the thing that had been missing. I know that He wants me to live my best life--the life He intending for me! He wants me healthy and strong to take care of my boys. With the tools I gathered from that book, the strength of the Lord, and sheer determination, I have lost 60 pounds in the past 10 months. I feel awesome! More importantly, I am on a road to my best health...exactly where I wanted to be as I approach 30!

I am thankful for my ENTIRE family. My amazing mom and dad, who are the best parents and grandparents I could ever ask for. I am so blessed that they are in my boys' lives. I am thankful for my siblings--the most interesting bond there is. They become your first friends, strongest allies, partners in goofiness, the list goes on. I love each of them for their uniqueness. I am so glad my boys have awesome aunts and cool uncles. I am thankful for my in laws. They love my boys and bless them just by being around. They support Brad and I and have always allowed us to parent the way we believe God wants us to. I am thankful for that.

My list could go on and on and on and on...you get the picture. God is good! He has blessed me exceedingly and abundantly above what I could ask, think or imagine. I will turn 30 on Thanksgiving Day this year. I am looking forward to a new decade! I am looking forward to walking in health, healing, and the blessings of God this year and in the many years to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read my book! I pray that all of my friends and family have a blessed Thanksgiving and holiday season. We have so MUCH to be thankful for!

School Days, School Days...

We are finally in to my favorite time of year...Fall! I just love it and cannot get enough of the cooler temperatures, the beautiful colors, the crunching leaves... My boys have loved being outside for bike rides and lots of walks, too!

We are in a great rhythm with our schooling which is an awesome blessing! Our days are full of so much learning, exploring, reading, and the like. Our current unit is on the moon and Aidan is so completely taken with the concept, he is currently planning his first flight to the moon. :) I have found that I love My Father's World curriculum (I wasn't to sure at first). It encompasses so many interesting ways of learning; classical education, Charlotte Mason, and Montessori, that it gives such great variety. Aidan loves all of the subjects, but his favorites have to be Bible and Science which really go hand in hand.

Now that we are well in to our fall term, I get many questions when we are out in public about why my 5 year old isn't in school. I save my long explanation for someone other than the Target check out lady and Aidan is usually quick to respond that he IS indeed in school...Skeens Academy specifically. :) The long and short of our decision to homeschool is this: I firmly believe that with proper prayer and planning, I can create the best environment for my son to learn. He is healthy, happy and thriving learning at home. My husband and I see no reason to disrupt that just because it is the norm to send your child to kindergarten when he is of the appropriate age. I have had to restructure my thinking on what learning really is. Sitting in a desk doing seat work isn't the only way to learn. Children, especially little boys, need to be learning by DOING. By playing, by exploring, touching, and moving. Seat work and following directions are certainly important components of learning, but not the most at this age. We make it a goal to engage Aidan's brain in every day activities...while eating breakfast, while playing with Legos, while we are at the store, etc... He is the greatest little problem solver because we have allowed him to use that God given mind and THINK through choices and situations in his day. I usually get the "socialization" card as well, but after a person meets my son, that card is quickly chucked out the window. Aidan knows no stranger and is very comfortable in most all social settings. He is very independent and a natural leader. It is my job to sit back and watch him grow into the young man God has for him to be. Along the way, we help mold and instruct him according to the word of God. I am so privileged and blessed to do life with these 3 little men. Being Aidan's teacher has just added to that blessing every single day! So, in a nutshell, that's why I educate at home! Some understand it and support it, others never will. An important lesson I am learning along the way is that you cannot please everyone or make others understand you. That used to bother me so much (natural born people pleaser). But God is showing me that the relationships of those closest to me, my family and few friends, are the ones that I need to nurture. Making others understand me is a time and energy waster! So, with His grace and mercy heaped on me daily, I am enjoying my new role as K5 teacher to my little classroom of one.

Shame on Me!!!!

So, I haven't made a blog post since March. MARCH!!! Not acceptable...completely NOT. With facebook so easily accessible from my smart phone, if something interesting happens, I post it! However, facebook does not allow me to use my creative juices and pen details about our days, homeschooling, or other things that are flowing around my brain. I will TRY (try being the key word), to blog at least once a week. I found that it was good for me to put my thoughts out there however insignificant they may be at the time.

Lots of things have happened since March! I have a now 5 year old boy who is officially beginning K5 on September 4th. He will be going to the Skeens Academy, where personal attention is just a call away. :) I am beyond excited to begin this journey with my little guy. God has been so good to our family in setting the foundation and opening the doors for me to be able to educate our son in the best environment I believe, possible. He will have lots of opportunities to socialize (he is taking a music class at Covenant Christian once a week), he will also be taking drum lessons, and we are looking in to a sport for the fall as well. At our co-op's Back to School Night, he saw a booth for Irish Aquatics and that sparked his interest. Learning at home is so natural to Aidan because we have been doing structured and unstructured learning since he was 3 years old. He loves to learn and I love to teach so we make a great pair! I will probably make a post in the near future about why my husband and I have made the decision to educate at home. Some understand it and support our decision, others look at me like I'm some weird, control freak mother who can't let my child out of my sight and who is completely afraid of the "evil's of the public school system". Both could not be farther from the truth. But, that's for another day, another time. Today, I am BLESSED and thankful for the learning opportunities God blesses Aidan and I with. I am so thankful for this unique opportunity.

The Pursuit of Perfect Kids

I read a blog post today from Proverbs 31 Ministries that really hit home for me. The author talks about her strong willed daughter and her need to conform and contain her in to the child that SHE wanted her to be; not the child that God wanted her to be. I can relate. We've all had those moments when our little ones are precious little angels...so obedient, so loving to each other, so perfect. We feel like, "Hey! I'm doing OK here! I'm raising good kids!" Then 5 minutes later, someones spills his juice, takes his shirt off, takes his brother's toy, cries and throws a fit...the list goes on. I quickly become a referee and feel the need for more coffee. It's in those moments that I have to look at each one of my boys who are so different and remember, God made their personalities unique and special. They aren't cookie cutter children. They aren't always going to conform to what mommy wants them to be. I want them to conform to who God wants them to be. Those personality traits that I see as challenges, He sees as opportunities for growth in my boys. I know the day will come when God will use Aidan's "assertiveness (a.k.a. first born ultra bossiness) to His glory to lead other's to Christ. I know God will use Liam's determination (a.k.a. extreme stubbornness) to accomplish any goal he sets out to achieve. I know He will use Ian Michael in big ways too...at the moment, he is 11 months and goes after anything and everything his brothers are doing. He is never put off by a look of annoyance or having Lightening McQueen pulled from his chubby fingers a million times. He happily goes right back to be with his brothers. I see him being the kind of friend that is loyal and loving. What a joy these 3 boys are to me...to see them grow and blossom in to who God intends for them to be is the biggest blessing and privilege! Be encouraged today -- do your best with your kids and let God do the rest! When they are good, be thankful. When they are not at their best, use it as moments to lead and guide them in the right direction. Allow God to shape and mold you too as you pour into your little ones. I am most definitely changing and growing with them!

Neglected

So, I have fallen in to the trap of forgetting about the blog. Again! I am determined to do better. The most frustrating thing is, I HATE uploading pictures to our desk top. It seems to take forever and is just annoying all around. I would much rather just snap a few pictures with the camera on my phone...they turn out sharper than our digital camera sometimes! The problem with that is, I would have to use the blogger app and that takes up tons of memory and its annoying to tap, tap, tap, a zillion times when trying to create a post. Sigh. The woes of technology. I will take some time soon and blog about some of the big things happening around here -- Aidan's 5th birthday, Ian Michael's soon to be first birthday, and my weight loss journey. I am motivated by a friend of mine who has done such a wonderful job keeping up her blog for several years! I am determined not to give up on it!

Well, we are off to enjoy the day. It is supposed to be in the 70's today!

Northern Indiana Center for History

Last week, I ventured out with the boys to the Center for History. I had heard there was a wonderful pretend play area, so we had to check it out. It was AWESOME! They had recreated Potawatomi Village complete with a wigwam, canoe, stable, Pierre Navarre's cabin, a covered wagon, and lots more. Everything is made for children to touch and explore. The boys completely loved it and so did I! Brad and I took the boys to Shedd Aquarium during the summer and I must say, Center for History's pretend play area far outshined the pretend play place at the Shedd. It was so much fun and with my library pass, it was FREE! We will most definitely be going back to pretend and play again soon.

Three Cups Kind of Morning...

I really try to limit myself to only 2 cups of coffee in the morning...partially because I only need that much caffeine, and partially because K-cups are so ridiculously expensive! This morning was an exception. I feel like I have been referee the past few days...breaking up disputes over who had the tractor first, who had the marker first, who has the right blankie, who has the right book, etc... Oy! It's Tuesday but I feel the past 3 weeks have blurred together in a never ending week with no break in sight! So, I decided to separate myself from my boys for a little while, blog, and drink my third cup of Buttered Pecan coffee...things are looking brighter already!

Favorite Things

Some of my current favorite things are:

Watching my boys play -- they are each so different and unique. I love seeing their personalities shine!

My Keurig -- pushing a button, sticking a K-cup in, and having perfect coffee in 2 minutes is just what I need in the morning.

French Toast K-cups -- in a word, delish.

My new purse -- hubby surprised me with a Coach purse for Valentine's Day! It is beautiful and I am almost afraid to use it!

Walk at Home Program -- I have always been a fan of Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds program, but in recent years she has really amped up her workouts and added lots more options! I have rediscovered how quick and efficient her walks are.

Kari Jobe -- her music is so uplifting, peaceful and encouraging.

Lavender Scented Clorox Wipes -- I have always loved Clorox wipes. After the infestation of flu in my home, I have discovered a new scent that is so fresh and clean. I love it!

Glade Clean Linen Candle -- smells so fresh and the fragrance really fills a room fast.

*It's amazing how little things add brightness to your day. I think of all the small details that God blesses me with on a daily basis. He truly knows me and chooses to bless me in spite of myself! What an awesome God we serve. Enjoy your day!

"Valentea" Party

This flu has been unrelenting. Hubby has it. And its Valentine's Day. And we had dinner reservations. Sigh. So, I pulled myself up by the boot straps and enjoyed the day with my 3 little men. We made Valentines and heart shaped cookies. Aidan and I had a lovely afternoon tea party complete with place cards he made!

Chocolate, Girl Talk, and Valentines

After a rough past week with sick kiddos, it was so nice to have some girl time tonight with my Mondays for Moms pals. We had chocolate covered strawberries and other treats, coffee, TONS of adorable card making goodies, and Harry Connick Jr crooning in the background. :) The perfect recipe for a relaxing evening!

The Infirmary

Well, that whole "I'm caught up with my laundry" deal quickly became a thing of the past. My other 2 munchkins got the nasty bug and I spent yesterday chasing my 2 year old with a trash bag lined tupperware bowl (as he ran and cried, "No thank you, Mama!!!) and comforting my almost 5 year old who was complete freaked out by throwing up. Sigh. We were up with my oldest dear boy for 2 hours during the night while he was sick literally every 10 minutes. Today is much better, Praise God for that! I do believe we are on the mend. My house is so completely sterile now, I think we could beat a hospital in cleanliness!

Lift and Flaps

Here are the Lift and Flap cards I made for Aidan. He loved trying them out yesterday and showing Daddy and Brothers his new sight word. I uploaded the picture from my "smart phone." Seeing as how the picture is super blurry, I don't know how smart the phone actually is. Anyway, the cards contain the day of the week, the letter of the day, the sight word for the week, and our weekly memory verse which is Psalm 17:8.

How Laundry Day Quickly Became A Jonah Day...

Oh, how quickly a day can change! I had laundry going, Liam was having quiet time, Ian Michael was napping, and Aidan and I were just sitting down to preschool when I hear Ian fussing in his room. I walk in just in time to get thrown up on. A whole lot of throw up to be exact. Poor baby boy! He has never really been sick before, so it threw us all for a loop! I spent the rest of the morning and in to the afternoon washing loads and loads of sick baby stuff. I can't stand seeing one of my babies not feeling well...I wish I could just snap my fingers and take it all away! I imagine that's how God feels when He sees one of His kids hurting, sad, sick, worried. He wants us to come to Him just as a little baby comes to Mommy when he doesn't feel well. He wants us to lay our head on His knees and rest in Him...knowing He can make it all better. I am so thankful that when I am worried about one of my babies and I feel overwhelmed by life, I can crawl up on my Heavenly Father's knees and know that it's going to be ok! Thankfully, my little Ian Michael seems better today and is a hungry little lad! I am so glad that today is fresh and new. His mercies are new each morning and I am renewed each morning too! So, with the smell of bleach forever in my nose, I am folding and putting away lots of laundry and watching my little guys squeal and play. There isn't much better than that!

Laundry, Pre-K, More Laundry...

It is laundry day around here...and let's all say it together, "BOOOO!!!!!" I know it must be done. Sigh. Four boys generate lots of laundry! I am excited about preschool today though! I am trying a new system of lift and flap cards that I am going to hang on the mantle with the day of the week, the weather, our ABC Memory Verse for the week, and a sight word. I read about this system on Totally Tots (great website for preschooling!) and can't wait to try it out! It looks like it would work great for K-5 too by just adding a few more cards. I will have to post pictures oncec we finish today. Off to sort the heaps of laundry lurking in my laundry room...going out with joy and being lead forth in peace today! Laundry and all. :)

Frogs, Snails, and Puppy Dogs' Tails

The title of my blog is Frogs, Snails, and Puppy Dogs' Tails...that's what little boys are made of. You see, I am mama to 3 beautiful boys. My oldest is almost 5 (how did that happen?!?!) My second is 2, and my youngest will be 10 months. Being a mommy is the most AMAZING experience in the world. Being a mama to 3 little boys? That is another level of amazing! They are unique, complex, tough, tender, silly, sticky, imaginative, creative, beautiful, boys. I love each of them with all of my heart. They are my little loves. I am blessed beyond measure to be their mom. Welcome to my world!